The Westchester County Board of Legislators postponed a planned vote Monday evening on whether to increase penalties for buying and using synthetic marijuana from just a fine under current state law to potential prison time.

They say they believe the law will eventually pass unanimously, but the county attorney was not present to answer questions before the vote, so they pushed it back.

The move would also outlaw whole classes of drugs, which are often tweaked by chemists to get by previous bans.

Synthetic marijuana, marketed under various names including K2, is responsible for thousands of local emergency room visits in the past year, yet it's still essentially legal to buy, critics say.

Last year, a group of teenagers overdosed on K2. The only penalties associated with the case was a fine. Legislators want much stiffer penalties.

Under the stricter laws, violators would face a misdemeanor drug charge and up to $1,500 in fines.