Gee, Spice , we hardly knew ya. Maybe that's because with $100 and some fake back pain you can get a doctor's card and some decent weed in California — legally. Still, would have been nice to check you out, see what kind of smoke you produce, roll you in some thin, white paper, and bark at the moon on the sands of Venice under your influence.

Oh well. The DEA on Wednesday announced its putting you and all your friends (K2, et. al.) out of business. Well, not you precisely, but the chemicals used to make you and your buds.

Wait, according to the DEA's statement, the rule doesn't really take effect for 30 days. Then it's six months to a year of no Spice/K2 while the feds figure you out. (This means we're all rushing to that head shop in Westwood to get our collector's item).

The DEA statement:

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is using its emergency scheduling authority to temporarily control five chemicals (JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47,497, and cannabicyclohexanol) used to make “fake pot” products. Except as authorized by law, this action will make possessing and selling these chemicals or the products that contain them illegal in the U.S. for at least one year while the DEA and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) further study whether these chemicals and products should be permanently controlled.

The administration calls yours a “marijuana-like high,” but, frankly, we've heard bad things about you: Headaches and a quick high followed by an even quicker wear-off period.

Even the pro-pot Drug Policy Alliance notes that ” … people who have tried K2 often report psychoactive effects that are comparable to marijuana, but notably less pleasurable.”

Maybe that's just haters talking. After all, there's lots of competition in this, the land of “sky walker,” “platinum bubba kush” and, of course, “Michael Phelps.”

The DPA wants the feds to legalize it (along with everything else), claiming that there have been no deaths, injuries or overdoses associated with the synth-pot drugs:

“Establish age controls and other restrictions,” the group states. “Outright criminalization would only drive the demand for the drug to the black market, which provides no age restrictions or other regulatory controls.”

Rest in peace, designer weed.

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