Council Passes Bills to Stem the Use of Synthetic Marijuana

As if the prohibition of a safe substance like marijuana isn't ridiculous enough, for years a very harmful "synthetic marijuana" substance has been sneaking through the constantly changing laws and harming users of all ages. The city of New York is looking to fight back against this mischievously marketed legal drug. A new bill passed by the City Counsel will ban the sale of synthetic cannabinoids and "imitations of these substances". The aim of the bill is not to arrest users who are typically the homeless or mentally ill, but to penalize stores who continue to sell the product. First offense will have the store's cigarette license temporarilly revoked, and a mandatory revocation for a second offense.

While Ms. Mark-Viverito is seeking to rid the streets of synthetic marijuana, she’s an outspoken proponent for decriminalizing regular old marijuana. She told the Observer during a Council press conference that she didn’t think there was tension between those two positions.

“I think that when you start prohibiting certain things people look for alternatives,” she said. “Prohibition of the marijuana may, in fact, be leading people into this alternative.”