BILL NUMBER: S3006

SPONSOR: FUNKE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to designating
alpha-PVP as a schedule I stimulant controlled substance

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To prohibit the sale or distribution of any product containing
alpha-PVP, also known as Flakka, also known as gravel

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section one subdivision (f) of schedule I of section 3306 of the public
health law is amended by adding a new paragraph 25

Section two sets forth the effective date

 
              

JUSTIFICATION:

Many recent news reports have brought to light the use of a new drug
similar to bath salts and methamphetamine called Flakka or Gravel. It is
one of the newer chemicals in the synthetic or designer drug category,
made from a compound called alpha-PVP, a chemical cousin of cathinone,
the amphetamine-like drug found in bath salts. People who use these
drugs experience powerful reactions and often violent behavior. Side
effects can include: nausea, vomiting, paranoia, hallucinations, delu-
sions, suicidal thoughts, seizures, chest pains, and increased blood
pressure and heart rate.

In July 2011, S33228/Chapter 130 banned the sale or distribution of any
product containing Mephedrone and MDPV which were marketed as "bath
salts." While this criminalized the sale of "bath salt" products
containing Mephedrone and MDPV, a practice of making minor alterations
to chemicals to subvert statutes that prohibit distinct chemicals made
it possible for slightly altered products to continue to be sold in New
York state. In September 2013, a new law S3469A/Chapter 341 was signed
adding more chemical compounds - the type of compounds used to make
these bath salt drugs - to the state's banned substances list. The law
imposes criminal penalties on those who sell, use and/or possess these
drugs, and also makes it a felony to sell the substances to a minor or
on school grounds.

Drug makers and suppliers have a practice of making minor' alterations
to chemicals to subvert statutes that prohibit distinct chemicals,
making it possible for slightly altered products to continue to be sold
in New York state unless new legislation is passed adding the compound
to the illegal substance schedules. Flakka, also known around the coun-
try as "gravel" can be snorted, smoke, injected or swallowed, or can be
combined with other drugs, such as marijuana. As with cocaine and meth,
Flakka is accompanied with a comedown, often resulting in users return-
ing to the drug to get rid of the negative comedown feeling, jump-start-
ing a cycle of use that can lead to abuse. It may alter brain chemistry
in a way that makes users require a larger and larger dose to get the
same high. At high doses, Flakka may also cause the body to reach high
temperatures which may lead to severe physical complications like kidney
damage and muscle breakdown.
Excessive use of this drug has been linked with feelings of extreme
anxiety, paranoia, and hallucinations. Most recently in Florida, there
has been an instance of a man high on Flakka kicking in a door at a
police station while in a separate instance a man impaled himself on a
police fence when he tried to scale it. Since suppliers continue to
create more drugs with slightly different properties to skirt the defi-
nition of what is illegal, New York State needs to add Flakka or Gravel
to the illegal substances schedules.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S.4743/A.7336 of 2015-2016; Passed Senate

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become law