Last October, a Cary mother called paramedics to her home when she found her 23-year-old son with a hallucinating friend who had collapsed and was wailing.
"His heart rate was so elevated they were afraid he was going to have a heart attack and die, so they took him to Duke Trauma Center," Cindy Carr said.
She says smoking K-2 brought on the terrifying side-effects.
The potpourri-like mixture is treated with synthetic chemicals and herbs found in THC -- the main ingredient in marijuana.
"The only thing I could think of was that somehow or another they had been poisoned," Carr said.
That is why North Carolina is now among more than 20 states looking to ban the substance.
On Thursday, the North Carolina Senate introduced a bill that would make possessing more than a half an ounce of K-2 a misdemeanor, and more than an ounce and a half a low-level felony.
"The time to act is now," Rep. Nelson Dollar said.
Dollar is also co-sponsoring another bill that would make mephedrone illegal.
The substance known as "Bounce" and "Meow Meow" -- is legally sold as plant food. When smoked its toxic effects mimics cocaine, meth and ecstasy.
Autopsy results in the deaths of a NC State student and his friend last year cited mephedrone as a contributing factor.
"We cannot have our children and young people out here experimenting," Dollar said.
"It's very important to get this legislation going as quickly as possible," Carr said. "It can harm you and potentially even kill you."
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