Bill Would Block Bath Salts Used Like Cocaine

Local lawmaker, Assemblyman , D-Bayside, hopes to ban certain kinds of harmful bath salts from New York State.

 “These so-called ‘bath salts’ are not the same as aromatic bath salts,” said state Sen. Joseph A. Griffo, R-Rome, who added, “They contain a potentially lethal mix of synthetic drugs and serve no purpose other than to get the user high.” Griffo has partnered with Braunstein in introducing the bill to the State Legislature. 

The salts, which can be snorted, smoked or injected, have a chemical composition similar to methamphetamines, and can cause paranoia, hallucinations, hypertension, chest pain, headaches, heart attack stroke and suicidal thoughts. They are marketed as legal alternatives to the methamphetamines, cocaine and LSD, according to Braunstein’s office.

Brands labeled drugs of concern by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency include: Bliss, Hurricane Charlie, Bolivian Bath, Ivory Wave, Tranquility, Red Dove,  Vanilla Sky, White Rush, White Lightning and Zoom.

The law would clamp down on the sale, distribution, manufacturing and possession of the salts, sold online, in smoke shops and convenience stores.

Braunstein said the danger of these kinds of bath salts came to his attention last month, when he read news reports about a 21-year-old Louisiana man who cut his own throat, and then fatally shot himself under their influence. Separately, a sheriff’s deputy in Mississippi was slain by a man allegedly under the influence of salts.

Poison Control Centers across the country have had 251 calls about “bath salts” within the first weeks of 2011, compared to 236 calls in all of 2010, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Braunstein hopes to scuttle the trend from travelling to New York from other states.

"I look forward to working together with Senator Griffo to pass our legislation which would protect all New Yorkers from the scourge of these dangerous meth-like drugs,” said Braunstein.