|
Lawmakers want ‘legal ecstasy’ outlawedBill would make sale of ‘BZP’ or ‘bennies’ illegal to make or sell in ColoradoPeter Marcus, DDN Staff WriterWednesday, April 29, 2009 | |
A Senate committee yesterday backed legislation that would outlaw so-called legal ecstasy.
The Senate Judiciary Committee referred House Bill 1157 to appropriations with Democratic Sens. Morgan Carroll of Aurora and Evie Hudak of Arvada offering the lone dissenting votes.
The measure has already made its way through the House.
Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton, is sponsoring the legislation because he says kids need to be protected from the designer drug called N-benzylpiperazine. The drug’s street names include BZP and Benny.
“We are taking the right steps to ensure this drug stays off our streets and out of our schools,” said Kopp. “The time is now to give law enforcement the tools they need to go after these drug offenders.”
Federal law already prohibits the sale of BZP, but no statute exists in Colorado banning the sale.
Kopp’s bill would make it a felony to manufacture or sell any material compound or mixture containing the stimulant.
BZP first surfaced as a recreational drug in the early 1990s. Users report a euphoric feeling similar to that produced by MDMA, or ecstasy. No deaths have been reported as a result of a sole ingestion of BZP, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
There have, however, been cases of individuals having psychotic episodes and experiencing seizures as a result of the drug.
Concert-goers enjoy BZP because of its ability to stimulate the senses and keep the body moving all night long, as well as for its euphoric qualities.
Kopp is particularly concerned because, like ecstasy, BZP is marketed to kids with cartoon images pressed on pills.
He says Colorado needs its own law to fight the distribution of BZP and ensure that kids are protected.
“Our kids face enough challenges in today’s world,” he said. “We don’t need to compound those by allowing dangerous drugs legal status.”
Hudak, however, viewed the bill as another attempt at continuing the government’s “war on drugs,” which she sees as a total failure.
“I was hoping that we would go in the opposite direction, that of decriminalizing drugs and other non-violent offenses, and providing drug treatment, community corrections, proactive community supervision, etc.,” she wrote in an e-mail to the Denver Daily News.
Hudak is also not convinced that the drug produces sensations similar to ecstasy, arguing that all the evidence is not yet in. She added that the testimony provided at yesterday’s hearing also did not convince her that the drug is dangerous.
“The fact that some young people have been found to be in possession of the drug, albeit in a form that is similar to other drugs of abuse — such as a colored pill shaped like Bart Simpson — is not enough evidence that the drug is dangerous,” continued Hudak. “The testimony indicated that the drug has been consumed at concerts — that alone is not evidence that the drug is dangerous.”
|
