(KMOV) -- St. Charles County is now the first in the area to ban a marijuana-like substance called "K2." The ban took effect Monday night and stores were expected to pull the product from their shelves.
The synthetic marijuana substitute skirted federal law by not using a specific drug found in marijuana, but instead using a chemically similar material. But in St. Charles County, K2 is now KO'd.
Tuesday, customers flooded the South 94 Bait and Tackle Trading shop with calls in hopes of finding K2.
Owner Pam Tabbat was served with a copy of the new ordinance banning the sale or possession of any product containing synthetic cannabinoids. The substance goes by a variety of names, including: K2, magic spice and voodoo. But Tabbat has already cleared her shelves of the product last night, even though she calls the ban a "knee-jerk reaction."
Tabbat's store sells fishing tackle and smoking supplies, but business was slow until K2 came along. The owner admits there were days when her sales reached $7,000.
Now Tabbat's customers are going to St. Louis County to buy K2, which means she will have to make job cuts. "The sad thing is I had hired three people, said Tabbat. "Now, I am going to have to lay them off."
The Missouri Legislature is also considering a ban, but for now it's only illegal in St. Charles County.
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