Synthetic Drugs Will Soon Be Illegal in North Dakota - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Synthetic Drugs will soon be illegal in the state of North Dakota.

As early as the end of November it will not only be a felony to SELL the synthetics, but also to have possession of them.

Today Jon Berg attended an emergency meeting, where Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem is taking action to stop synthetics from circulating in North Dakota.

On Wednesday we told you North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem issued a cease and desist order to Big Willies in Mandan --- a store that sold the synthetic products.

Thursday Stenehjem takes an additional step to stop synthetics from circulating in North Dakota --- meeting in front of the North Dakota Board of Pharmacy to add synthetic drugs to the same list as marijuana.

"I reached the conclusion that we cannot wait, even three or four months until the session of the legislature comes in because, the lives and health of citizens in North Dakota and especially our young people are at stake," North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said.

Under the list of controlled substances --- possession and sale of these products will be a felony once this rule takes effect --- Which Stenehjem thinks will happen by the end of November or very first part of December.

"In fact Marijuana possession is a misdemeanor and these cases they'll be under schedule one, where possession or sale is a felony not a misdemeanor, so it will be more severe than Marijuana," Stenehjem said.

Because these synthetics can sometimes be even more dangerous than a drug like marijuana.

"The consequences for taking many of these substances, the health effects is more severe than taking the actual substance, dangerous they may be that they seek to mimic, so this is a dangerous situation," Stenehjem said.

The legislature has given approval to the Board of Pharmacy to add these synthetics to the list of controlled substances on an emergency basis.

"So that's the process the board is about to undertake is schedule on an emergency basis all of those substances here in North Dakota," Stenehjem said.

In Bismarck, Jon Berg, KX News

Next a hearing will be held on November 30th --- soon after that --- final action will be taken.

Again --- Stenehjem expects the law to take effect at the end of November or very first part of December.

In addition to the cease and desist order issued to Big Willies yesterday, today a cease and desist order was issued to Hemp Horizon in Minot, banning them from selling bath salts, incense and other synthetic products.

A Minot head shop is shut down.  Click here to read more.