Gov. Jindal Signs Bill Criminalizing Bath Salts & Synthetic Marijuana
On July 13, 2011, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal joined sheriffs, police chiefs, district attorneys and other elected officials in Jena where he signed a new law criminalizing “bath salts” and synthetic marijuana. HB 12 by Rep. Ricky Templet criminalizes base chemical groups of synthetic Cannabinoids and Cathinones, and any manipulation or addition to these base compounds.
Governor Jindal worked with law enforcement officials since late last year to help crack down on bath salts drugs. The Louisiana Poison Control Center received 165 calls between September 2010 and January this year related to bath salts drug use. Around December, the poison control center was getting more than ten calls a day and Louisiana quickly became the state with the most abuse of these bath salt drugs – then being legally sold in stores under the names of Ivory Wave, Ocean, Charge +, White Lightning, Scarface, Hurricane Charlie, Red Dove, Cloud 9, White Dove, and others.
In order to remove these drugs from stores in Louisiana, Governor Jindal directed the Secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals to issue an emergency rule in January 2010 adding six chemicals marketed as “plant food” or “bath salts” to the Controlled Dangerous Substance Law. That move temporarily made those drugs illegal to possess, manufacture or distribute in Louisiana. The law signed by Governor Jindal today permanently criminalizes bath salts and synthetic marijuana, as well as other variants that are not currently scheduled in the Controlled Dangerous Substance Law.
"Synthetic" Marijuana is Problem for U.S. Military
Associated Press Story Link http://m.apnews.mobi/ap/db_36972/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=OWJHD8NE
DEA Controls Five Chemicals used in "Fake Pot"
On March 1, 2011, The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) exercised its emergency scheduling authority to control five chemicals (JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47,497, and cannabicyclohexanol) used to make so-called “fake pot” products. Except as authorized by law, this action makes possessing and selling these chemicals or the products that contain them illegal in the United States. This emergency action was necessary to prevent an imminent threat to public health and safety. The temporary scheduling action will remain in effect for at least one year while the DEA and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) further study whether these chemicals should be permanently controlled.
IDD offers Tests for Synthetic Stimulants
IDD now offers urine tests that detect the presence of synthetic stimulant drugs found in "bath salts: Ivory Wave, Cloud 9, and White Lighting", "plant food", or disguised as MDMA (Legal X). Contact your IDD representative to learn more about these new stimulants and how to detect them.
Louisiana adds “Bath Salts” and “Plant Food” to Controlled Dangerous Substance Act
Baton Rouge, LA: The Governor of Louisiana, along with other state officials, has issued a Declaration of Emergency to add a series of dangerous chemicals being marketed as “bath salts” or “plant food” to the Controlled Dangerous Substance Act. This action immediately makes it illegal to possess, manufacture or distribute these substances in Louisiana.
According to the Governor’s press release, these fake bath salts, commonly manufactured in China and India, are being marketed as bath salts and are being sold in individual bags on the Internet and in convenience stores and on the street by the brand names Ivory Wave, Ocean, Charge +, White Lightening, Scarface, Hurricane Charlie, Red Dove, Cloud-9 and White Dove.
Governor Bobby Jindal, Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain and other law enforcement officials announced the emergency action in response to 165 recent calls to the Louisiana Poison Control regarding people in crisis after snorting, smoking or injecting these dangerous substances. Eighty-five percent of these calls generated from emergency room physicians or first responders treating individuals who were suffering traumatic side effects caused by ingesting these chemicals. The Louisiana calls represent nearly 57 percent of nationwide emergency calls for this type of substance abuse.
According to the press release, law enforcement officials and emergency room doctors have reported violent encounters with users of these chemicals, who were treated for extreme paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, agitation, hypertension, chest pain, headache, and many report suicidal thoughts.
Governor Jindal said, “These drugs have crept into our communities and they are hurting our kids. We have to do everything in our power to protect our children and to make sure our streets are safe for our families. The reality is that the chemicals used to make these dangerous substances have no legitimate use other than to provide a high for the user. Make no mistake – these are very dangerous drugs and we must get them off our streets."
“Today’s announcement gives our law enforcement officials the tools they need to crack down on the people pushing these dangerous drugs. Indeed, our law enforcement officials can immediately take these drugs off the shelf – and at the same time, it’s now illegal to possess and use these dangerous chemicals.”
The press release states that under revised statute 40:962, the DHH Secretary and State Health Officer have the authority to add compounds as a Schedule I drug in the controlled dangerous substance act by rule if the substance has a high potential for abuse, has no currently accepted medical use in the U.S. and if there is no accepted safety use of the substance under medical supervision.
The emergency action adds six chemicals to the list of Schedule I drugs. Specifically, the chemicals added by rule are 3,4-Methylenedioxymethcathinone (Methylone), 3,4-Methyenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), 4-Methylmethcathinone (Mephedrone), 4-methoxymethcathinone, 4-Fluoromethcathinone and 3-Fluoromethcathinone.
As a result of adding these six chemicals to the controlled dangerous substance act as Schedule I drugs, the possession, manufacturing or distribution of these drugs will carry penalties similar to those of heroin, which could mean up to 30 years in prison.
Governor Jindal said the state is also sending a letter to the United State Drug Enforcement Agency requesting they investigate the disproportionate number of cases in Louisiana to see if there is a reason to believe the state is a distribution center for these substances.
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