BathSalts: November 2011

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Bath salts information session planned - Morning Sentinel

November 16 Morning Sentinel Staff

FARMINGTON -- An information session, The Growing Bath Salts Epidemic, will begin at 7:30 a.m. Friday in the Bass Room at Franklin Memorial Hospital. Anyone interested in learning more about this growing epidemic in Maine is welcome.

Speakers and their topics of discussion will include:

* David Hyde, DO, medical director of Franklin Memorial Hospital, will describe the bath salts problem for the community, including hospitals, law enforcement and schools.

* Karen Simone, PharmD, director of Northern New England Poison Control, will explain what bath salts are, how they affect users, and protocols for dealing with patients.

* Kelly Klein, MD, emergency room physician at Eastern Maine Medical Center, will discuss her experiences with bath salts users at EMMC, EMMC's protocol in the emergency room, effects of the drug on a patient, and affects of the epidemic on the hospital staff and community.

* Shane Cote, deputy chief of the Farmington Police Department, will discuss the bath salts experience in western Maine, criminality concerning bath salts, and what to look for to identify users.

There is no fee to attend, however an RSVP is requested by calling 779-2381.

This information session is made possible by Evergreen Behavioral Services, an affiliate of Franklin Community Health Network. EBS offers 24/7 emergency mental health response and community outreach services in Greater Franklin County.

View the original article here

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Lena Lunsford Investigated for Dangerous Drug 'Bath Salts' - WBOY-TV

CLARKSBURG -

Her daughter has been missing almost two months, and last week Lena Lunsford released a statement asking people to pray for her family and daughter Aliayah, 3. She also wrote she is fully cooperating with the investigators working to bring Aliayah home.

But the same can't be said for the authorities handling her six charges of federal welfare fraud. U.S. Pretrial Services Officer Brian Kilgore wrote in a statement that Lunsford is violating her probation and is not fully cooperating with her supervision. West Virginia State Police tracked her and her husband Ralph Lunsford to the parking lot of a store called Hot Stuff Cool Things in Clarksburg Nov. 1. Ralph told Kilgore he had just purchased "Sextary," a version of the synthetic drug "bath salts" for $52. Lena told Kilgore on Oct. 20 she did not know what bath salts were. She also told him she had not been to a "head shop" in "several months."

"It's much like the PCP back in the '70s. It's a medicine that makes someone very euphoric and happy. But there's a fine line for them to go over to being acutely psychotic," said Dr. Chris Goode, head of the Emergency Department at United Hospital Center.

But if a pregnant mother is taking the synthetic drugs, it will have an impact on her unborn child(ren).

"It'll affect breathing issues and then the central nervous system," Goode said. "You can only imagine the effect it'd have on the nervous system and the mother. If the mother is not doing well, then the fetus is not doing well."

State Police are investigating the bath salts incident and is waiting on lab results. Neither she nor Ralph has been charged.

Kilgore recommended she be placed in home incarceration and substance abuse treatment.

Meanwhile, Dr. Chris Goode calls bath salts an "epidemic" in north central West Virginia.

"We see it a lot. People are known regular users. But one bad dose of bath salts, heroin or K2 could be your last."

Lena Lunsford has a bond revocation hearing at Elkins federal court Nov. 28.

View the original article here

Area convenience stores searched for bath salts, other illegal substances - Zanesville Times Recorder

ZANESVILLE -- Two convenience stores in Zanesville and one in Norwich were served search warrants by the Muskingum County Sheriff's Office on Friday morning in search of illegal bath salts.

Bath salts, K2 and Spice incense became illegal Oct. 18 after the state Legislature in June banned six common ingredients found in bath salts, making them a Schedule I drug. Gov. John Kasich signed the bill in July. The substances were added to the list of illegal hallucinogenic compounds.

