News

On Tuesday July 31, 2012, President Obama named his "Champions of Change" for 2012.  Our own Lowell Porter was honored to be listed for his work as Director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, as former Chief of the Washington State Patrol, and now his work on the Governors Highway Safety Association.   Congratulations Lowell! 

To see the full press release, go here. 

                                                 

NCSA Traffic Safety Fact Sheet “2010 Rural/Urban Comparison” (DOT-HS-811-637):  In 2010, there were 30,196 fatal crashes resulting in 32,885 fatalities. Rural areas accounted for 54 percent (16,292) of the fatal crashes and 55 percent (18,026) of the fatalities as compared to urban areas which accounted for 45 percent (13,608) of the fatal crashes and 44 percent (14,546) of the fatalities.  http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811637.pdf

 

NCSA Research Note “Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities for the First Quarter (January – March) of 2012” (DOT-HS-811-642):  This Research Note provides a statistical projection of traffic fatalities for the first quarter of 2012.  Data shows that an estimated 7,630 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the first quarter of 2012.  This represents a significant increase of about 13.5 percent as compared to the 6,720 fatalities that were projected to have occurred in the first quarter of 2011.    http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811642.pdf

 

“MMUCC Guideline Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria Fourth Edition” (DOT-HS -811-631):   Statewide motor vehicle traffic crash data systems provide the basic information necessary for effective highway and traffic safety efforts at any level of government – local, State, or Federal. State crash data are used to perform problem identification, establish goals and performance measures, allocate resources, determine the progress of specific programs, and support the development and evaluation of highway and vehicle safety countermeasures. The purpose of the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC) is to provide a dataset for describing crashes of motor vehicles in transport that will generate the information necessary to improve highway safety within each State and nationally.   http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811631.pdf

 

NCSA Traffic Safety Fact Sheet "2010 Overview”  (DOT-HS-811-630), The 2010 Overview Traffic Safety Fact Sheet provides an “overview” of many of NCSA’s current Traffic Safety Fact Sheets produced such as, alcohol-impaired driving, speeding, pedestrian, pedalcyclists, motorcyclists, large trucks, children and other fatality data.   http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811630.pdf

One of the most effective countermeasures in reducing traffic fatalities is creating general deterrence through High Visibility Enforcement (HVE). When the perceived risk of getting caught by law enforcement goes up, the likelihood that people will engage in unsafe driving behaviors goes down.

The High Visibility Enforcement Toolkit has been designed to assist law enforcement agencies, communities, and states implement or enhance their HVE efforts. The HVE Toolkit has been created with assistance from a High Visibility Enforcement Panel consisting of field experts effectively implementing HVE in their jurisdiction or community. 

Visit the HVE Toolkit at www.nhtsa.gov/Driving+Safety/Enforcement+&+Justice+Services/HVE

On July 9, 2012, President Obama signed into U.S. law the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (S.3187), which includes the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 2012. 

 

The bill itemizes all of the new synthetic compounds (synthetic cannabinoids and bath salts) which have now been added to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

 

You can download the official text of the bill here

Pam Loginsky, staff attorney for the Washington Prosecuting Attorney's Association, just issued her updated Search & Seizure Manual.  For anyone with questions about 4th Amendment issues, this is a great resource!    Go here for the document!   Many thanks for the hard work Pam!!

                            

Congress Agrees to Add 26 Synthetic Drugs to Controlled Substances Act

 

The Drug Enforcement Administration today commended House and Senate negotiators for agreeing on legislation to control 26 synthetic drugs under the Controlled Substances Act.  These drugs include those commonly found in products marketed as “K2” and “Spice.”

The addition of these chemicals to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act will be included as part of S. 3187, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act. Schedule I substances are those with a high potential for abuse; have no medical use in treatment in the United States; and lack an accepted safety for use of the drug.

In addition to scheduling the 26 drugs, the new law would double the length of time a substance may be temporarily placed in Schedule I (from 18 to 36 months).  In addition to explicitly naming 26 substances, the legislation creates a new definition for “cannabamimetic agents,” creating criteria by which similar chemical compounds are controlled.

