From now on, possession, use and distribution of synthetic marijuana and the drug known as 25-I will carry criminal penalties in Louisiana, after Governor Jindal signed into law legislation that will add various stimulants and hallucinogens to the state’s list of Schedule I drugs.
Act 7 adds more than two dozen hallucinogens to the Schedule I Substance list. The drugs are different chemical iterations of 25-I, a quick-acting synthetic drug responsible for the death of Little Rock native Clayton Otwell at last year’s Voodoo Fest in New Orleans.
The drug, also called NBOMe, is chemically similar to LSD and ecstasy, but much more potent. After Otwell’s death, the state Department of Health and Hospitals moved to temporarily outlaw the substance at the urging of state Rep. Kevin Pearson, R-Slidell, who authored the Act 7 legislation.
Act 8, also signed into law Thursday, will include various families of synthetic marijuana to the Schedule I Substance list. Certain families of the substance were criminalized by the state in 2010, after which manufacturers of the drug sought to skirt the laws by altering the chemical compositions of the strains.
Called “K2” or “Spice,” synthetic marijuana or cannabinoids are natural herbs sprayed with a chemical composition that mimics the effects of tetrahydrocannibol, or THC, the active constituent in marijuana. The drugs have been linked to acute psychosis in some users.
The legislation was introduced by state Rep. Sherman Mack, R-Livingston, after state and local law enforcement noticed an increase in synthetic marijuana distribution in recent years.
In Louisiana, manufacture, possession and the use, or distribution of a Schedule I substance carries a maximum penalty of 50 years hard labor and $50,000.
The penalties for marijuana and synthetic marijuana are slightly lower at 30 years and $50,000.00.
If you find yourself facing changes that are derived from the use, or distribution, or manufacture of these drugs call us. We are here to Help you.
Attorney Martin E. Regan, Jr. has a wealth of knowledge and over 36 years of experience in the defense of individuals charged with drug related offenses.
About Martin E. Regan, Jr.
Year after year, Martin E. Regan Jr., the firm’s senior partner, has dedicated tireless efforts on behalf of the accused and produce wins for clients that a less determined advocate would have thought hopeless. Martin E. Regan Jr.’s ability to tackle and win tough criminal cases has resulted in verdicts of acquittal in many highly publicized trials.