From Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA):
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced that the U.S. Senate passed a bill that
would make synthetic marijuana and the chemical compounds found in bath salts
illegal in the United States.
Passed as part of the Food and Drug
Administration Safety and Innovation Act, Schumer and Senate colleagues were
able to overcome a filibuster threat that has held up passage of the bipartisan
legislation for months.
“Let this be a warning to those who make a profit manufacturing and selling killer chemical components to our teens and children: the jig is up,” said Schumer in a news release. “This bill closes loopholes that have allowed manufacturers to circumvent local and state bans and ensures that you cannot simply cross state lines to find these deadly synthetic drugs.”
Schumer’s bill would take the chemicals the Drug Enforcement Administration has identified within synthetic marijuana products and place them as Schedule I narcotics with other drugs like heroin and LSD. It would close loopholes that have made the spread of synthetic marijuana almost impossible to stop because manufacturers tweak the chemical compounds to create products that are not technically covered under existing bans. The legislation casts a wide net over existing synthetic marijuana products and other possible chemical combinations, ensuring that simple chemistry could not result in new products that fall outside of existing bans.
In addition to banning synthetic marijuana, Schumer’s legislation also bans MDPV (methylenedioxypyrovalerone) and mephedrone, the active ingredients in bath salts. The chemicals found in these “bath salts” and “plant foods” cause effects similar to those caused by cocaine and methamphetamines, including hallucinations, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts. In one case a user was reported to have resorted to self-mutilation after abusing the substance. In several cases, users have died after overdosing or because of violent behavior. Bath salts are suspected in an alleged attack on a Miami homeless man late last week.
A similar bill passed the House last December. Schumer expects the ban to be on President Obama’s desk by July 4. When it is signed into law, the bill will make it illegal to sell synthetic marijuana and bath salts anywhere in the United States, regardless of local laws. First-time offenders will receive up to 20 years in prison, and repeat sellers will receive up to 30 years.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced that the U.S. Senate passed a bill that would make synthetic marijuana and the chemical compounds found in bath salts illegal in the United States.
“Let this be a warning to those who make a profit manufacturing and selling killer chemical components to our teens and children: the jig is up,” said Schumer in a news release. “This bill closes loopholes that have allowed manufacturers to circumvent local and state bans and ensures that you cannot simply cross state lines to find these deadly synthetic drugs.”
Schumer’s bill would take the chemicals the Drug Enforcement Administration has identified within synthetic marijuana products and place them as Schedule I narcotics with other drugs like heroin and LSD. It would close loopholes that have made the spread of synthetic marijuana almost impossible to stop because manufacturers tweak the chemical compounds to create products that are not technically covered under existing bans. The legislation casts a wide net over existing synthetic marijuana products and other possible chemical combinations, ensuring that simple chemistry could not result in new products that fall outside of existing bans.
In addition to banning synthetic marijuana, Schumer’s legislation also bans MDPV (methylenedioxypyrovalerone) and mephedrone, the active ingredients in bath salts. The chemicals found in these “bath salts” and “plant foods” cause effects similar to those caused by cocaine and methamphetamines, including hallucinations, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts. In one case a user was reported to have resorted to self-mutilation after abusing the substance. In several cases, users have died after overdosing or because of violent behavior. Bath salts are suspected in an alleged attack on a Miami homeless man late last week.
A similar bill passed the House last December. Schumer expects the ban to be on President Obama’s desk by July 4. When it is signed into law, the bill will make it illegal to sell synthetic marijuana and bath salts anywhere in the United States, regardless of local laws. First-time offenders will receive up to 20 years in prison, and repeat sellers will receive up to 30 years.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced that the U.S. Senate passed a bill that would make synthetic marijuana and the chemical compounds found in bath salts illegal in the United States.
What has your coalition done regarding bath salts and synthetic marijuana in your community? Sound off on CADCA’s Facebook page and consider learning more strategies to apply in your community in CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute workshop “Substance Abuse in the 21st Century: A New Look” in which Bragg Hill Community Coalition Project Director Sue Parr examines synthetic drug products.
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