Bill to bar synthetic recreational drugs hits roadblock

Legislation's sponsors assail Sen. Rand Paul for putting a hold on the bill.

McClatchy / Star Tribune (Minneapolis): Rand Paul Puts Synthetic Drug Bill On Hold
A broadly popular bill by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., to outlaw synthetic recreational drugs across the nation has run into an increasingly common obstacle in the U.S. Senate: the objection of a single senator. Klobuchar and two other senators backing similar measures took the unusual step of taking to the Senate floor Wednesday to publicly denounce a "hold" placed on their bills by freshman Kentucky Republican Rand Paul. ... Paul spokeswoman Moira Bagley said he believes "law enforcement of most drug laws can and should be local and state issues" (Diaz, 2/15).

CQ HealthBeat: Senators Pressure Paul To Drop Objections To 'Designer' Drug Bills
Three senators are trying to persuade Kentucky Republican Rand Paul to drop his objections to a set of bills intended to restrict "designer" drugs that have been linked to incidences of overdose, violence and suicide. The synthetic drugs are designed to simulate the effects of controlled substances and are marketed as a safe, legal high. The three measures would block the use of certain chemicals in such drugs, making their possession and sale illegal (Lesniewski, 2/15).