Bath Salts Ban Held Up In Congress

Mr. Goodlatte	Mr. Scott
Mr. Lungren	Mr. Cohen
Mr. Forbes	Mr. Johnson
Mr. Poe	Mr. Pierluisi
Mr. Chaffetz	Ms. Chu
Mr. Griffin	Mr. Deutch
Mr. Marino	Ms. Wasserman Schultz
Mr. Gowdy	Ms. Jackson Lee
Ms. Adams	Mr. Quigley
Mr. Quayle

These unregulated and sometimes deadly bath salts that contain MDPV or Mephedrone, commonly referred to as “Ivory Snow,” “Bliss,” and “Vanilla Sky,” are sold recreationally and can be easily purchased for as little as $25 to $50.  Legitimate producers of bath salts do not use these two drugs in their product and this legislation is not expected to affect companies manufacturing legitimate bath salt products. The issue of bath salts altered with MDPV and Mephedrone being abused has become so prevalent that Florida Attorney General Bondi issued an emergency 90 day ban in the state of Florida in 2011. “Substance abuse is a serious problem and these drugs pose deadly risks to our teenagers and other abusers,” said Adams.  “The ‘designer drugs’ MDPV and Mephedrone found in some bath salts have been known to produce the same feelings of euphoria experienced by users of cocaine and methamphetamines, and at higher doses can cause panic attacks and psychosis.  Numerous cases have been documented where users have taken their own lives, the lives of others, or participated in self-mutilation or assault.  This is why I have introduced legislation to add these chemicals to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, ensuring that online merchants and convenience stores do not sell these deadly drugs to our children.  As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, I look forward to working with Chairman Lamar Smith to see that action is taken on this important legislation to protect our children and crack down on drug abuse.” “Dangerous drugs containing MDPV and marketed as ‘bath salts’ are in the process of being permanently banned in Florida; however, they must be made illegal throughout our nation to protect all citizens,” said Bondi.  “I am truly grateful to see Congresswoman Adams’ great efforts to ban these dangerous drugs at the federal level.” The “Combating Dangerous Synthetic Stimulants Act of 2011”, H.R. 1571, has already received bipartisan support with 33 original cosponsors and has a companion bill in the Senate, S. 409, which was introduced by Senator Charles Schumer.  The original cosponsors are: Spencer Bachus   (AL- 06)

Lou Barletta   (PA-11)

Gus Bilirakis   (FL- 09)

Marsha Blackburn  (TN- 07)

Corrine Brown   (FL- 03)

Vern Buchanan   (FL- 13)

Ann Marie Buerkle  (NY- 25)

John Conyers   (MI -14)

Mario Diaz-Balart  (FL -21)

Renee Ellmers   (NC- 02)

Marcia Fudge   (OH-11)

Trey Gowdy   (SC- 04)

Colleen Hanabusa  (HI- 01)

Eddie Bernice Johnson  (TX- 30)

Patrick McHenry   (NC- 10)

John Mica   (FL- 07)

Jeff Miller   (FL -01)

Richard Nugent   (FL-05)

Bill Posey   (FL- 15)

Mike Quigley   (IL- 05)

David Rivera   (FL – 25)

Peter Roskam   (IL- 06)

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen  (FL- 18)

Dennis Ross   (FL-12)

James Sensenbrenner  (WI- 05)

Lamar Smith   (TX- 21)

Steve Southerland  (FL- 02)

Steve Stivers   (OH -15)

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (FL-20)

Allen West   (FL-22)

Lynn Westmoreland  (GA-03)

Frederica Wilson  (FL-17)

Bill Young   (FL-10)