Griffo's Law Banning Dangerous Products Masquerading as Bath Salts Goes To Governor

Griffo’s Law Banning Dangerous Products Masquerading as Bath Salts Goes To Governor

(Albany) - Calling the action a victory for the health of New York State residents, Senator Joseph A. Griffo (R-IP-C, Rome) today announced that final legislative passage of legislation (Senate # 3322-B) he developed that would ban the sale, manufacturing, possession and distribution of deceptively-labeled, hallucinogenic “bath salts” in New York State.

These “bath salts ”are a dangerous series of chemicals that cause extreme paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, agitation, hypertension, chest pain, headache, and suicidal thoughts when smoked, snorted or injected. The legislation now goes to Governor Andrew Cuomo for his signature.

“Health professionals have agreed with my law, my fellow Senators have supported it and now the state Assembly has passed this very important measure to protect consumers from dangerous and mislabeled products,” Griffo said. “This is a very narrowly constructed law that does not alter the sales of legitimate bath salts, but makes the chemicals in products wrongly labeled as bath salts controlled substances that will not be available.”

Griffo, a staunch consumer advocate and a strong opponent of illegal drugs, said that his efforts to craft legislation began after he began to see multiple news reports that brought to light the use of products claiming to be bath salts as a drug.

Although the products were available for legal purchase as “bath salts,” the prime market for this product was to be used as a hallucinogenic drug. Griffo said that the use of the drug was often accompanied by disturbing side effects that are lasting days after ingesting drug. Some of the side effects include extreme paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, agitations, hypertension, chest pains, headaches and suicidal thoughts.

“This legislation is an important step to protect anyone who thinks these products are simply bath salts, and another step in our effort to crack down on the sales of illegal drugs by methods that evade the controls on other illegal substances,” Griffo said.

New York would be following Florida, Louisiana, and North Dakota in banning the sale of the chemical substances that make up “bath salts” The federal government is also considering a ban on the substances.

Member of Assembly Edward C. Braunstein (D, Queens) sponsored the Assembly companion bill.

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