Sheriff Matt Lutz said the State Street Exxon Station at State and Main streets, the B.P. Station in Norwich and a convenience store, called Cheap Tobacco, on Maysville Pike and Eppley Avenue were served with warrants between 10:10 and 10:15 a.m. by the sheriff's office and the Zanesville Police Department's combined drug unit.

"We've been investigating these stores and other businesses in the area to see if anyone was continuing to sell bath salts," Lutz said. "We've made undercover purchases from the three we served the warrants on today."

Lutz said a good amount of bath salts were confiscated from the various stores and would be sent to the labs of the Ohio Bureau of Identification and Investigation.

"There were some items that were marked stating they were not made with the ingredients the original bath salts were, but we want to make sure," Lutz said.

Money also was confiscated, Lutz said, but he would not reveal the amount.

The owner of the store on Main Street, Rakesh Rana, of Westerville, could not be reached for comment. Neither could the owner of the other two stores, Rizwan Lahuti, of Zanesville.

No charges will be filed until lab results are returned and the cases are reviewed by Muskingum County Prosecutor Michael Haddox, Lutz said.

Lutz's office has been tracking which locations sell bath salts for a while, even before they became illegal.

Sheriff's deputies began taking a more covert route to enforce the bill, Lutz said, because bath salts and incense usually were kept out of sight behind the counter or in a back room and sellers wouldn't bring them out in front of police or sheriff's deputies.

Possession of bath salts is a fifth-degree felony, which carries a jail sentence of up to a year, and selling the salts is a fourth-degree felony, which carries an 18-month prison sentence or if the drugs are sold near a juvenile or school, a sentence of up to five years, Haddox said.

For the incense, possession is a minor misdemeanor with a $100 fine.

Originally derived from a plant grown in Africa, bath salts are synthetic, and the most dangerous ingredient, MDPV, produces effects similar to cocaine and LSD.

Bath salts also can cause heartbeat irregularity, muscle damage, high blood pressure, kidney failure and metabolic problems such as acidosis.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers reported that in 2010, it received 303 calls regarding bath salts. As of Aug. 31, 2011, that increased to 4,720 calls. Ages of those ingesting the drug ranged from 16 to 60.

View the original article here

Hospitals on alert for victims of new drug 'bath salts' - Herald Sun

MELBOURNE hospitals are warning their emergency departments to expect admissions of patients affected by a controversial new drug MDPV, known on the street as bath salts.

The synthetic drug, which can be snorted, injected or smoked, is derived from mephedrone. It is reported to have effects similar to ecstasy and cocaine but can cause psychotic-like symptoms.

Experts have warned the bath salts drug and other drugs derived from mephedrone including meow meow and plant food have significant health risks.

The drug can result in psychosis, insomnia and paranoia and has been linked to deaths in Britain. Users experience a powerful sense of euphoria, increased energy, sociability, and sexual stimulation.

Geoff Munro, policy and advocacy director for the Australian Drug Foundation, said there had been limited research into the drug.

The drug has been linked to several violent, psychotic episodes overseas. It is widely available online and though illegal in Australia, the importation of bath salts from overseas websites remains possible.

sVictoria Police acknowledge that synthetic drugs represent a major challenge to law enforcement.

Lez Twentyman said that the increasing popularity of synthetic drugs such as bath salts was a result of drug addiction being treated as an enforcement issue not a community health issue.

Mr Twentyman said that the availability of drugs online has resulted in increasing levels of drug taking among Victorian youth.

He said often ingredients of drugs bought online were unclear.

"People don't really know what they're taking," he said.

A spokeswoman for the Royal Melbourne Hospital said that the number of people admitted for drug related medical issues would almost certainly rise during summer.

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Three midcoast residents charged after bath salts found in vehicle - Bangor Daily News

WATERVILLE, Maine — A trio of midcoast residents are behind bars after bath salts and cash were seized from their vehicle early Saturday, police said Tuesday.

