Letter to Cui Tiankai, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America - The Flow of Synthetic Marijuana from China into the United States

Letter

May 30, 2014

The Honorable Cui Tiankai
Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America
3505 International Place, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008

Dear Ambassador Cui:

I urge you to work with your government to combat the flow of illicit synthetic chemical substances from China into the United States. These synthetic drugs are a significant threat to public health and safety, and are also used to fund illegal activity. The majority of these substances are produced and packaged in China and exported to the United States. I ask that your government take immediate measures to crackdown on this growing industry.

Synthetic drug usage is a growing concern in not just the United States, but globally. The chemicals used to create these drugs are often more dangerous than the illicit substances whose effects they mimic. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) identified over 200 new varieties of these drugs in the last five years, making regulation nearly impossible. More than 90 countries are reporting synthetic drug seizures. The number of synthetic cannabinoids, which mimic Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active chemical in marijuana, has doubled in the last year alone leading to serious medical conditions and even death.

A majority of these substances are exported from China into the United States by airmail. The United States Customs and Border Patrol seizes a significant amount of these chemicals packaged and ready for distribution at Chicago O'Hare International Airport in Illinois. The packages often contain labeling suggesting that the product is not intended for human consumption, but the overall appearance and retail price suggest that they are intended to be a substitute for illegal drugs. Chinese manufacturers are constantly changing and disguising the packaging, making these synthetic drugs difficult for law enforcement to identify but more attractive to young users.

Ending the export of synthetic drugs is critical to attacking a growing health crisis in the United States and to cutting a resourceful market for criminals and terrorists. I urge you to work with Chinese authorities and international law enforcement partners to combat these dangerous synthetic chemicals. I look forward to your response regarding this issue of critical importance to my constituents.

Sincerely,

Mark Kirk
U.S. Senator

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