Murphy sponsors bill to combat synthetic drug abuse

ALBANY, NY - In response to the spread of synthetic drugs, including a K2 overdose yesterday in White Plains, the New York State Senate has passed a package of bills sponsored by State Senator Terrence Murphy designed to prevent the use, sale and procession of dangerous synthetic cannabinoids.

"I've had many discussions with police officers, substance abuse counselors and parents about synthetic drugs - legal and lethal substances that can have life-threatening consequences," said Senator Murphy. "The Senate-approved legislation will identify new drugs that currently evade our existing laws, ban chemicals that imitate controlled substances, and establish a database to better inform the public and law enforcement."

Synthetic drugs have increased in popularity because their effects are similar to known hallucinogens or narcotics but their chemical structures are slightly altered so restrictions against illegal substances can be evaded.

Through a bi-partisan effort, The Senate Majority Coalition Leaders, Majority Leader John Flanagan (R-C-I, East Northport) and Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) Leader Jeff Klein (D, Bronx/Westchester), also released a report, The State of Synthetics: A Review of the Synthetic Cannabinoid Drug Problem in New York & Solutions on Ending the Epidemic, that details the $22.7 million New York State and its taxpayers spent to respond to this public health crisis in 2015.

Majority Leader Flanagan said, "The spread of synthetic drugs is affecting every community and will continue to destroy lives unless more preventive action is taken. For five years, I have sponsored legislation that has passed the Senate on numerous occasions so that we can hold criminals accountable for the creation of new and dangerous drugs that evade our current laws. It is past time for the Assembly to join us and help put an end to synthetic drugs today."

IDC Leader Klein said, "We must KO K2 from upstate to downstate, and today the Senate will send a strong message that synthetic drugs will not be tolerated in our state. My analog bill will ensure that New York keeps ahead of the chemists' curve and will ban chemicals that mimic controlled substances as they are tweaked, so the law can no longer be subverted. Now, the Assembly must take action to protect the citizens of New York State."

The bills the Senate acted upon today to eradicate the sale of K2 and other synthetic drugs, include:

• S2836C adds the current list of known synthetic cannabinoids to the Schedule I list and creates criminal penalties for possession and sale;
• S4743 adds Alpha-PVP, known as "flakka" or "gravel," to the public health law Schedule I of controlled substances;
• S1640A amends the Controlled Substances Act to add to the Schedule any analogous drugs;
• S6040A imposes civil penalties on businesses that sell synthetic cannabinoids. On the third violation, a business would lose its state licenses to sell lottery tickets, alcohol, cigarettes and tobacco products for five years; and
• S6496 requires the Department of Health to maintain an electronic database of known synthetic cannabinoids, listing their compounds, a description of products and their street names.

Senator Rich Funke (R-C-I, Fairport) said, "Dealers often stay one step ahead of the law by tweaking their drugs, which is why we need to put the law in line with the threat to snuff-out Flakka in our communities. With Flakka's availability on the street growing virtually unchecked, now is the time to crack-down on Alpha PVP before it's too late. Thank you to my Senate colleagues for their support and to Rochester Assemblyman Harry Bronson for his efforts to take on Flakka in the Assembly."

The bills will be sent to the Assembly.