Oct. 17, 2017
HARRISBURG—Chairman Ron Marsico (R-Lower Paxton) held a hearing today to gather information about the current trends in opiate abuse and other illegal drug use in Pennsylvania.
“Most Pennsylvanians are well aware, by now, of the growing drug crisis we are facing in the state,” said Marsico. “Many of these drugs are being illegally manufactured by using legal substances. New drugs are being fashioned more quickly than we are able to illegalize them. The more we learn about what’s out there, the better equipped we will be to tackle the problem, which is why we held the meeting today.”
Some of these illegal drugs include marijuana wax, BHO, synthetic marijuana, flakka, PCP, cocaine, molly, MDMA, ecstasy, liquid and crystal meth, opiates, oxycodone, heroin and many more.
“One of the more disturbing facts that came to light in today’s meeting was that we are seeing more and more legally sold items, such as herbals, Legal Lean, Phenibut and Kratom being misused to create substances that will give users an altered state,” said Marsico. “And when abused, many of these drugs won’t even show up in a drug test.”
The use of fentanyl, a highly-addictive synthetic alternative to morphine, is now being mixed with heroin to amplify the potency of both drugs. Once injected, smoked or snorted, the laced heroin creates a dangerously powerful high. Since heroin and fentanyl both have depressant effects, users may feel exaggerated drowsiness, nausea, confusion, sedation and, in extreme instances, unconsciousness, respiratory depression and death.
“Pennsylvania recorded the terrifying number of over 4,600 drug overdose deaths last year. Children, as well as adults, across the state are overdosing and dying from this serious ever-growing problem,” said Marsico. “Not only are thousands of people dying every year from this horrific epidemic, but thousands more are affected by personal addiction or the addiction of family, friends and loved ones. It is imperative that we take steps to combat this problem and staunch the enormous number of lives lost unnecessarily.”
Representative Ronald Marsico
105th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Autumn R. Southard
717.652.3721
asouthar@pahousegop.com
RonMarsico.com