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Florida House Unanimously Passes Ban On Synthetic Drugs
February 23, 2012
The House on Wednesday unanimously passed legislation that bans new forms of synthetic drugs that cropped up after lawmakers banned other substances last year.
The bill was needed, said sponsor Rep. Clay Ingram, R-Pensacola, because as soon as lawmakers ban one substance, chemists alter the chemical make-up of designer drugs to make it not technically illegal.
“These dangerous synthetic drugs pose a serious threat to Floridians,” Representative Ingram said. “Last year the legislature made great strides in the effort to stamp out these chemicals. It is my sincere belief that this bill will complete that objective and punish those who peddle these toxins in our communities.”
The bill adds dozens of chemical variations of synthetic cannabinoids and psychoactive bath salts to the list of Schedule I controlled substances. The bill now goes to the Senate.
“The House of Representatives demonstrated strong leadership by unanimously passing a bill that will protect Floridians from dangerous synthetic drugs,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said. “We will not allow these creative chemists to skirt state law and pose serious harm to our residents.”
Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, the sponsor of the Senate companion bill, said, “I commend Representative Ingram for all his hard work on getting this good bill passed, and I am honored to be the Senate sponsor for this much needed legislation. Its passage today brings us one step closer to the protection of our children and young adults from these synthetic drugs.”
Comments
6 Responses to “Florida House Unanimously Passes Ban On Synthetic Drugs”
In a world awash in Pot, why in the world would anyone be crazy enough to seek out a toxic, synthetic substitute. I like this legislation and think it wise of Mr Ingram and the lawmakers that supported it.
So how do they plan to prove if its a Synthetic drug or not? Will they just arrest people and claim it is? How do they plan to prove it? They do sell other herbal items that people smoke that are completely natural (like cloves etc) . How will they know the difference?
I say good job mr Ingram although it doesn’t stop drug users from using it does make it illegal to sell at the counter where everyone just walks up an purchases it.. I agree that the only way to stop drugs is for the person using to make up their mind to quit if not they going to find someway to get high if it’s off of gas or paint or any other substance but it’s not right to enable them an make this other synthetic drug available at the local convenience store..
@ Legalize It:
Kids wouldn’t be tempted to smoke the real cannabis or synthetics if people like you were not pressuring or influencing them. The youth wouldn’t even know it existed if adult users would keep their habits to themselves and not expose it to teens or children. We, as adults, are supposed to protect our children so they can live normal lives, but our heads are so high in the clouds we can’t get that right either.
When will these self righteous legislators realize that we can solve these problems by just legalizing marijuana. Often the reason that kids try these synthetic cannabinoids is because they are more acesible than the real thing. Just legalize marijuana and educate parents and children about the risks and let them make their own decisions. Kids are smart enough to make their own decisions about what they introduce to their body.
Do people know that when you take over the counter meds or perscriptopn meds most of what your taking is synthetic drugs. To much Tylenol will kill you. That is the only thing I can take. so the goverment is slowly killing my liver by allowing tylenol to remain on the market. Think about how many pain meds have tylenol in them. I agree with the ban but if your going to ban synthetic drugs get them all……………….. Doctors are now forced to stop perscriping pain med’s to people who really need it because people are abusing them and dying. I say let the idoits die. You can’t stop drugs being abused. People have always abused drugs no matter what the drug. People have died for OD on many things. You have to remember who is in Charge of you own life you or a drug.