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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFlorida Attorney General Bans "Crazy Clown" Drug
Half of the reason I'm posting this is because of the wild pic of the Crazy Clown packaging. I don't know how to post images here, so heck the link.
But this also raises the issue of how we deal with new drugs. The last paragraph of the article mentions New Zealand, which instead of reflexively banning them, is instead moving to regulate them.
Also noteworthy are the reports of horrible consequences...which reports never seem to get followed up on.
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2013/oct/11/florida_attorney_general_bans_cr
Florida Attorney General Bans "Crazy Clown" Drug
by Phillip Smith, October 11, 2013, 05:31pm
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi Wednesday filed an emergency rule criminalizing four related synthetic cannabinoid drugs, including one being marketed under the name "Crazy Clown," her office announced in a press release. The emergency move makes the new synthetics Schedule I controlled substances under Florida law.
The four substances are B-PINACA, AB-FUBINACA, ADB-PINACA, and Fluoro ABDICA. They have been tentatively identified as cannabinoid receptor agonists, similar to an earlier round of synthetic cannabinoids that have been marketed under names such as "Spice" and "K2." Those drugs are banned under federal law and are illegal in a number of states as well.
Georgia banned the drugs last month under a synthetic drugs analog law, and now neighboring Florida has moved to do, too.
The move came after a spate of media reports and law enforcement warnings in August and September about users suffering ill effects from "Crazy Clown," including nausea, vomiting, and violent behavior. But there has been no reported follow-up on those initial accounts.
I will remain vigilant in my efforts to keep these drugs off store shelves and will continue to outlaw emergent synthetic drug compounds. These drugs pose a serious threat to Floridians, particularly our youth, said Attorney General Bondi.
While synthetic drugs are marketed as safe alternatives to illegal drugs, make no mistake; these synthetics are dangerous, said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey. Adding these four new concoctions to Floridas schedule 1 drug list strengthens our fight. We will continue our efforts with Attorney General Bondi to identify illegal chemicals and react swiftly.
Bondi said she will work with the state legislature to permanently ban them next year.
While Bondi's action is of a piece with the reflexive prohibitionist response to the earlier new synthetics apparent both in Washington and in state houses around the country, banning new synthetic drugs is not the only possible response to them. New Zealand made headlines worldwide when instead of banning them, it moved to regulate new synthetics.
Tallahassee, FL
United States
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)Causes the SAME effect. Crazy Clown Repukes. Alcohol causes death too.
The move came after a spate of media reports and law enforcement warnings in August and September about users suffering ill effects from "Crazy Clown," including nausea, vomiting, and violent behavior. But there has been no reported follow-up on those initial accounts.
eppur_se_muova
(36,305 posts)Ban a natural product that's been used safely for thousands of years, and in no time at all Dr. Frankenstein's labs are pumping out all kinds of questionable, untested "substitutes".
Milton Friedman would be proud.
OK, banning something that every one wants isn't "unbridled", but the argument stands.
LadyHawkAZ
(6,199 posts)Duh.
That's the packaging? I thought it was the FL GOP logo.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)backscatter712
(26,355 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)One that no one ever overdoses on, that has been used safely by human beings for over 5000 years...
Hmmm, gee, whiz.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)Pam Bondi is a partisan hack with her wasting tax dollars in a politicaly motivated lawsuit to stop ACA and all, but she is on the ball on some issues. She was the lone cabinet member to oppose the internet gambling cafes, and managed to get them banned. She was the lone cabinet member to recognize the damage "pill mills" were causing, and got them banned and tighter restrictions on perscription drugs. And she has led the way in combating the synthetic drugs which are unregulated and appear to be dangerous. I'm not going to make excuses for her wingnuttery, but I will give credit where credit is due. She has been better than many of Fla's recent AGs.