D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser plans to bring up the issue of synthetic drugs during her trade mission to China, but as China is believed to be the largest exporter of synthetics, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine wants her to do more than just talk.
The trip is focused on economic development, but D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier asked Bowser to add synthetic drugs to her agenda.
“I do think it would be a wise idea for the mayor’s team … to talk to Chinese authorities about how Chinese authorities might cooperate with us and really try to stem the tide of illegal manufacturing and exporting of these deadly substances,” Racine said.
He said the mayor should ask the Chinese government to enter a written agreement with the United States.
“I think a memorandum of understanding would, No.1, recognize that there is great harm in synthetic cannabinoids, that indeed it’s true that synthetic cannabinoids are manufactured illegally and exported illegally from China, and that Chinese authorities commit to act, to investigate and otherwise shut down some of those manufacturing hubs,” Racine said.
Bowser said she will work it into her conversations in China, but she didn’t say how or for what she would ask.
“I am working in the best way to get it covered,” she said.
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Some joining the mayor on the trip say bringing up synthetics might not be appropriate as it is her first time meeting her Chinese counterparts.
