In November, the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) adopted by unanimous vote Ordinance No. 2013 – 033. a.k.a: Illicit Synthetic Drug and Drug Paraphernalia Ordinance. Up until now, Charlotte County lawmakers did not have any law or ordinance to control the growing “Bath Salts” and “Herbal Incense” abuse of Synthetic Legal Intoxicating Drugs (SLIDs). The issue has been around, but only has seen traction locally the past few years. Read the article by Lucas Seiler, Charlotte County NBC2/ABC7 News SWFL Reporter:
Charlotte County lawmakers are closing a loophole that allows businesses to sell certain designer drugs laced with synthetic compounds. As a result, all synthetic drugs will now be banned, forcing store owners to change the way they do business. : Charlotte County Bans Synthetic Drugs
The Illicit Synthetic Drug and Drug Paraphernalia Ordinance Ban: Cause
Why the need to ban “Bath Salts” and “Herbal Incense”? I can remember when I was 13 years old buying my first 6 pack of non-alcoholic O’Doul’s beer… It’s fake beer! So, why isn’t that being added to the list of products you can’t sell or possess and Fake Weed is on the list? First, if you ever took a swig and drank O’Doul’s beer you would know what pond water tastes like! This stuff was unpalatable even to a 13-year-old who thought he was being cool looking like he was drinking beer. Surely, I was not going to get drunk off drinking the stuff… Although, I did have some digestive issues from its savory flavorings. Unlike nonalcoholic beer – Synthetic Drugs with legally sold “Bath Salts” and “Herbal Incense,” you can actually get a high off them and overdose or the term used is “intoxicating.”
What is the main cause for this ordinance? Comes down to a few key elements. One is the science of developing synthetic drugs to mimic street drugs using legal means as many gaping loopholes that have been exploited. The “cause” is of course money, to get a “natural high” /”legal high.” Also, it seems to have opened up on the whole new Street market for synthetic drugs that have names like:
Chato Stewart Consumer Peer AmbassadorSpice, synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic marijuana , bath salts, synthetic cathinones, synthetic stimulants, or misbranded drugs. Some of the common street names of some the illicit synthetic drugs include , but are not limited to: Bliss, Black Mamba, Bombay Blue, Fake Weed, Gen ie, Spice, Zohai, K2, K3, Smoke, Bliss, Blue Silk, Cloud Nine, Drone, Energy – I, Ivory W ave, Lunar Wave, Meow Meow, Ocean Burst, Pure Ivory, Purple Wave, Red Dove, Snow Leopard, Stardust and Vanilla Sky – (Names from the Charlotte County Convenience Businesses Letter)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners ORDINANCE NUMBER 2013-033
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF CHARLOTTE COUNTY, FLORIDA; CREATING ARTICLE VII OF CHAPTER 2-5 OF THE CODE OF LAWS AND ORDINANCES, CHARLOTTE COUNTY, FLORIDA, ENTITLED “THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY ILLICIT SYNTHETIC DRUG AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA ORDINANCE”; PROVIDING FOR TITLE AND CITATION; PROVIDING FOR AUTHORITY; PROVIDING FOR LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS OF FACT; PROVIDING FOR DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING FOR POSSESSION, PROVISION, SALE OR DISTRIBUTION OF ILLICIT SYNTHETIC DRUGS PROHIBITED; PROVIDING FOR DETERMINATION OF A PRODUCT AS AN ILLICIT SYNTHETIC DRUG; PROVIDING FOR EXEMPTIONS; PROVIDING FOR THE SALE OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION PROHIBITED; PROVIDING FOR RESTRICTIONS ON BUSINESSES THAT SELL OR DISPLAY DRUG PARAPHERNALIA; PROVIDING FOR SALE OR PROVISION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA TO MINORS AND POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA BY MINORS PROHIBITED; PROVIDING FOR ENFORCEMENT; PROVIDING FOR VIOLATIONS AND PENALTIES; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT WITH STATE LAW; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF LAWS AND ORDINANCES, CHARLOTTE COUNTY, FLORIDA : CountyOrdinance2013-033SyntheticDrugs.pdf