 

Please find the entire text of the news release here

 

Here is the list of drugs the DEA specifically proposes to ban:

 

15 cannabinoids, 2 stimulants (Mephedrone and MDPV), and 9 2C compounds:

(i) 5-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol (CP-47,497);

(ii) 5-(1,1-dimethyloctyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol (cannabicyclohexanol or CP-47,497 C8-homolog);

(iii) 1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole (JWH-018 and AM678);

(iv) 1-butyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole (JWH-073);

(v) 1-hexyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole (JWH-019);

(vi) 1-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl]-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole (JWH-200);

(vii) 1-pentyl-3-(2-methoxyphenylacetyl)indole (JWH-250);

(viii) 1-pentyl-3-[1-(4-methoxynaphthoyl)]indole (JWH-081);

(ix) 1-pentyl-3-(4-methyl-1-naphthoyl)indole (JWH-122);

(x) 1-pentyl-3-(4-chloro-1-naphthoyl)indole (JWH-398);

(xi) 1-(5-fluoropentyl)-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole (AM2201);

(xii) 1-(5-fluoropentyl)-3-(2-iodobenzoyl)indole (AM694);

(xiii) 1-pentyl-3-[(4-methoxy)-benzoyl]indole (SR-19 and RCS-4);

(xiv) 1-cyclohexylethyl-3-(2-methoxyphenylacetyl)indole (SR-18 and RCS-8); and

(xv) 1-pentyl-3-(2-chlorophenylacetyl)indole (JWH-203).

(b) Other Drugs- Schedule I of section 202(c) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812(c)) is amended in subsection (c) by adding at the end the following:

(18) 4-methylmethcathinone (Mephedrone).

(19) 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV).

(20) 2-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-ethylphenyl)ethanamine (2C-E).

(21) 2-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-methylphenyl)ethanamine (2C-D).

(22) 2-(4-Chloro-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanamine (2C-C).

(23) 2-(4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanamine (2C-I).

(24) 2-[4-(Ethylthio)-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl]ethanamine (2C-T-2).

(25) 2-[4-(Isopropylthio)-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl]ethanamine (2C-T-4).

(26) 2-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)ethanamine (2C-H).

(27) 2-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-nitro-phenyl)ethanamine (2C-N).

(28) 2-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-(n)-propylphenyl)ethanamine (2C-P).

 

 

 

The U.S. Supreme Court failed to come to any consensus upon the most recent Confrontation Clause case.   The justices fractured into four separate opinions that took 95 pages to explain.  

The article discussing the decision is here.

The full case is here. 

A new article in the Journal of Medical Toxicology overviews the toxicology of "bath salts," a synthetic cathinone (i.e. MDPV, mephedrone, methedrone).  Bath salts cases are quickly increasing in the Northwest and an understanding of the drug is critical to quickly spotting them at the onset.  

Recently a Fort Lewis soldier who murdered his wife and child was confirmed to have been snorting bath salts (MDPV in this case) shortly before the incident. Article here.  Second Article here.

To view the entire toxicology article, click here. 

Aaron Deveau, 18, who became the first driver in Massachusetts to be convicted of motor vehicle homicide by texting, has been sentenced to two years in prison and loss of his license for 15 years, the Associated Press reported.

Prosecutors said Deveau, who pleaded not guilty, was texting on Feb. 20, 2011, when his vehicle swerved across the center line of a Haverhill street and crashed head on into Donald Bowley's truck, killing the 55-year-old father of three.

"My brother received such severe head trauma that ... there was no hope for him," the victim's sister Donna Burleigh testified in Haverhill District Court.

Deveau was charged with motor vehicle homicide and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, using a mobile phone while operating a motor vehicle, reading or sending an electronic message, a marked lanes violation, and two counts of negligent operation and injury from mobile phone use.

To view the entire news article, go here.