outside the planned scope of the ordinance
from being unintentionally targeted by it.
"That's the concern that's been expressed to
me by the Sheriff's Office," Pearce replied.
Vice Chairwoman Christine Robinson made
the motion to approve the law with the pro-
posed new language. "I trust that if the County
Attorney's Office is encountering problems
with this or the State Attorney's Office is
encountering problems with this, this will be
brought back," she pointed out.
As for the use of the synthetic substances, she
continued, "This is a terrible problem. … The
state's struggling. … This is something that
we've got to get in front of. … I'm concerned
that we still have folks out there that are try-
ing to market this to our youth."
Commissioner Nora Patterson, who seconded
the motion, told her colleagues, "I think
Commissioner Robinson summed it up."
" I ' m e c s t a t i c a b o u t t h i s o r d i n a n c e , "
Commissioner Carolyn Mason said. As
the board's representative on the county's
Juvenile Justice Council and the Safe and
Drug Free Schools Advisory Committee, she
added, she has "seen and heard a lot of nega-
tive things about these designer drugs …"
Hines pointed out, "There's no redeeming
benefit to this type of stuff. … I'm kind of dis-
gusted that our local stores would sell this
to our kids and promote it the way they've
done."
He is hopeful, he continued, that other coun-
ties and the state will follow Sarasota County's
lead on the law.
Following passage of the ordinance, Sheriff
Tom Knight said in a news release, "The Board
of County Commissioners clearly understood
the importance of banning these substances
to protect our community. There is no legit-
imate use for synthetic drugs and now we
can safeguard our youth from their harmful
effects."
The Sheriff's Office's release added, "The
Sarasota County ordinance fills the gap
between products regulated as controlled sub-
stances and products regulated by the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA). … Once the
ordinance is officially recorded by the State of
Florida, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office
will take immediate enforcement action." %
Sarasota News Leader February 21, 2014 Page 71
