NEW ARKANSAS BILL TO BAN DELTA 8-THC

According to KSLA News, two people died in March from a drug overdose by using synthetic marijuana. The Texarkana Police Department says that there have been at least seven overdose cases in March alone.

Following this string of overdoses in the Texarkana area, lawmakers in the state began pushing for a ban on these synthetic marijuana drugs. Congress introduced State Bill 358 which would aim to “minimize the risk of children getting their hands on the product” according to KARK.

This bill is supported by Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a foundation that claims to “educate the public and policy makers on the harms of marijuana commercialization and legalization.” The SAM website claims that they “hold federal, state, and local-level briefings across the country” on the issues associated with the legalization of Marijuana products.

The bill was introduced to the Arkansas state senate, sponsored by Sen. Tyler Dees, R-Siloam Springs, who said the bill only seeks to ban specific synthetic drugs like the ones taken by those who have died from overdoses in Texarkana. These specific drugs include delta8, delta-9, delta-10, and delta-6a.

Those for the bill argue that these drugs have been targeted towards children and without the regulations, are easily attainable for those minors.

Dissenters of the bill credit accessible synthetic drugs as more sustainable alternatives to commercial pain-prevention prescriptions. Forbes quoted one mother who said “the products with the Delta-8” have aided her son with stage-4 cancer crediting the drug with “his gut starting to recover. The Gabapentin and Oxys make him sick.”

Despite those who spoke on its benefits, Governor Sanders signed SB358 into law on April 25 to go into effect on August 1. With anticipation for this bill to be contested, Forbes stated that “If a judge orders the state to stop enforcing the law, then delta-8 products would still be permitted under certain conditions but with strict regulations.” This regulation is a $5,000 special license that must be obtained by those who wish to sell delta-8 related products.

BY KIRSTEN BOU

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