Today, the United States Sentencing Commission scheduled a public hearing for Wednesday, October 4, 2017, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (EST) to receive testimony on synthetic cathinones, including their chemical structure, pharmacological effects, trafficking patterns, and community impact. Synthetic cathinones, also known as “bath salts,” are human-made drugs chemically related to cathinone, a stimulant found in the khat plant. The hearing will be held in Washington, D.C. at the Sentencing Commission and streamed live.
The hearing is part of the Commission’s “[c]ontinuation of its multiyear study of offenses involving synthetic cathinones (such as methylone, MDPV, and mephedrone) and synthetic cannabinoids (such as JWH-018 and AM-2201), as well as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), fentanyl, and fentanyl analogues, and consideration of appropriate guideline amendments, including simplifying the determination of the most closely related substance under Application Note 6 of the Commentary to §2D1.1.” See 82 FR 39949 (Aug. 22, 2017) (request for public comment).
For the Commission’s notice of public hearing, click here. For the Commission’s request for public comment regarding synthetic drugs, which is open until October 27, 2017, click here. For Defender Recommendations to the Sentencing Commission, click here.