Attorney General Pam Bondi today joined Senator Greg
Evers and Representative Clay Ingram to advocate for legislation that will
ban dangerous new synthetic drugs in Florida. Senate Bill 1502, sponsored
by Senator Evers, and House Bill 1175, sponsored by Representative Ingram,
will add new synthetic compounds to the list of Schedule I controlled
substances that are illegal under Florida Statute 893.13.
“We will not allow chemists who are altering the components of these
dangerous synthetic drugs to circumvent state law,†stated Attorney General
Pam Bondi. “Prompt action by the Legislature will help protect our
communities from the growing threat of synthetic drug abuse.â€
The proposed legislation will make it a third-degree felony for an
individual to “sell, manufacture, or deliver, or possess with intent to
sell, manufacture or deliver” new forms of synthetic cathinone “bath salts”
and synthetic cannabinoid “K2.”
“People who sell and use these deadly drugs threaten their own lives and
the lives of those around them,†stated Representative Clay Ingram. “We
must act now and remove these drugs from the shelves and out of the hands
of abusers.â€
“This legislation is essential in banning these dangerous substances that
are wreaking havoc on the lives of Floridians across our state,†stated
Senator Evers.
Click the following link to view Senate Bill 1502:
http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/1502
Click the following link to view House Bill 1175:
http://myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=48415
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Assistant Commissioner Jim Madden and
Director of the Florida Poison Information Center Dr. Cynthia Lewis-Younger
gave remarks at the event. The following representatives of the Florida
Police Chiefs Association also attended: FPCA Executive Director Amy
Mercer, Tallahassee Police Department Chief Dennis Jones, and Tallahassee
Police Department Major Chris Connell. Charlotte County Sheriff Bill
Cameron represented the Florida Sheriffs Association. Bill Cervone, State
Attorney with the 8th Judicial Circuit, attended on behalf the Florida
Prosecuting Attorneys Association.
Last January, Attorney General Bondi issued an emergency rule temporarily
banning the synthetic drug known as “bath salts.” During the 2011 Session,
she worked with legislators to permanently ban bath salts. The Legislature
also passed a new law that added forms of synthetic marijuana to the list
of controlled substances that are illegal.
HB 1175 has passed all committees and is being heard on the House floor
this week. SB 1502 has one more committee stop before it reaches the
Senate floor.