The State Senate gave final approval to SB 212 authored by Senator Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) on a vote of 36 to 0. The bill will address the proliferation of butane hash oil (BHO) and methamphetamine manufacturing in residential neighborhoods by making it an aggravated felony to manufacture the drugs within close proximity to occupied residences and structures. The bill now goes to Governor Brown for his consideration.

BHO is a highly potent form of marijuana, which has grown in popularity the last several years and is known on the street by many different names including, honey, erl, hash oil, honeycomb, toast, and wax among others.

“It is imperative that we protect our neighborhoods and schools from those who choose to manufacture illegal drugs,” Mendoza said. “Not only is BHO or methamphetamine manufacturing illegal, but it is an extremely dangerous and highly volatile activity that can result in large explosions, causing extreme bodily injury, death and property damage.”

Illegal clandestine BHO and methamphetamine manufacturing pose significant risk to neighborhoods. The labs can be extremely dangerous and the chemicals used in the manufacturing process create substantial risk of explosions, fires, chemical burns, and toxic fume inhalation. These risks extend well beyond the walls of the lab itself, placing people and property in harm’s way.

SB 212 strengthens California drug laws by allowing a judge to consider as an aggravating factor the manufacturing of BHO within 300 feet of an occupied residence or structure or methamphetamine within 200 feet of an occupied residence or a structure.

BHO labs, a new type of clandestine lab, are on the rise throughout California. BHO labs use butane, a highly explosive gas to extract hash from marijuana.

Recently, there has been a spate of explosions throughout California as the result of BHO manufacturing, causing severe injuries, fatalities and severe damage.

“SB 212 strengthens the law and send a strong message that if you choose to manufacture drugs in our neighborhoods and near schools, you will be severely punished,” Mendoza said.

In the past several years, federal and state law enforcement agencies have discovered more than 812 illicit drug labs on private and public property and in close proximity to schools throughout the state.

“The location of drug labs in residential neighborhoods and near schools is unacceptable,” Mendoza said. “We need to provide law enforcement and our criminal justice system all the appropriate tools to make our communities and neighborhoods safe.”