Kentucky lawmakers are working to change punishment standards for the abuse of synthetic drugs. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday approved increased penalties for trafficking or possession of synthetics.
Committee Chair Whitney Westerfield says two of the drugs discussed are not yet of concern in the commonwealth, but will likely be in the future.
“And then we add those two other drugs, W-15 and W-18, which are profoundly potent compared to Fentanyl and compared to drugs that we are seeing here in Kentucky already," Westerfield said.
Westerfield says fighting these drugs is like aiming at a moving target. He says the chemical makeup is changing all the time.
“As long as we continue to face an addiction problem, and that’s not going away anytime soon, it’s always gonna be a race to see what we can stop and prevent,” said Westerfield.
The Hopkinsville Senator says the governor’s budget includes money for treatment and prevention.?
