Nine oil companies are being urged to tell their franchise service stations and convenience stores to stop selling synthetic drugs.
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Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan in cooperation with Florida AG Pam Bondi and 41 other oil companies attorneys general co-sponsored a letter calling on the companies to take steps to halt the sale of the drugs at their stores.
Madigan says some of the products may be illegal, and most can be unsafe. She says when they’re sold at those facilities operating under well-known names, it appears to give them legitimacy.
Madigan’s office says the list includes synthetic marijuana and bath salts, among others. Forty-two state attorneys general joined Madigan in calling for an end to their sale.
The AGs sent the letter to top company officials at BP, Chevron, Citgo, ExxonMobil, Marathon Petroleum, Phillips 66, Shell Oil, Sunoco and Valero.
The attorneys general requested the companies address this growing problem by prohibiting franchisees from selling any synthetic drugs, ensuring the prohibition is understood by store franchisees and their employees by communicating directly with each of them.
They also ask the companies to establish a point of contact in corporate offices for franchisees, should they have any questions about synthetic drugs, to revoking the franchisee/franchisor relationship with any gas station or convenience store that sells synthetic drugs and reporting to local law enforcement authorities if any franchisee is selling synthetic drugs.