Tucson has fallen behind in its effort to keep dangerous and addictive synthetic cannabinoids and phenethylamines off the streets, says a City Council member who seeks to ban the sale of Spice and build on the stateβs list of banned substances.
Councilman Steve Kozachik is hoping to add the various chemical cousins to the already banned synthetic drugs.
While the planned discussion Wednesday afternoon will need input from the Tucson Police Department and City Attorneyβs Office, Kozachik estimates the stateβs list could grow by an additional seven pages.
Council members Richard Fimbres and Regina Romero are backing Kozachik in banning the sale of Spice within the city limits.
Kozachik concedes the council canβt address the issue alone, saying he hopes South Tucson and Pima County Board of Supervisors will follow with similar bans in the coming weeks.
A public education campaign, he adds, is just as vital as banning the substances.
The shiny, well-designed drugs sold mostly in smoke shops are intentionally deceiving, he says. The newer substances are far more dangerous than the drugs they were designed to supplant a decade ago.
βThe public is woefully ignorant of the harmful effects these products have,β he said. βThey are starting to cut this stuff with fentanyl.β
Kozachik says he wants to partner with public health agencies and nonprofits on the issue, noting a homeless addict with no job needs more than just treatment. They need help with temporary housing and possibly job training, he said.
The council is expected to give city manager direction on a possible ban. An actual ban would be voted on at a future meeting.
