An Assembly committee heard testimony Thursday from lawmakers, police officers and concerned citizens regarding two bills that address what information law enforcement officials write down at traffic stops and a possible ban on synthetic marijuana.
Assembly Justice Committee co-chair Rep. Garey Bies, R-Sister Bay, authored the synthetic drug bill that would list synthetic weed – also known as K2, spice, pure ivory and legal bud – as a Schedule I controlled substance. The listing would prohibit the sale, manufacture, delivery and possession of synthetic marijuana in the state of Wisconsin.
Testifying before the committee, Bies said side effects of the drug include heart palpitations, loss of coordination and rashes.
“Manufactured in powder form, it’s dissolved and sprayed on plant material then packaged and sold,” Bies said. “Being legal, it’s often sold in convenience stores without any age restrictions.”
Law enforcement has seen a “rapid” increase in the use of synthetic marijuana, Bies said, and some municipalities have already banned the drug. The bill Bies drafted would make the ban statewide.
One man spoke against the bill. Nathaniel Pearman said prohibition was not the solution to the problem.
“People use synthetics for mulitple sclerosis, pain, Crohn’s disease and many other illnesses,” Pierman said. “Why not consider making it 18 or 20 plus? Why are you restricting the choices of consenting adults”?
The bill would also define the drug Methylenedioxpyrovalerone – known as MDPV and comes as a bath salt with names like Vanella Sky or Hurricane Charlie – as a Schedule I controlled substance. Users snort or smoke the bath salt and experience an effect similar to cocaine.
The committee also heard testimony on a bill that would repeal a law requiring Wisconsin police officers to note the race of the persons they pull over during a traffic stop with the intent of discovering officers who racially profile. The bill has been hotly contested by some police organizations throughout the state.
“It makes assumptions our law enforcement officers are stopping individuals without just cause,” the bill’s author Rep. Kathy Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, said.
Democrats on the committee questioned Bernier on her bill, asking her why there are more minorities in prison than non-minorities. Rep. Fred Kessler, D-Milwaukee, said it was because some police officers do practice racial profiling.
