Legislation implements a statewide ban on K2 and other dangerous synthetic drugs

LANSING”In the wake of growing concerns regarding the threat of legal synthetic drugs such as K-2, Spice or Bath Salts, Senator Glenn Anderson voted yesterday to pass a bicameral four-bill package addressing these drugs and taking action to ban them. Most importantly, the legislation provided the state with much-needed flexibility in scheduling controlled substances to prevent manufacturers and sellers of these synthetic drugs from using loopholes to stay ahead of the law. This legislation will strengthen local efforts to ban the dangerous drugs from local retailers.

“K-2, Bath Salts and these other over-the-counter synthetic drugs have been wreaking havoc on our communities, endangering our kids and causing violence and even death,” said Senator Anderson. “This legislation, combined with the efforts of local communities and governments, will not only take these dangerous products off Michigan shelves permanently, but will make it harder for manufacturers of these synthetic drugs to circumvent the law and keep churning out the same types of dangerous products.”

Following the passage of the bills during yesterday's session, Senator Anderson attended a community forum in western Wayne County that focused on the growing synthetic drug problem. The forum was attended by concerned citizens from across Wayne County. After the forum, Senator Anderson visited the Dearborn Heights city council meeting where a local ordinance was passed to outlaw the sale of synthetic marijuana within the city of Dearborn Heights.

Speaking at the Dearborn Heights meeting, Senator Anderson remarked, “Today the Michigan State Senate passed a four bill package outlawing K-2, Spice, Bath Salts and other synthetic cannabinoids. I wanted to be here to let you know that the Senate took this action today and to commend the action taken by the Dearborn Heights City Council. We all must act quickly to get these drugs that are harming our children out of the stores, gas stations and other retailers and together, these laws and the local ordinance will go a long way toward that end.”

House Bill 5338 and Senate Bill 789 would create a mechanism by which a drug could be temporarily designated as a scheduled controlled substance. Senate Bill 1082 would amend the Public Health Code to make it a felony, punishable by up to four years' imprisonment and/or a maximum fine of $20,000, to sell a named product that contains or previously contained an ingredient designated as a Schedule 1 controlled substance. And House Bill 5714 would establish procedures for the adoption of an emergency rule without a public hearing if the Director of the Department of Community Health determined that an imminent danger to the health or lives of individuals in the State could be prevented or controlled by scheduling a substance as a controlled substance.

“These drugs represent the same safety dangers for our community as any of the federally regulated Schedule 1 substances, and the people who sell them at this point are no different than drug dealers,” Anderson said. “I know many stores have already proactively stopped selling these products, but we all need to work together to ensure they are not being sold anywhere.”

In addition to helping pass these bills, Senator Anderson is also working on legislation that would grant the State of Michigan additional authorities to address retailers convicted of possessing and/or selling one of the prohibited substances.

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Senator Anderson represents the sixth state senate district which includes the communities of Livonia, Westland, Garden City, and Redford Township.