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Legislators make sale or possession of 'bath salts' a felony
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU
CARSON CITY -- Nevada legislators unanimously approved a regulation Wednesday that makes it felony to sell or possess methamphetaminelike synthetic drugs sold in some head shops and convenience stores as "bath salts."
Without any debate, members of the Legislative Commission made permanent a regulation adopted by the Board of Pharmacy last month to outlaw substances that have led to at least two deaths in Nevada and caused dozens of residents to seek medical attention.
The regulation does not prohibit the sale or use of legitimate bath salts or lotions or soaps designed to provide soothing baths, but bans chemical substances that are used to get high but are referred to by users as bath salts.
They are sold under such names as Vanilla Sky, Purple Wave and White Lightning.
The substances look like cleanser and sell in small vials for $30 or more. Users generally snort or smoke the substances.
Action by the Legislative Commission, a group of 12 legislators, makes these chemical substance Schedule 1 controlled substances. Possession or sale of them could bring a one- to four-year prison term and $5,000 fine.
Although the Board of Pharmacy last month approved a regulation to stop sale of the synthetic drugs, a representative from the agency said the Legislative Commission action was necessary before law enforcement officers could move to prosecute those who sell the now prohibited substances.
During a legislative hearing in January, a drug counselor said the illicit drugs can make users scream and go literally out of their minds.
Nevada and other states have had difficulty in banning their use because manufacturers can make minor alternations in the compounds to get around laws and regulations.
Nevada state regulations already specify more than 140 chemicals that are Schedule 1 controlled substances.
Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.
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You will ONLY buy deadly drugs from approved vendors at outrageous markups and like it! You know, big pharm and their politi-muppets?
Why do we have legislative sessions if laws (I mean "regulations") can be passed anytime anyway? If it can be done anytime, perhaps it can be done by anyone. Therefore, I declare all "regulations" passed outside a legislative session null and void. See how easy that was?
Geez!! I put this stuff in my bath water. What a rush. Calgon take me away.
So, how does anyone, including a shop owner, know the difference between 'bath salts' and bath salts? Are the quotes illegal? No, that's not it. It's the fake bath salts that are illegal. What is the difference between fake bath salts and real bath salts? I'm really confused now. This law is vague, ambiguous, overly broad and completely unconstitutional. The ACLU is useless because it feeds at the casino trough of donations.
We're sine die and Sandoval hasn't called a special session.
This Legislative activity (or whatever you call it) is completely UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
About time. Now if we can keep the idiots of the ACLU out of it maybe we can actually make progress.
The problem: Identifying just WHAT in this stuff is illegal. If "Joe" packages and markets baking soda as "Bath Salts", is it suddenly illegal?
I believe that was a pretty good chunk of change for the smoke shops. I understand the reasoning behind it but OUCH!
Finally! someone in Carson City realized that this is synthetic cocaine. Wow, its about $@$@ing time