Synthetic Drug Overdose Prevention and Education Act

Synthetic Drug Overdose Prevention and Education Act

This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study strategies for preventing and treating the use of synthetic recreational drugs, which are substances marketed for recreational use (regardless of claims to the contrary) that are analogous to a controlled substance and are not medications.

The Department of Health and Human Services must coordinate with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to establish and maintain a database of synthetic recreational drugs. The database must be publicly available for use in preventing and treating the use of synthetic recreational drugs.

The CDC, in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institutes of Health, and the DEA, must develop and implement a national outreach campaign to educate law enforcement personnel, health care professionals, community members, and others about preventing and treating the use of substances similar to marijuana (cannabimimetic agents).

The CDC may award grants to federally qualified health centers for public awareness programs regarding substances similar to marijuana.