City Council Tries Again to Ban Synthetic Pot

Bag of “Zero Gravity”

In an attempt to ban so-called synthetic marijuana, Lubbock City Council took the first step Thursday night to amending a year-old ordinance already attempting, in vain, to ban the substance.

However, Mayor Glen C. Robertson said he has concerns that the ordinance is counterproductive, and voted against it.

“If we’re trying to save lives,” Robertson said, “and we ban a product and name the chemical compounds and so they go and they change the chemistry and they put something much worse in this because we banned the original, we’ve made it worse for the kids. We’ve actually helped make this product more dangerous in a roundabout way.”

The first reading of the ordinance, which expands the list of banned substances to 39, was approved 5 to 1, without Councilman Floyd Price, who represents the second district.

Robertson said he also voted against the first ordinance.

“My thought process was,” Robertson said, “I wanted a very strong ordinance that banned the selling of these products to minors.”

“This is an issue where people choose,” Robertson said, “to purchase these products.”

Robertson said the ban of synthetic marijuana is still in effect.

The Hub reported in December that Lubbock police were not enforcing the ordinance because they had no test that could prove the presence of the banned substances. No City Council member or public speaker directly addressed this problem.

Two citizens spoke in favor of the ordinance.

Denise Baker, a stay-at-home grandmother, said passing the ordinance was important to her personally.

“I have a family member that is addicted to this stuff,” Baker said, “and it’s dangerous.”

Baker said synthetic marijuana is harming the city’s children to dangerous levels.

“We need to get it off the shelves,” Baker said. “We need to get it out of Lubbock.”

Baker said the city needs to do whatever it takes to get rid of synthetic marijuana.

However, one citizen spoke out against the ordinance.

Frank Warner was the only speaker in favor of striking down the ordinance.

Warner said people outside the stores are adding other chemicals to the synthetic marijuana to make it more dangerous.

Warner said he is not in favor of the government intruding in people’s personal lives.

Baker, 50, said she disagrees with Warner’s argument.

“My family member used it,” Baker said, “and pointed out multiple smoke shops up and down 50^th Street where it was purchased.”

Baker said synthetic marijuana was purchased out of smoke shops, not from the back of someone’s car, as Warner claimed.

Jeannine Kelley spoke out in favor of the ordinance.

Kelley, 51, said her organization is WASP, the acronym for Warriors against Synthetic Pot.

Kelley said suppliers change chemicals as soon as they go on the ban list.

“They buy the base from China,” Kelley said, “and then, people don’t get high enough, so they start doctoring up with different agents.”

Jeannine Kelley addresses Lubbock City Council.

Kelley said it is hard to get everything on the ban list but many involved hope to get stronger legislation in the future.

“At this point, even a Band-Aid will do a temporary fix,” Kelley said, “and that’s good enough for me for today.”

Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem Karen Gibson, who sponsored the ordinance, told Kelley that she understood where she was coming from.

“I will tell you that we are working diligently to find something more effective,” Gibson said.

“Banning just the compounds is not enough,” Gibson said. “The challenge is getting it vetted through the DA’s office, through the LPD, when you hit road blocks you just have to find another way.”

Some opponents of the sale of synthetic marijuana were calling on city council to make the sale of the substance a felony. However, city council does not have that authority — only the state legislature does. The maximum penalty the city ordinance carries for a violation is a $2,000 fine.

Baker said she hopes more people come forward with their personal experiences with synthetic marijuana.

“Tell your story,” Baker said, “it’s very important that people know what’s going on.”

A second reading of the amended ordinance is scheduled for the next regular city council meeting.

Erin Willis contributed to this report.