NY Governor Andrew Cuomo
ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo is calling for stronger Health Department regulations to combat the sale of synthetic cannabinoids in New York State.
The governor says the synthetic marijuana has resulted in a dramatic increase in hospital visits and poison control center calls.
Synthetic cannabinoids are marketed as legal and typically consist of plant material coated by chemicals which are supposed to mimic THC, the active chemical compound in marijuana. The sale and possession of dozens of synthetic cannabinoids and bath salts were banned by the Department of Health in August, 2012. According to the governor, the new regulations will expand the existing list of banned substances to include new chemical compounds that drug producers have begun to make since 2012.
The new emergency regulations add two additional classes of compounds to the banned substances list, which potentially include hundreds of different hazardous chemicals and will be in effect upon approval by the New York State Public Health and Health Planning Council and filing with the Department of State.
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