Bill Overview
Title: Protecting Kids from Candy-Flavored Drugs Act
Description: This bill establishes enhanced criminal penalties for certain federal drug offenses involving the manufacture or distribution of candy-flavored controlled substances or similar products for minors. Specifically, the bill imposes enhanced criminal penalties for a federal drug offense that involves manufacturing, creating, distributing, dispensing, or possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance listed in schedule I or II that is combined with a candy or drink, marketed to appear similar to a candy or drink, or modified by flavoring or coloring to appear similar to a candy or drink. To be subject to an enhanced penalty, the individual must have knowledge or reasonable cause to believe that the controlled substance will be distributed, dispensed, or sold to an individual who is under 18 years of age.
Sponsors: Rep. Banks, Jim [R-IN-3]
Target Audience
Population: Children and surrounding communities affected by candy-flavored drugs
Estimated Size: 75000000
- The global population is about 7.8 billion people.
- Children and teens are particularly targeted in the bill, which are estimated to be nearly 30% of the global population or about 2.3 billion individuals globally.
- The global community, including parents, teachers, and policymakers, will be concerned regarding the impact of drug use among children, thus indirectly impacting them through policy changes and education.
- Drug manufacturers, distributors, and others involved in the supply chain of controlled substances naturally form a smaller, targeted population affected by the new penalties, estimated globally around tens of thousands directly involved.
Reasoning
- The target population includes U.S. children and adolescents, along with their surrounding communities such as parents, educators, and legal authorities.
- The policy indirectly impacts educators and law enforcement by focusing on prevention and control of drug distribution to minors.
- It's assumed that the majority of the U.S. population remains unimpacted directly as it focuses primarily on the specific demographic involved with candy-flavored drugs.
- The policy's financial budget suggests a limited but focused implementation, affecting primarily those directly involved in or fighting against the cause of candy-flavored drugs targeting minors.
Simulated Interviews
Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 9 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's good they are trying to stop bad candies so we won't eat them by mistake.
- I feel safe because I trust my parents and teachers to keep bad stuff away.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Teacher (Austin, TX)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Enhancing penalties could deter some from targeting minors with dangerous substances, which is really important.
- I hope this means children will have fewer exposure risks.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Pharmaceutical Expert (New York, NY)
Age: 46 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy seems to close some loopholes but the real impact depends on effective enforcement.
- Flavored drugs are a smart target but we must avoid unintended burdens on legal industries.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Law Enforcement Officer (Denver, CO)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Being able to impose harsher penalties for candy-flavored drugs should incrementally decrease the cases we see.
- It's a step in the right direction but requires comprehensive strategy around it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Public Health Official (Chicago, IL)
Age: 54 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policing candy-flavored drugs is crucial for youth safety but must be paired with educational outreach.
- Policy alone won't solve every problem; it’s about a societal shift in how we view youth drug safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
College Student (Miami, FL)
Age: 19 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Better policies on flavored drugs help protect younger kids.
- We need more education in schools about why these substances are bad.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired (Rural, IA)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Anything that keeps drugs away from kids is worthwhile; my grandkids’ safety is my priority.
- Policy implementation in rural areas can be challenging but certainly necessary.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Substance Abuse Counselor (Seattle, WA)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The increased penalties hopefully curb some of the flavored drug distributions.
- Support systems alongside tough laws make long-term differences in rehabilitating young offenders.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Parent (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This gives me more peace of mind knowing there are efforts to target dangerous substances made for kids.
- Community and state should also work to spread awareness and support beyond just law enforcement.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Attorney (Philadelphia, PA)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Enhanced penalties must be balanced with fair trials and due process to avoid victimizing the innocent.
- There are concerns about disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $15000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $20000000)
Year 2: $16000000 (Low: $11000000, High: $21000000)
Year 3: $17000000 (Low: $12000000, High: $22000000)
Year 5: $19000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $24000000)
Year 10: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $30000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Key Considerations
- The scale of the law enforcement efforts needed to effectively enforce this policy and the corresponding costs.
- Effectiveness of enhanced penalties as a deterrent for drug manufacturers and distributors targeting minors.
- Integration with current anti-drug education programs to maximize community awareness and preventive measures.