By MIKE KRAFCIK
6 News Reporter
MARYVILLE (WATE) - Blount County is taking measures to support what state lawmakers are doing to ban synthetic drugs.
Synthetic marijuana, marketed as incense, was banned in Tennessee in 2010, but manufacturers got around the law by slightly altering the formula, making it legal again.
The Blount County Commission will vote on a resolution Thursday night that supports legislation which beefs up laws for synthetic drugs.
Many say the laws right now just aren't strong enough. "We're asking the Legislature to provide a comprehensive law which will make the manufacture and distribution of the drugs illegal," said county Commission President Steve Samples.
Lawmakers in Nashville are working on a bill that would create stiffer penalties for anyone possessing or selling synthetic marijuana or similar substances that mimic its effect, which means felony charges and jail time.
"The issue for us is that we want to give our judges a little more authority," Samples said.
Right now, the manufacture, distribution and sales of the synthetic drugs are only punishable by a misdemeanor, and some are even legal. "We want to make this law stronger than it is," Samples said.
Authorities in Blount County have already made efforts to crack down on stores selling the drugs.
The 5th Judicial Drug Task Force and a collaboration of the sheriff's office and Alcoa and Maryville Police Departments are working to warn convenience store and tobacco shop owners of current laws.
Chris Dixon works at the Discount Tobacco Pack in Maryville. "We've considered selling it, but after talking to local authorities we decided against it," Dixon said.
Although the shop has never sold synthetics, Dixon says he still gets a lot of inquiries. "Maybe 5 to 10 calls per day for maybe a month or two, for the last two months the volume has dropped down," he said.
Commissioners hope tougher laws will make it easier for local authorities to take the drugs off the shelves of stores selling them.
"We have an excellent drug task force and we simply want to give them the teeth they need in this law," Samples said.
He also says commission was asked by county commissions in Cumberland, Union and Rutherford counties to support this measure.
If it passes, legislators from Blount County will be asked to support it.
HB2218 awaits a vote. It passed the Senate and is sitting in committee in the House.
