Revisions urged for drug bills
CARSON CITY -- Legislators learned quickly Tuesday that they will need the help of chemists if they want to pass a law to ban synthetic cocaine and marijuana.
Diane Machen, a chemist with the forensics laboratory of the Washoe County Sheriff's Department, told members of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee that they need to rewrite two bills designed to outlaw these synthetic drugs.
Machen suggested they amend Senate Bills 224 and 228 and list general classes of chemical compounds, not specific units, to define the drugs that mimic the effects of marijuana and cocaine. She also recommended they list in the bill legal chemicals that have legitimate medical purposes.
"There are thousand of synthetic cannabinoids (marijuana substances)," Machen said. "If we just list five (as in the bill) we will always play catch up."
Legislators also were concerned that if they list the chemical compounds now used to create synthetic cocaine or marijuana, then drug manufacturers -- most of them in China -- will modify the chemical structure of the drugs and continue selling them.
"We want to be sure we keep up with this," said Sen. Sheila Leslie, D-Reno. "We meet every two years and in two years they will have new synthetic drugs."
The synthetic drugs can be purchased in convenience stores, head shops and many other places. They also are available on the internet.
No action was taken on the bills. Health and Human Services Chairwoman Allison Copening, D-Las Vegas, said amendments will be considered at a future meeting.
Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.