Waterville Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey said Sgt. Dan Ames stopped a vehicle traveling the wrong way on a one-way street downtown and, while he was in the process of speaking with the driver and her two passengers, discovered 3.5 ounces of the illegal drug bath salts and $1,800 cash in the glove compartment.

Arrested were Merideth Finley, 27, of Rockland, Paul Mahonen, 34, of South Thomaston, and Travis Griffin, 26, of Warren, Rumsey said.

All three suspects were charged with trafficking in bath salts, a Class B felony. Mahonen also was charged with violating conditions of release, Rumsey said.

A further investigation of the suspects’ car led to four containers that were locked. Police also seized those, according to Rumsey, and a search warrant was subsequently obtained.

When police opened the containers, they discovered another half-ounce of bath salts and $200 in cash.

Rumsey said that a large amount packaging materials and baggies were discovered in the vehicle as well.

The suspects were taken to the Kennebec County Jail, with bail set at $5,000 for each.

View the original article here

"Bath salts," synthetic cannabis possession leads to citation - Harrisburg Daily Register

Harrisburg Police cited an Ozark man on charges of unlawful possession of synthetic cannabis and unlawful possession of "bath salts" Thursday morning.

Officer Tom Leverett observed a man later identified as Fred L. Brantley, 58, Ozark, leave a Harrisburg business without apparently having made a purchase, get in the passenger seat of a truck and the driver of the truck drove away on Main Street committing a traffic infraction, according to Chief Bob Smith.

Leverett stopped the vehicle and asked Brantley why he had left without purchasing anything. Brantley said he had bought items commonly known as K2 synthetic cannabis and "bath salts" which is a sort of synthetic cocaine, both of which have recently been outlawed at the federal level and by city ordinance, Smith said.

Smith declined to name the business because as of Friday morning there was not proof the items had been purchased there and intends to investigate the business, he said.

The synthetic drugs can have unpredictable and dangerous effects on people, Smith said.

He said Carbondale Police recently arrested a man who was running naked through University Mall in Carbondale under the influence of one of the drugs and it required seven Harrisburg Police Officers to restrain a man under the influence of one of the drugs at Harrisburg Medical Center.

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Burglar high on bath salts breaks into family's home, puts up Christmas ... - New York Daily News

Burglar high on bath salts breaks into home, puts up Christmas decorations - New York Daily News NYDN Home?Collections?Cops

Terry Trent, 44, has been charged with burglary after breaking into a familys home and putting up Christmas decorations. Cops suspect he was high on bath salts. >

Terry Trent, 44, has been charged with burglary after breaking into a familys…Burglar high on bath salts breaks into home, puts up Christmas decorations PHILIP CAULFIELDMonday, November 14, 2011

Snorting bath salts put one Ohio crook in the holiday spirit, police say.

Cops in Vandalia, north of Dayton, say Terry Trent, 44, was high on the designer drug when he broke into a family’s home, put up some Christmas decorations and then plopped down on a couch to watch television, local station WHIO reported.

An 11-year-old boy who lives in the house found the strung-out stranger and called his mother, Tamara Henderson, who was at a neighbor's house.

She said, "What do you mean a man is in our house? You don't know if he has a gun or if he has a knife?" the station reported.

Henderson called 911, and Trent was arrested without incident.

Cops say he was armed with a pocket knife.

But Henderson suspects the decorating bandit was just looking for a festive spot to soak in his buzz.

"The candle was lit on the coffee table, the television was on and very loud," she told the station.

"He had said to [my son] ,'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I'll get my things and go.' "

Trent was charged with burglary and held in a county lockup.

Cops say he has a history of drug charges.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Bath Salt Sales Raided by Sheriff's Office - WHIZ

Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said three area gas stations were raided Friday morning for selling bath salts.

This comes shortly after Governor John Kasich signed a bill making the possession and sale of the product illegal. Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said his deputies executed search warrants at three locations- The State Street Market, Norwich BP and a convenience store at the corner of Maysville and Eppley Avenues.

