U.S. House Votes to Ban Synthetic Drugs Including “Bath Salts” and “Spice”
The U.S. House voted Thursday to ban more than 30 synthetic drugs, including “bath salts” and “spice.” The Synthetic Drug Control Act would make it illegal to manufacture or dispense the drugs, ABC News reports.
The bill would also give the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) more authority to put temporary bans on potentially hazardous drugs as they are being investigated. The bill passed by a vote of 317 to 98, according to the news report. The bill will now move to the Senate.
Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, who introduced the bill, said in a statement that he first learned about the dangers of new synthetic drugs from his constituents. “Most shocking to me was the realization that these dangerous compounds could be purchased legally in stores across the country,” he said. “I knew then it was time for Congress to move to ban the sale of these emerging synthetic drugs, which have thus far demonstrated no medicinal value.”
Earlier this fall, the DEA announced it was temporarily banning three synthetic stimulants that are sold as bath salts. The ban makes it illegal to possess and sell these chemicals or the products that contain them.
I am happy that this is moving forward, however if someone wants to use drugs they will. These synthetic drugs just made it easier for those desperate for escape to get addicted to another substance. It causes more problems: costs more money for medical emergencies related to “salt spazzing”, costs more for courts and law enforcement to deal with users, costs more for research related to finding a way to deal with the health problems related to use, etc…
Personally I can’t wait for the full ban to go through. I am a victim of bath salt addiction. I hate this substance so much yet I can’t stop doing it. The only thing that will end this is for a nationwide ban to happen.
I am very pleased to here that the synthetic drug SPICE is being banned. My son is 21 years old and has been affected greatly by this drug. He suffers depression and has mood swings.
He doesn’t think straight and I have reason to believe he is schizophrenic now. He is not the outgoing person he used to be. Always polite and full of life. Laughing , smiling, and always joking around. I miss my son.