CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — Like many teenagers, students at Charlotte Catholic High School told Channel 9 they have heard of the synthetic form of marijuana, but they didn't know how dangerous it could be until they saw Channel 9's story on Tuesday.
Four junior-year students watched Emily Kirkovich and her mother describe what happened after she smoked the designer drug known as Spice, and it wasn't hard to get a reaction.
"I had heard of it, but I didn't think it would go to that extent where someone would have to go to the hospital because of it," said Charlotte Catholic student David Herlocker.
I think that a lot of parents don't know the kinds of drugs that are in school and what's going around ... the effects," said student Taylor Gillhamer,
"Parents don't know. I became aware of it two weeks ago by accident," said Charlotte Catholic Principal Jerry Healy.
Healy had heard enough about the synthetic marijuana to be concerned, but after seeing the Channel 9 story Tuesday night, he sent out an e-mail to parents warning about the dangers of the designer drug.
The e-mail stated that having the drug or using it will now be a violation of the school's drug and alcohol policy. "I think it is a concern. I don't want to put our head in the sand and say, 'Why didn't we do something about this sooner?'" Healy said.
Not all the students may like the new policy or the e-mail sent to their parents, but the ones Channel 9 spoke to on Wednesday certainly understand it.
"They are our parents and they do have a right to know what's going on in our lives with that," a student said.
While K2 and similar products are considered a drug at Charlotte Catholic High School, there's no indication the state is ready to make them illegal just yet.
Channel 9 contacted Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools on Wednesday and they said they don't plan to put the substance known as K2 and Spice on their banned list.
Read Channel 9 reporter Mark Becker's story and watch the video from Tuesday on the dangers of the designer drug -- Local Teen Has Scary Experience With Popular Drug.