"I think you'll find some of these places are getting some type of release from the company that they're buying some of this from, telling them that the substance inside it is legal," explained Lutz. "But it's still there responsibility for what goes on the street and what they're selling."

Lutz said bath salts were recovered at all three locations. The Sheriff also emphasized his concern for drug paraphernalia. He says items such as scales, home-drug-tests, and self-detox are legal to sell simply because the owner's place a sign stating it's for "Tobacco Use Only."

"It could be used for tobacco use but in my almost 22 years of law enforcement we don't see people using that for tobacco use, we see people using that for drug contraband and drug use," said Lutz.

The raids were apart of an ongoing and undercover investigation by the Sheriff's Department and the Zanesville Police Drug Unit. No arrests have been made. Lutz said the owners of the businesses could face charges. The case will be turned over to Muskingum County Prosecutor for review.

View the original article here

Grand jury indicts man on first local bath salts charge - VillageSoup Belfast

Belfast — A local man who was arrested on several charges in October — including a charge of possession of the hallucinogenic drug known as bath salts — was one of 36 people to be indicted by the Waldo County Grand Jury this week.

Jay Drinkwater, 47, of Stockton Springs was indicted on charges of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs (Hydrocodone), unlawful possession of hallucinogenic drugs, falsifying physical evidence, refusing to submit to arrest or detention and violating conditions of release.

Drinkwater was arrested in Belfast the night of Monday, Oct. 3 following a traffic stop on High Street. Police executed the stop after receiving an anonymous tip that the man who was driving the vehicle that Drinkwater was riding in was operating without a license.

Once the vehicle was stopped, the officers reportedly noticed the occupants were moving around inside the vehicle in a way that suggested they were trying to hide something.

After a search of the vehicle and its occupants was completed, police reportedly found that Drinkwater was in possession of pills that were not prescribed to him, and discovered Drinkwater had another substance on his person that he neither could nor would identify for the officers.

The substance was sent to the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory to be tested and identified because officers do not have a way of conducting on-site tests to confirm whether a material is indeed bath salts.

Throughout the traffic stop, according to police, Drinkwater continued his alleged attempts to conceal items that were in his possession and acted in a panicky manner that indicated he did not want to go with police at the time of his arrest. Drinkwater, as well as two additional individuals who were in the vehicle with him, were all arrested (the other two on charges not related to bath salts) and transported to the Waldo County Jail.

According to Wikipedia, bath salts is a psychoactive drug with stimulant properties that was sold in the United States as a legal drug alternative. It produces effects that are similar to those of cocaine, methylphenidate, and amphetamines, and include rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, insomnia, chills and sweating, paranoia, psychotic delusions, extreme anxiety with occasional progression to violent behavior and suicidal thoughts or actions.

Bath salts were banned in Maine in June, but possessing the drug was categorized as a civil offense and dealers faced a misdemeanor charge. That changed when the law was amended to make possession a misdemeanor and trafficking a felony.

The day after Drinkwater's arrest, police reported that if the tests came back showing the presence of bath salts, Drinkwater would then face the unlawful possession of hallucinogenic drugs charge in addition to the initial charges he incurred on the night of Oct. 3.

The grand jury also indicted 35 additional individuals on the following charges:

Dakota D. O'Brien, 18, of Searsport, theft by unauthorized taking;

Gregory R. Giasson, 19, of Sidney, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs;

Justin M. Clark, 20, of Searsmont, theft by unauthorized taking;

Jessica A. Johnson, 25, of Searsport, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking;

Peter Richardson, 50, of Stockton Springs, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking, criminal mischief, violating conditions of release;

Jason D. Trefethen, 34, of Searsport, domestic violence assault, illegal possession of hypodermic apparatuses, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs;

Donald H. Resh, 36, of Searsport, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, marijuana cultivation;

Ellery G. Pomeroy, 61, of Searsport, criminal operating under the influence, driving to endanger, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, trafficking in prison contraband;

