8/8/2019 Tony Dale K2 Task Force Press Release 11 2 2010

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/tony-dale-k2-task-force-press-release-11-2-2010 1/1

   N  EWS  R ELEASE  FROM 

C  EDAR P  ARK C  ITY C OUNCILMAN T ONY  D ALE 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Tony Dale

November 2, 2010 512-565-0131/tonydale@tonydale.net

CEDAR PARK COUNCILMAN TONY DALE APPOINTED TO STATE K2 TASK FORCE

Cedar Park City Councilman Tony Dale has been appointed to a 12-person, statewide task force by State Sen. Florence Shapiro

(R-Plano) to provide input on proposed legislation to outlaw synthetic cannainoids, commonly known as K2 or Spice, statewide.

Sen. Shapiro has said she intends to file such legislation for consideration by the Texas Legislature, which will convene in January.

"I greatly appreciate the participation of all of the members of the K2 Task Force. Each member's unique expertise will be

invaluable to the process of crafting a comprehensive statewide ban," said Shapiro. “Combating the abuse of K2 requires a

community effort. The education and cooperation of parents and teachers is critical to protecting young Texans. We must raise

awareness about this problem, and continue to educate the public about the need for a ban of K2 in Texas."

Dale and other members of the Cedar Park City Council voted on Sept. 23 to ban K2 in Cedar Park, joining several other Texascities.

“The dangers of these synthetic drugs have manifested themselves in hospitals across Texas and the United States,” Dale said. “I

am honored to be working with Senator Shapiro and the other K2 Task Force members to craft legislation and hopefully institute a

statewide ban on this harmful class of drugs.”

The task force, which recently met for the first time, has been charged by Shapiro with addressing the identification of the

appropriate chemical compounds to be included in legislation to create a statewide ban of these substances, as well as developingsolutions to raise awareness of the dangers associated with the drug. In addition to Dale, other members of the task force include

experts and advocates in the fields of chemistry, law, drug policy and law enforcement.

Other members include: Councilmember Geralyn Kever of McKinney, Plano Police Chief Greg Rushin, drug policy expert Jon

Cole, Malini Ghosal, RPh, MS, Chief Executive Officer of Recovery Resource Council Eric Niedermayer, a pediatric cardiologist

with UT Southwestern Dr. Colin Kane and representatives from the Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory and the Collin

County District Attorney's Office.

Several states in 2010 have passed acts making K2 illegal, including, Kansas, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Louisiana,

Mississippi and Michigan, and other states are considering legislation. K2 is on the U.S Drug Enforcement Agency’s watch list,and the U.S. Department of Justice issued an alert warning of the dangers.

Dale was appointed to Place 5, Cedar Park City Council in 2009 to fill a vacancy and was elected in a special election in 2010.

Prior to his appointment to the K2 Task Force, his service to the State of Texas included appointment in 2009 by the Railroad

Commission of Texas to the board of Alternative Fuels Research Education Division; delegate on the VI Texas Trade Mission to

Mexico sponsored by the Office of the Texas Governor in 2005; and member of the State Textbook Review Panel for the Texas

Education Agency in 2004. To learn more about Dale, visit www.votefortonydale.com.

For more information on the Task Force members, the meeting or K2, please call Senator Shapiro’s Office (972) 403-3404.

-- ## --