BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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THIRD READING
Bill No: ACR 69
Author: Hueso (D), et al.
Amended: 6/22/11 in Assembly
Vote: 21
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 76-1, 7/11/11 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Synthetic cannabinoids and stimulants
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution urges law enforcement, first
responders, schools, local elected officials, and parents
to educate youth and raise awareness about the risks
associated with synthetic drugs.
ANALYSIS : Existing law provides for the federal
Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to regulate the
manufacture, importation, possession, use, and distribution
of specified controlled substances.
This resolution:
1. Makes numerous findings and declarations relating to the
alarming increase in the use of synthetic cannabinoids
and stimulants among young people and those on probation
and parole; the growing threat to public health and
safety from the use of these substances; and, the need
to regulate synthetic drugs in California.
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2. Calls on law enforcement, first responders, schools,
local elected officials, and parents to educate youth
and raise awareness about the risks associated with
synthetic drugs.
Background
According to testimony provided by the federal Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) at an April 2011
congressional hearing, synthetic cannabinoids are a large
family of compounds that are biologically and functionally
similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (commonly known as THC),
the main active ingredient in marijuana. These chemicals
have not been approved by the federal Food and Drug
Administration for human consumption and there is no
regulatory oversight of the manufacturing process. Brands
such as "Spice," "K2," "Blaze," and "Red X Dawn" are
labeled as "herbal incense" to hide their intended purpose.
They are marketed as a "legal" alternative to marijuana or
other drugs and have become increasingly popular among
teens and young adults.
The adverse health effects associated with the use of
synthetic cannabinoids and their related products include
agitation, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, a fast, racing
heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, seizures,
hallucinations, paranoid behavior, and non-responsiveness.
Smoking synthetic cannabinoids for the purpose of achieving
intoxication and experiencing the psychoactive effects has
been identified as a reason for emergency room visits and
calls to poison control centers. The American Association
of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) reports that, in the
first three months of this year, poison control centers
have received nearly 1,300 calls about synthetic marijuana,
compared with 2,874 calls for all of 2010.
The DEA reports that synthetic substances that have
stimulant and psychoactive properties when ingested are
another serious drug threat that has recently increased in
popularity among young people. These synthetic stimulants
are marketed as "bath salts" or "plant food" in retail
outlets and over the Internet and sold under a variety of
brand names including "Ivory Wave," "Purple Wave," "Vanilla
Sky," and "Bliss." They are indirectly marketed as "legal"
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alternatives to such controlled substances as cocaine,
amphetamine, and ecstasy and abused for their desired
effects, such as euphoria, alertness, and talkativeness.
According to the AAPCC, poison control centers took 301
calls in all of 2010 for synthetic stimulants but report
more than 1,400 for the first three months of 2011.
The DEA indicates that both synthetic cannabinoids and
synthetic stimulants are "designer drugs" that are
manufactured and distributed in an attempt to circumvent
the CSA. According to the DEA, they are marketed in a
manner that masks their intended purpose and are labeled
with a statement indicating that package contents are "not
for human consumption," or are "for novelty use only."
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
synthetic cannabinoids and stimulants are growing in use
and have become an increasingly significant problem in
California. The author's office asserts that, due to
sophisticated marketing, the products that contain these
synthetic substances are typically advertised as herbal
incense, bath salts, or plant food and perceived as "legal"
alternatives to marijuana and cocaine. The author's office
states that because synthetic cannabinoids are referred to
as the new marijuana and synthetic stimulants as the new
cocaine, they are gaining popularity at an alarming rate
among high school and college students. The author's
office notes that synthetic drugs can cause seizures,
hallucinations, paranoia, and panic attacks, and have been
attributed to at least nine deaths in the United States
last year. Lastly, the author's office points out that
because the manmade nature of synthetic cannabinoids and
synthetic stimulants make these substances difficult to
regulate, this resolution aims to highlight the need for a
public awareness campaign to warn people about the dangers
of synthetic drugs.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 76-1, 7/11/11
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Atkins, Bill Berryhill,
Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, Brownley,
Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter,
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Cedillo, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson,
Donnelly, Eng, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani,
Beth Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Grove,
Hagman, Halderman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Roger
Hernández, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones,
Knight, Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor,
Mendoza, Miller, Monning, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen,
Norby, Olsen, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Portantino,
Silva, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao,
Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
NOES: Ammiano
NO VOTE RECORDED: Beall, Gorell, Mitchell
CTW:kc 8/12/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
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