Senator Bonacic Announces New Law Targeting Dangerous ‘Bath Salt’ Drugs

 Senator John J. Bonacic (R/I/C-Mt. Hope) recently announced that legislation he supported to stop the sale and use of deadly bath salt-type drugs has been signed into law by Governor Cuomo. The “bath salt-type’ drugs have been linked to several deaths of young people in New York. 

     The new law will further curb the use of ‘bath salts’ by adding new compounds used to make these types of drugs to the state's banned substances list. It classifies these compounds as Schedule I stimulant controlled substances and imposes criminal penalties on those who sell, use and/or possess these drugs. The law makes it a felony to sell the substances to a minor or on school grounds.

     “’Bath salt drugs are dangerous and potentially deadly, in some cases leading the user to kill themselves or become violent to others. They have no business being sold or used in New York State. This new law will help keep dangerous ‘bath salts’ off the streets and protect people from becoming victims,” said Senator Bonacic.

     Bath salts are a commonly-used term for man-made stimulant drugs that are similar to methamphetamines. These drugs, which can be smoked, snorted, or injected through a needle, can stimulate both the nervous system and the cardiac system and can cause heart attacks, seizures, permanent brain damage and severe hallucinations. Reports have shown that an individual's behavior on bath salts can sometimes lead to suicide or the harm of others.

     The law builds upon a law the state enacted in 2011, which Senator Bonacic supported, banning the sale or distribution of any product containing Mephedrone and MDPV, which were being marketed at the time for recreational use as bath salts, and classified these stimulants as controlled substances.