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| News Release | |||||
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State Senator Katie Sieben District 57 117 State Office Bldg. 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155-1206 Telephone (651) 297-8060 sen.katie.sieben@senate.mn |
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| Synthetic Marijuana Legislation signed into law | ||||||||||||
Along with Hastings Police Chief Paul Schnell and Cottage Grove Police Chief Craig Woolery, Senator Katie Sieben (DFL-Cottage Grove) recently joined Governor Mark Dayton as he signed legislation making the sale of synthetic marijuana illegal.
Synthetic marijuana is often known as “Spice” or “K2” and is packed and sold as herbal incense. It is made up of herbs and synthetic compounds that are similar to THC, the natural chemical found in marijuana. However, the synthetic drug produces much stronger and more dangerous side effects, including heart palpitations, respiratory issues, vomiting, agitation, panic attacks and delusions.
“With the help of local law enforcement, this legislation will ban the legal sale of this drug,” said Sen. Sieben. “I thank Stacy Huberty of Hastings as well as the Cottage Grove and Hastings Police Departments and Dakota County Attorney Jim Backstrom for their help in raising awareness of the need for this bill.”
Sen. Sieben became aware of the product’s deadly side-affects following the near fatality of a Hastings teenager in 2010. The teenager’s mother, Stacy Huberty, brought the idea for legislation to Sen. Sieben. Since that meeting, the two have been working together to make the sale of synthetic marijuana a gross misdemeanor and any possession of synthetic marijuana a misdemeanor.
“I need to say a special thank you to Stacy Huberty,” said Sen. Sieben. “Stacy has been a wonderful advocate for this change and thanks to her work this legislation will help make Minnesota safer for children and young adults by removing this dangerous drug from smoke shops and convenience stores.”
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