City leaders gathered Friday at Jacobi Medical Center to search for solutions to the epidemic of synthetic marijuana use.

The drug, also known as K2, is considered to be among most dangerous drugs in the city. Officials say the primary reason for the drug's surging popularity among youth is the fact that it's sold in local bodegas and corner stores, leading some to believe that it's legal.

Deirdre Canaday says she lost her son to K2 back in 2011. Canaday, now determined to help eradicate the man-made drug, attended Friday's summit of state lawmakers, health officials and drug enforcement officials.

Officials say their fight has been made more difficult due to drugmakers' abilities to circumvent the law by continuously changing the drug's chemical makeup.

To combat the issue, state Sen. Jeff Klein is pushing for an "analog law" which would allow the state to update what is considered illegal even as the chemical makeup for the drug changes.