Resolution coincides with the three-year anniversary of the death of Trevor Robinson, a Minnesota teenager who died after taking 2C-E; also follows recent arrests in Mankato as part of an investigation into synthetic drugs

Klobuchar has introduced legislation that would make it easier to prosecute the sale and distribution of “analogue” drugs, which are synthetic substances that are substantially similar to illegal drugs

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar announced today that her bipartisan Senate Resolution she introduced with Senators Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) designating the week of March 9th, 2014 as National Youth Synthetic Drug Awareness Week has passed the Senate. Klobuchar’s resolution coincides with the three-year anniversary of the death of Trevor Robinson, a Blaine, Minnesota teenager who died after taking a synthetic drug known as 2C-E, as well as recent arrests in Mankato as part of an investigation into synthetic drugs. Klobuchar has introduced legislation that would make it easier to prosecute the sale and distribution of “analogue” drugs, which are synthetic substances that are substantially similar to illegal drugs.

“Synthetic drugs are tearing families apart and claiming young peoples’ lives in Minnesota and all across the country,” Klobuchar said. “We need to boost awareness about these deadly drugs and continue doing everything we can to keep them away from our children and off of our streets.”

Klobuchar’s bipartisan legislation would make it easier to prosecute the sale and distribution of new synthetic drugs that are illegal “analogues” – or substantially similar to current illegal drugs. Current law makes it difficult to prosecute new synthetic drugs as analogues because they are often labeled “not intended for human consumption” and not marketed for human consumption despite their well-known use as recreational drugs with dangerous effects. Klobuchar’s bill would make it easier to prove that synthetic drugs are intended for human consumption and thus easier to prosecute.

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