'Spice' Concern Leads to Military Ban on Businesses

Fort Meade has declared several local neighborhoods and businesses off limits to military personnel, citing concerns over safety.

Installation commander Edward Rothstein recently updated a list of off-limit areas or establishments, and included two local gas stations as well as the neighborhoods of Arwell Court and Meade Village in Severn. 

Fort Meade officials said the Exxon stations on 7898 Ridge Rd. in Hanover and 1318 Annapolis Rd. in Odenton are known to have sold synthetic marijuana, often referred to with the brand name "spice."

The gas stations were added to the list following a meeting of Fort Meade's Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board in October.

The possession of synthetic marijuana has been banned by all branches of the military.

Arwell Court and Meade Village are on the off-limits list due to their relative high crime rate reported by Anne Arundel County Police, Fort Meade said. 

Fort Meade has also barred service members from the Little Falls area of the Potomac River due to rough waters, and to the Around the Clock Locksmith in Pasadena, citing concerns over unethical business practices. 

Service members who go to these business or areas could be subject to punishment under the Uniform Military Code of Justice. 

The use of synthetic marijuana and other drugs has been of concern to the military for some time. In 2011, the Navy released a series of videos and other materials discussing the dangers of "spice" and "bath salts."

The U.S. Naval Academy dismissed a number of midshipmen following an investigation into its use in 2011 and The Capital reported the possibility of a wider drug problem on the campus.