U.S. Senate Passes Ban Against Synthetic Marijuana

Posted on May 24, 2012 by tothemaximus

We applaud the staunch and unrelenting support of Sen. Charles Schumer of NY for getting the amendment against Synthetic Marijuana through the US Senate late today.

Although Amendment S2146 has now passed the Senate, it must now go back to the House of Representatives, then, of course, to the President for a signature–so this amendment has a long way to go before it is law.

We are not entirely happy with the amendment as it stands, but we understand that many compromises were forced by Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, and Sen. Rand Paul.

The amendment, as it stands now, reduces the mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison to one year.  In addition, 15 chemicals that relate to synthetic cocaine (bath salts) which were included in HR1254, were not included in this amendment.

The Congress will likely demand a higher minimum sentence and re-inclusion of those chemical compounds before the amendment is approved.

The next few weeks should be interesting.  We are hoping that, at the end of this process, these dangerous drugs will be outlawed and a lot fewer deaths and injuries will occur in our communities.

Our ultimate goal is for legislation that does not list specific chemicals, but bans all synthetic drugs designed to mimic controlled substances.  We look forward to the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with our lawmakers to bring such a bill up for a vote in the next year.

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U.S. Senate passes Federal Ban on Sale of Synthetic pot

NY’s Schumer led charge against dangerous ‘herbal incense’

BY  AND  / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Sen. Charles Schumer got the ban passed despite opposition from Kentucky Republican Rand Paul.

Sen. Charles Schumer got the ban passed despite opposition from Kentucky Republican Rand Paul.

The U.S. Senate voted Thursday to ban the sale of synthetic marijuana nationwide.

The U.S. Senate passed a ban on the sale of potentially deadly synthetic pot after the rogue lawmaker who held it up for months was outfoxed by New York’s Chuck Schumer.

Kentucky Republican Rand Paul, a libertarian, used a filibuster to stymie a federal
crackdown on the drug known as “potpourri or “herbal incense” — the subject of a Daily News investigation into its dangers.

Fearing that more young people could be harmed while Paul dug in his heels, Schumer made an end-run around Paul and tacked the ban onto a larger Food and Drug Administration bill.

The big bill passed 96-1 on Thursday — and even Paul didn’t vote against it.

“Let this be a warning to those who make a profit manufacturing and selling killer Continue reading →

Posted in Action Needed, Citizen Action, Federal Law, Information about Synthetic Marijuana, US Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

26-Year-Old with Kidney Failure from Synthetic Marijuana Comes Forward To Speak of His Experience

Posted on May 24, 2012 by tothemaximus

This is the third geographic area hit with kidney failure in the last few months.  We are wondering if there is any federal agency that will step in and stop these sales on the grounds that there is an epidemic of kidney failure happening.

First we saw kidney failure in a large group of people in Casper, Wyoming in March.

Then, two weeks ago, there were more than 30 people hospitalized in Alabama with kidney failure.

Now, we have a young man in Florida who almost died.

Every day we see the tragedy of this drug, but this story brings it home on a very personal level.  Our thanks and our sincere prayers go out to this young man who has shared his story with the world and, most probably, has saved lives in doing so.

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Sunrise Man Severely Injured By Synthetic Marijuana Warns Of Dangers

May 23, 2012 11:24 PM
Carey Codd

Reporting Carey Codd


SUNRISE (CBS4) – A Sunrise man survived what he and his doctors are calling a near death experience from a dangerous new drug called synthetic marijuana.

Sean Beard’s doctor says the 26-year-old suffered kidney failure after smoking Spice — also known as synthetic marijuana — and was in the intensive care unit at Broward Health Medical Center for a week, fighting to survive. Continue reading →

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Grandmother Shoots Grandson Who Was High on Synthetic Marijuana

Posted on May 23, 2012 by tothemaximus

This is such a sad story on so many levels.

The Grandmother was alone with her grandson, who was high on synthetic marijuana.  She said she was afraid he would hurt her when she pumped five bullets into his body.

Both Johnathan Hoffman and his grandmother, Sandra Layne, are victims of the manufacturers, distributers, dealers, and proponents of this poisonous cocktail of chemicals sprayed on organic matter and sold in gas stations, grocery stores, on the internet, and in head shops.

Jonathan Hoffman is a victim for believing in the lie that synthetic marijuana could be used without horrible side effects.

His grandmother is a victim because she was put into a position where she was scared enough to kill the grandchild that she had welcomed into her home, cared for, and watched over.

Our sincere sympathy goes out to this family.  May God watch over you and give you solace during this most difficult time.

