The city of Truesdale has passed an ordinance banning K-2 and other types of synthetic marijuana in the city limits. The decision came during the July 27 board meeting. “I’m all for banning illegal drugs,” said Mayor Murray Bruer. “I don’t care what they are. If they’re illegal, we don’t want them in Truesdale.” The ordinance was discussed during the July 12 meeting, in which Police Chief Andy Huston informed city officials of potential K-2 issues in the city. Synthetic marijuana includes chemicals that provide a marijuana-like high when smoked. The popularity with synthetic drugs, such as bath salts and fake pot, has grown statewide and nationally as users have been able to avoid detection by law enforcement officials. Both are being sold legally at convenience stores, head shops or on the Internet. Truesdale follows suit as the third city in the county to ban synthetic marijuana, following Warrenton and Wright City. In March, Truesdale became the first of the three municipalities to pass an ordinance banning bath salts, which can be smoked, snorted or injected and have effects similar to methamphetamine, PCP and other drugs. Truesdale delayed a decision on banning synthetic marijuana at the time it banned bath salts to see how state law would impact the products. Wright City and Warrenton banned bath salts in April and June, respectively, with Washington, Troy and St. Charles County putting similar regulations in place. “This is absolutely for the good of the citizens,” Bruer said. “It’s not to be mean or to pick on anybody. It’s to keep people off drugs because they lead to bigger, worse things. Drugs can ruin your life financially and personally.” On July 14, Gov. Jay Nixon signed into law House Bill 641, which was passed by the Missouri General Assembly. The bill outlaws the sale of bath salts and other types of synthetic marijuana. It also makes those substances a Schedule 1 illegal substance with criminal penalties the same as those for marijuana. Substances falling into the “synthetic cannabinoid” category include K-2, K-3 and bath salts, among others.