Velazquez Bill Would Target “K2” Drug

Washington, DC – Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) today led Members of the New York City Congressional delegation in unveiling a new legislative effort to combat the rise of synthetic marijuana. Her bill, the “Synthetic Drug Overdose Prevention and Education Act” (SDOPEA), would begin using federal resources to educate the public about the dangers of these substances. The bill comes after a number of individuals overdosed on the drug earlier this summer.

“The recent rash of overdoses from synthetic marijuana in Brooklyn is wholly unacceptable,” Velázquez said. “It is vital we take steps at all levels of government to address the growth of synthetic marijuana and protect our community.”

Under Velázquez’s bill, the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention would be required to develop a comprehensive strategy on preventing and treating the use of synthetic recreational drugs like “K2”. The agency would have one year to complete a study that would also include best rehabilitation practices. Other provisions in the bill would require the creation of a database of substances that may be determined by CDC to qualify as a synthetic drug.

“Although drugs like ‘K2’ have been around for some time, we still don’t have the full picture of how it affects users and, equally important, how to best treat it,” Velázquez added. “This study will give us a full accounting of what works best, so we can work collaboratively at both the federal and local levels to address the scourge of synthetic marijuana.”

Velázquez’s legislation would also invest in local agencies that are positioned to help educate the public about the dangers of synthetic drugs. The SDOPEA would authorize the Director of the CDC to make grants up to $100,000 in aggregate of $2.5 million over the next two years for such efforts. The bill also requires multiple federal agencies including the Drug Enforcement Agency and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to develop a national outreach campaign that will educate law enforcement, local and state agencies and healthcare providers about synthetic drugs.

“The recent events in Brooklyn have made clear that we must come together as a community and tackle this issue, proactively,” Velázquez added. “This legislation will take important strides toward addressing the K2 problem.”

The bill was cosponsored by Reps. José E. Serrano (D-NY), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Yvette Clarke (D-NY) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).

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