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Friends and family members enter the Ira Hoffman Chapel, Tuesday, May 22, 2012, for the funeral of Jonathon Hoffman in Southfield, Mich. Hoffman, 17, was shot to death on Friday, May 18 by his grandmother Sandra Layne, 74, who is charged with with open murder and is being held without bond. An open murder charge allows a jury to decide on whether a first- or second-degree charge applies after hearing evidence. (The Detroit News, Steve Perez / AP)

WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI – The grandmother accused of shooting and killing her grandson in Michigan last Friday reportedly feared her grandson was using synthetic pot and that he would kill her in a violent rage.

Sources tell Scripps station Action News 74-year-old Sandra Layne saw the story of the Cipriano family and feared she would meet the same fate.

Bob Cipriano was murdered and his teenaged son and wife were beaten during a baseball bat attack inside their Farmington Hills home last month. The killings were allegedly carried out by their son and friend who were said to have been on synthetic pot during the attack. Continue reading →

Posted in First Person Stories, Information about Synthetic Marijuana, Murder, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Local Governments, Desperate to Keep Synthetic Marijuana Out of Communities, Ban All Loose Leaf and Granular Incense

Posted on May 23, 2012 by tothemaximus

Mayor and City Commission--Sweetwater, Florida

We commend the creative spirit and the positive impact of Sweetwater, Florida’s newest ordinance.

Sweetwater, in West Miami-Dade, Florida, was the first town in the country to pass a local ordinance that bans the sale of “fake marijuana” by outlawing the sale of all loose leaf and granular incense.

The ordinance was approved unanimously on May 21, 2012.

According to this article, the ordinance was passed to shore up existing Florida State laws that are failing to stem the tide of synthetic marijuana injuries, deaths and suicides.

But is Florida law really so inadequate, or is the problem with the enforcement of the law by a patchwork of “State Attorney” offices that cover only one district, and can’t make their influence go beyond their own county line?

We faced this patchwork of law enforcement when we tried to investigate what was going on Florida when Polk County (10th Judicial District) students were arrested after smoking synthetic marijuana, but the Hillsborough County (13th Judicial District) business owner who sold them the synthetic marijuana was not prosecuted.

“How can this happen?” we asked.

The answer lies in the way that Florida “State Attorney” offices are allocated.  Rather than one “State Attorney General,” Florida breaks their state law enforcement into 20 districts.  Some local sheriff’s offices and local “State Attorney” offices are zealous in arresting and prosecuting under the Florida State Laws, while others either don’t have the resources, or the gumption to enforce state laws against synthetic drugs.

The State of Florida needs to take a long hard look at how laws against synthetic marijuana and other synthetic drugs are enforced (or not enforced) by each district, and find out what is preventing that enforcement before more Florida citizens find themselves the victims of this pernicious poison.

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Sunrise takes step in outlawing synthetic marijuana

Mayor calls fake pot ‘a cocktail of poisons’ Continue reading →

Posted in Action Needed, Citizen Action, Florida, Local Laws, Organ Failure, State Law, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dangers of Synthetic Marijuana Becoming More Apparent

Posted on May 17, 2012 by tothemaximus

Unfortunately, it has taken the tragic deaths, murders, and suicides of some very beautiful people to bring the dangers of synthetic marijuana out in the media, but we are seeing more and more stories that discuss these dangers.

This is one, from Boston, that talks about a lot of the same things we have been writing about here on the To The Maximus Blog on a regular basis:  the dangerous symptoms, the fact that these drugs were never tested on human beings, the idea that synthetic marijuana can be as much as 500 times stronger than natural marijuana.

We are also happy to see that there is a toxicology researcher doing some studies of synthetic marijuana and its effect upon users.  More studies need to be done, and we need to find ways for emergency room workers, doctors, and other professionals to help those who have smoked this dangerous drug.

They also discuss a disturbing and growing trend:  small gas stations, head shops, and grocery stores who don’t want to give up the easy money of selling fake pot, and who are ignoring the laws to sell it “under the counter.”

If you know of a retailer that is doing this, please contact your local police department immediately.  They are no better than a pusher on the street.  They need to go to jail before annother innocent victim dies from smoking poison.

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Reports Of Dangers From Synthetic Marijuana Use Increasing

photo

By Deborah Becker   May 17, 2012, 6:51 AM

Media PlayerListen to this story Download

A package of K2 , a concoction of dried herbs sprayed with chemicals. This type of synthetic marijuana is harder to find since the federal ban. Other versions can still be purchased legally in Massachusetts. (AP)

BOSTON — Many parents probably think they have a basic understanding of the illegal drugs their kids might encounter. But some synthetic drugs, designed to mimic marijuana and sold legally at many stores in Greater Boston, are causing big problems.

Here’s how 28-year-old Sue, from Somerville, who doesn’t want her last name used, describes what happened when she smoked synthetic marijuana.

“Everything was shaking. I had my heart just throbbing against my skin, it was moving so fast, and I couldn’t breath,” Sue said. “It was Continue reading →

Posted in Drug Testing, First Person Stories, Information about Synthetic Marijuana, Medical, State Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment