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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1408 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1603 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Patrick M. O'Connor |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act to conduct a public health study of synthetic drugs in the commonwealth. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1408 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1603 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1603) of Patrick M. O'Connor for |
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| 19 | 19 | | legislation to conduct a public health study of synthetic drugs in the commonwealth. Public |
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| 20 | 20 | | Health. |
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| 21 | 21 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 22 | 22 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 1439 OF 2023-2024.] |
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| 23 | 23 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 27 | 27 | | _______________ |
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| 28 | 28 | | An Act to conduct a public health study of synthetic drugs in the commonwealth. |
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| 29 | 29 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 30 | 30 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 31 | 31 | | 1 The department of public health is hereby authorized and directed to conduct a |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2comprehensive study of synthetic drugs, as well as their use, effects, prevalence, and health |
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| 33 | 33 | | 3implications. For the purposes of this act, the definition of the term “synthetic drug” shall |
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| 34 | 34 | | 4include, but not be limited to, synthetic opioids, fentanyl, carfentanil, synthetic cocaine, bath |
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| 35 | 35 | | 5salts, MDMA, synthetic marijuana, and synthetic psychedelics. The department shall investigate |
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| 36 | 36 | | 6and report on the use, effects, prevalence, and health implications of synthetic drugs in the |
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| 37 | 37 | | 7Commonwealth. The department of public health shall collect data on the types of synthetic |
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| 38 | 38 | | 8opioids, historical rates of usage and prevalence, as well as physical, mental, and emotional short |
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| 39 | 39 | | 9and long term impacts of the drug. The department of public health shall develop strategic and |
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| 40 | 40 | | 10legislative recommendations to reduce the use of synthetic drugs by way of public awareness 2 of 2 |
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| 41 | 41 | | 11campaigns, educational curriculum, and rehabilitative therapies. The department of public health |
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| 42 | 42 | | 12shall file a report of its study, including its recommendations and drafts of legislation, with the |
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| 43 | 43 | | 13clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives on or before December 1, 2026. |
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