AG Pam Bondi signs emergency ruling to ban new, dangerous synthetic drug

FLORIDA — Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Marion County Sheriff Emery Gainey presented a plan at a meeting Tuesday to fight synthetic drugs in Central Florida.

Bondi signed an emergency ruling, which outlawed a new synthetic drug called u-47-700.

Investigators said the drug has been responsible for multiple deaths across Florida.

Marion County deputies said they have not seen a case of the drug in their area yet.

Officials said the drug is 7.5 times more potent than morphine, and it’s usually mixed with other drugs. The mixture can kill a user with just one dose.

"We're trying to catch this early on and stop it," Bondi said.

Officials said the drug comes in pill, powder and in a nasal spray form, or it can been injected.

In some cases, officials said people may not be aware they're taking the drug.

"In Pinellas (County), they were using a pill press and mixing this with other dangerous drugs, like fentanyl," Bondi said.

Officials believe the drug is being made in labs overseas and is being smuggled into the country through Canada and Mexico.

The drug can be bought on the street and online.

"(For) $39, you can buy this junk that's killing people," Bondi said.

Officials said that before Tuesday, the drug was legal and medical examiners were not testing for it.

Bondi believes there could be more deaths that were not on record.

"Most likely, a lot more have overdosed," said Bondi.

It’s a temporary ban, which has to be voted on by lawmakers.

Being caught with the drug is a felony and is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Cox Media Group