[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 389 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 389

   Designating the week of March 9, 2014, through March 15, 2014, as 
           ``National Youth Synthetic Drug Awareness Week''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 13, 2014

Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Grassley, and Mrs. Feinstein) submitted 
      the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Designating the week of March 9, 2014, through March 15, 2014, as 
           ``National Youth Synthetic Drug Awareness Week''.

Whereas around the United States, there have been many incidents of violent 
        acts, some leading to serious injury and death, committed by people 
        under the influence of synthetic drugs;
Whereas the effects of synthetic drugs on their users include elevated heart 
        rate and blood pressure, hallucinations, seizures, and extreme 
        agitation;
Whereas a lack of public understanding of the potential harm of synthetic drugs 
        makes raising public awareness about the dangers posed by such drugs 
        extremely important;
Whereas deceptive marketing by sellers of synthetic drugs and easy access to 
        synthetic drugs online and in many convenience stores create a false 
        perception, particularly among youth, that synthetic drugs are legal and 
        safer than street drugs;
Whereas in 2010, 18-year-old David Rozga of Indianola, Iowa, committed suicide 
        shortly after ingesting a synthetic drug called ``K2'', making his death 
        one of the first in the United States linked to synthetic drugs;
Whereas March 17, 2014, marks the third anniversary of the tragic death of 19-
        year-old Trevor Robinson, who overdosed on a synthetic drug called ``2C-
        E'' at a house party in Blaine, Minnesota;
Whereas in addition to Trevor Robinson, 10 other teens and young adults at the 
        same house party had to be rushed to hospitals after snorting the same 
        drug, illustrating the urgent need to raise awareness among youth about 
        the dangers of synthetic drugs;
Whereas according to the 2012 Monitoring the Future survey of youth drug-use 
        trends, 1 in every 9 United States high school seniors surveyed admitted 
        to using synthetic marijuana in the past year;
Whereas according to a 2013 report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
        Administration Drug Abuse Warning Network, there were 28,531 emergency 
        department visits involving a synthetic cannabinoid product and 22,904 
        emergency department visits involving bath salts in 2011; and
Whereas educating the public, and especially our youth, on the dangers of 
        synthetic drugs and promoting prevention of synthetic drug abuse are 
        critical components of what must be a multi-pronged effort to curb 
        synthetic drug abuse: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates the week of March 9, 2014, through March 15, 
        2014, as ``National Youth Synthetic Drug Awareness Week''; and
            (2) urges communities to carry out appropriate programs and 
        activities to educate parents and youth about the dangers 
        associated with synthetic drug abuse.
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