HOUSTON, Texas — The Office of the Texas Attorney General (OAG) has obtained a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop a Houston-area store from selling synthetic marijuana. The TRO was granted following an investigation by the Houston Police Department (HPD) into the 16 synthetic marijuana overdoses that occurred in Herman Park in June.
The OAG used the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA) as a tool, along with the nuisance statue to obtain the TRO. This TRO is the first time the OAG has used the authority to freeze assets as part of the injunction against a store selling synthetic marijuana, according to information obtained from the OAG by Breitbart Texas.
Undercover officers from the HPD purchased packets of the synthetic marijuana from Spice Boutique, the OAG reported. Lab tests revealed the packets contained synthetic cannabinoids – FUB-AKB48 and NM2201. During the manufacturing process by the makers of these synthetic drugs, shredded leaves and other plant materials are sprayed with powerful hallucinogenic chemicals. These chemicals can cause severe paranoia, psychotic episodes, violent delusions, kidney damage, suicidal thoughts and self-mutilation, officials stated.
The problem is so rampant in Houston that one area of Herman Park has become known as “Kush Korner” where people gather to use the synthetic marijuana. In June, 16 people had to be taken to the hospital from Herman Park following an mass overdose situation. KTRK ABC13 reported.
This is the tenth lawsuit the OAG has filed in Harris County to shut down stores selling the synthetic drug in the Houston area. In July, Breitbart Texas reported the OAG’s office also obtained a TRO in Corpus Christi against three tobacco stores to stop them from selling the product.
Breitbart Texas reported two years ago about the impact of synthetic drugs on Texas youth when 30 people in the Dallas area were admitted to a local hospital after allegedly receiving an overdose of K2. At about that same time, 15 people were admitted to Austin area hospitals for similar overdoses.
The OAG reported that the Drug Enforcement Administration claims that synthetic cannabinoids run second among the substances most abused by high school students. They said the use of synthetic marijuana in Texas is on the rise.
In addition to the TRO (attached below) stopping the Spice Boutique from selling the synthetic marijuana, the OAG was successful in freezing the assets of the store’s owners to include 11 bank accounts, any safe deposit boxes, stocks, bonds, and any real property owned by the defendants. The TRO was filed and granted by the 152nd District Court in Harris County.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.
Texas OAG’s TRO vs. Spice Boutique