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  • Sen. Bob Casey Applauds Pennsylvania’s Ban on Bath Salts

    U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement in response to Pennsylvania’s enactment of a ban on so-called “bath salts”:

    “I applaud the Governor and the Pennsylvania legislature today for enacting a ban on dangerous so-called ‘bath salts.’ This is a critical step to protect our communities, and I am disappointed that Washington has not moved with similar speed to pass a national ban. Earlier this year, I endorsed the Combating Dangerous Synthetic Stimulants Act. It is time to enact that legislation. In addition, the DEA should also use its authority to take these drugs off the streets. This is a grave threat to our communities, and the time for action is now.”

    Senator Casey is a cosponsor of The Combating Dangerous Synthetic Stimulants Act (S.409) which would immediately add the ingredients in bath salts to the list of controlled substances.

    In March, Senator Casey urged the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to use its authority to temporarily ban the chemicals in so-called ‘bath salts’ to immediately take the dangerous drugs off the streets. In a letter to DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart, Senator Casey pointed to recent DEA action to ban synthetic marijuana as precedent to take immediate action against the drugs in bath salts. Senator Casey also supports legislation to give the DEA more flexibility to quickly remove dangerous substances from the market.

    The Dangerous Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2011 (S. 605) would amend the Controlled Substances Act, doubling the timeframe the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services have to emergency schedule substances from 18 months to 36 months. This will allow for dangerous substances to be quickly removed from the market while being studied for permanent scheduling.


  • Governor Signs Bill Outlawing Synthetic Marijuana

    Governor Walker signed a bill outlawing synthetic drugs in Wisconsin.

    Senate Bill 54 treats manufactured synthetic marijuana products, like the K2 incense brand, the same as natural marijuana — creating penalties for possession, manufacturing, and distributing the products.

    The bill also includes synthetic stimulants sometimes sold as bath salts.

    Under the law, those found with synthetic marijuana could face a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail for the first offense.

    A first offense for possession of synthetic stimulants could carry a $5,000 fine and up to a year behind bars.

    The statewide law supercedes a patchwork of local ordinances with varying penalties. Nearly 50 communities across Wisconsin, including several in our area, have passed ordinances against synthetic drugs.


  • Popular drug (bath salts) prompts calls to poison control

    SPRINGFIELD — Colleen K. Cook had used marijuana before, friends said, but three months ago she started snorting “bath salts” for a new thrill.

    What Cook experienced, though, was prolonged bouts of paranoia that frightened her.

    “She’s convinced people are following her. She’s convinced cameras are in her makeup compact; that cameras are in her shoes and in her car. And if you don’t believe her, she starts yelling and screaming,” her childhood friend, Connie Hiegel, said recently.

    Cook’s behavior was brought on by “bath salts,” powerful synthetic stimulants that include a variety of chemicals sold in stores under a variety of street names such as Cloud Nine, Vanilla Sky and Ivory Wave.

    At least eight states have outlawed the “bath salts,” and Ohio lawmakers are considering a similar action.

    But the toxic substance touted
as a cocaine substitute has be-come a public health threat that has law enforcement and health officials worried more youths will experiment with it and the number of people who die from it will climb before the substance is banned nationwide.

    The American Association of Poison Control Centers reported
302 calls about the product las year. This year, by May, the organization reported the number of calls about the drug had ballooned seven-fold to 2,237. It now ranks fourth among the most common concern of callers to poison control centers.

    Heath Jolliff, medical director
of the Central Ohio Poison Control Center, said the agency receives one to two calls a day about the drug, which causes users to become paranoid and experience hallucinations.

    As “bath salts” dominate headlines, locally, some stores have policed themselves and are refusing to sell the products while others have pulled the drug from shelves.

    Dream Merchant Smokeshop and Tattoo on East Main Street sold “bath salts” for about sixth months, but stopped carrying them after management saw what the products were doing to their customers.

    “I’d rather take the loss (in revenue) as opposed to the loss of people,” said Store Manager Kaye Kuhn.

    Users became thin, careless and easily agitated, she said.

    “It was like they had been on meth for a couple years.”

    Mike Oendah, owner
of the East Main Street Express Smoke Shop, refused to sell “baths salts” in his store. “I don’t care how much money I would make, I don’t need it (in my store),” Oendah said. “I have four kids and I care about people.”

    “Bath salts,” which is sold in small packets or small containers, has been marketed as fertilizer, stain remover and insect repellent, Jolliff said. “I don’t think anybody who’s buying these products is buying them for these reasons and we don’t see any legitimate use of this product,” Jolliff said. “But it’s very addicting.”

    The drug is at least psychologically addicting, but likely not physiologically addicting, said Dr. Charles Russell, who has treated two cases and heard of a third in the Springfield Regional Medical Center emergency room.

    The drug can be snorted,
smoked, injected or taken orally and users range in age from as young as teenagers to people in their mid-40s and 50s.

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