Following Mayor
Will Flanagan’s signature, a new law banning synthetic drugs went into
effect on August 31, 2012 after the City Council quickly passed emergency
measures at a special meeting earlier in the day. The ban prohibits sale,
display and possession of what’s termed synthetic marijuana and “bath
salts” — chemically treated household products that cause a host of
harmful mind and body effects and have come under scrutiny in this state
and throughout the country. In addition to $300 fines upon first offense,
police are authorized to prosecute and bring store-owners selling the
products to the attention of city licensing boards. Following passage,
Tobacco Control Coordinator Marilyn Edge and began notifying local store
owners of the ordinance and asked them to sign a statement that they were
aware of its provisions. Click
here for the Herald News article and here
for the video. Click here for a
two-minute 
video. For more
information, call Marilyn Edge at 508-324-
2423.
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(Top
row) City Council president Linda Pereira calls for a vote on a measure to
ban the sale, display
and possession of what’s termed synthetic marijuana and “bath salts”
following very brief discussion by Councilors Joe Camara, Dave Dennis,
Brad Kilby, Mike Miozza, Ray Mitchell and Eric Poulin. (Middle row) Health
and Human Services Director Henry Vaillancourt, MD, and Corporation
Counsel Elizabeth Sousa hold posters describing the effects of the
synthetic drugs as Councilor Ray Mitchell congratulates Dr. Vaillancourt
on the passage of the ordinance. (Bottom row) Tobacco Control Coordinator
Marilyn Edge presents Jaqdishumar Patel, owner of the Choice Mini Mart on
South Main Street, with a paper describing the new ordinance. |
