CHICAGO (AP) -- Gov. Pat Quinn has signed into law a measure that will soon ban the sale in Illinois of synthetic marijuana substitute often known as "K2."
The measure Quinn signed Monday will classify the product as a controlled substance as of Jan. 1.
Also known as "legal pot," the herbal product is frequently marketed as incense or potpourri.
Chemists say it is sprayed with a synthetic chemical that is similar to tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is found in marijuana.
The synthetic cannaboid used in the product was originally developed to alleviate nausea and vomiting in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
One of the bill's sponsors, Democratic State Sen. Kwame Raoul of Chicago, says smoking the substance can be harmful, and that laws must evolve as people continue to invent new ways to get high.
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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com
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