Louisiana Office of Alcohol & Tobacco Control (ATC) Commissioner Troy Hebert announces the establishment of an elite K-9 unit.

ATC’s newest member is trained to detect odors associated with synthetic marijuana. “The canine will enhance our success in cracking down on stores that insist on selling synthetic marijuana to our children,” said Hebert. “The canine is funded by fines and penalties and not tax payer dollars,” Hebert added. Synthetic marijuana has been linked to suicide, death and criminal behavior.

ATC maintains a zero tolerance policy against synthetic marijuana and other designer drugs. Alcoholic beverage and tobacco outlets choosing to sell these dangerous substances may lose their permit(s) and face various criminal charges.

In addition to synthetic marijuana and designer drug detection, ATC’s canine is also receiving vigorous training for agility, area/building searches, article searches, criminal apprehension and obedience.

FACTS:

• ATC aggressively prosecutes all licensed retail dealers found possessing, distributing, selling or allowing the consumption of illegal synthetic marijuana, bath salts, potpourri, spice, smoking mixture and other illicit drugs.

• ATC takes immediate enforcement action against licensed businesses found possessing or selling any substance that tests positive for banned or illegal substances.

• These businesses face fines of up to $500 for each pack of the illegal substance found, which can total in the tens of thousands of dollars, plus the suspension and/or permanent revocation of their alcohol and/or tobacco permits.

• ATC warns permit holders that a belief that a product(s) is legal and/or lab reports provided by suppliers claiming that a substance is legal will not constitute a defense to an administrative violation issued by ATC.

Name ATC’s Canine Contest:

Commissioner Hebert invites school age children to participate in naming ATC’s newest member. Our two-year-old German Shepherd comes from Holland and will receive his new name during his training in Acadiana.

The best names for an enforcement canine have one or two syllables such as Duke and Hunter.

The winner will be recognized as an ATC Junior Agent.

To be considered, name suggestions may be submitted to emily.cassidy@la.gov or web site at atc.la.gov by Friday, Oct. 26.