Lawmakers trying to ban dangerous drug

ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers are trying to ban a dangerous drug that's made its way to Georgia.
 
Phenazapam has been reported on local college campuses and is linked to at least one death in the state.
 
"This is a very serious drug, extremely potent anti-anxiety medication. It literally acts as a muscle relaxant," said Vic Reynolds, the Cobb County district attorney.
 
On Wednesday, the bill to ban the drug, HB211, passed the Georgia State Senate 52-0 and is now awaiting Gov. Nathan Deal's signature and would become law on the same day it is signed.
 
Cobb County Assistant District Attorney Brendan Murphy discovered the need for a ban after police recently arrested a student at Kennesaw State University's Marietta Campus, which is formerly Southern Polytechnic State University.
 
"When I went to indict the case, we discovered the Phenazapam was not yet illegal to possess in Georgia," said Brendan Murphy.
 
And this is not the first time the drug caused devastating consequences in Georgia.
 
In 2010, teenager Kevin Lewis died in part from an overdose of the drug in Cherokee County. The drug is frequently purchased online and is produced overseas, according to experts.
 
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says they've continued to see more cases.
 
"Essentially what we are seeing is preparations that are foreign to the U.S, and are being marketed as Xanax," said Nelly Miles, GBI chemistry section manager.
 
"We had to dismiss this case, because the substance was not illegal in Georgia, but we didn't want stop there, because the substance has the potential for abuse," Murphy said.