Patrick Quinn, 37, of Camden, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking;

Justin A. Cunningham, 18, of Frankfort, three counts of theft by unauthorized taking;

Ryan A. Chase, 20, of Sidney, three counts of burglary, one count of theft by unauthorized taking;

Jesse T. Grinnell, 22, of Lincolnville, operating after revocation, forgery, theft by unauthorized taking;

Neil J. Warren, 24, of Waldo, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking;

Dwain Moody, 44, of Brooks, theft by unauthorized taking;

Daniel Lyford, 21, of Frankfort, criminal threatening;

James T. Ford, 34, of Dixmont, trafficking in prison contraband, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, criminal operating under the influence;

David L. Orcutt, 39, of Prospect, aggravated assault, assault;

Amber M. Curtis, 20, of Plymouth, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, domestic violence assault, refusing to submit to arrest;

Martinique Merrill, 34, of Newport, operating after revocation, aggravated criminal operating under the influence, driving to endanger, unauthorized use of property, refusing to submit to arrest, disorderly conduct;

Todd L. Morales, 39, of Warren, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking, criminal mischief;

Daniel D. Flood, 37, of Brooks, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking;

Dean E. Spaulding, 33, of Troy, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking, violating conditions of release;

David G. Seekins, 36, of Winslow, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking;

Frank J. Leathers Jr., 26, of Belfast, assault;

Dylin P.B. Knight, 18, of Belfast, assault, refusing to submit to arrest, two counts of terrorizing;

Camron S. Mitchell, 31, of Lewiston, criminal operating under the influence, aggravated operating after habitual offender revocation;

Derek Pomeroy, 34, of Bucksport, refusing to submit to arrest or detention, two counts of unlawful trafficking in schedule Z drugs (marijuana), one count of unlawful possession of schedule W drugs (Methadone);

Allen Holt, 39, of Winterport, unlawful trafficking in schedule W drugs (Oxycodone);

Joanne Bernatche, 61, of Winterport, unlawful trafficking in schedule W drugs (Oxycodone);

Andrew Flanary, 52, of Brooks, aggravated cultivation of marijuana;

Elizabeth Peabody, 27, of Belfast, unlawful trafficking in schedule W drugs (Adderall) and two counts of unlawful trafficking in schedule W drugs (Hydrocodone);

Latisha Wing, 42, of Swanville, aggravated trafficking in schedule W drugs (Methadone);

Gary McClure, 58, of Palermo unlawful possession of schedule Z drugs (marijuana) and aggravated cultivation of marijuana;

Robert Stevens, 45, of Troy, cultivation of marijuana, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, criminal forfeiture of three firearms, and;

Adam Lynn, 31, of Monroe, marijuana cultivation and unlawful possession of schedule Z drugs (marijuana).

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2 arrests made in Bangor, Maine, department store robbery; bath salts believes ... - The Republic

BANGOR, Maine — Bangor police say bath salts are believed to have played a role in a robbery at the city's shopping mall in which two suspects have been arrested.

Police were called to the Sears and Roebuck store at the Bangor Mall on Saturday after being told that two people were actively shoplifting merchandise. Police were also told that the suspects sprayed mace at a loss prevention employee before running out of the store. They were arrested near Interstate 95.

More than $900 worth of merchandise and a substance believed to be the drug bath salts were recovered.

The suspects are 27-year-old Joseph Demmons of Holden and 20-7year-old Brittany Holland of Hampden. Each faces robbery, theft and drug charges.

Story Tags: Law / Crime, Joseph Demmons, Roebuck store, Bangor Mall, Brittany Holland, Bangor police

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Saturday, November 12, 2011

Sprechen Sie Bath Salt

In addition to being introduced to Am-Hi-Co, one of the practical upshots of the last two weeks’ blogs has been an exposure to the expansive and complicated world of so-called “bath salts”. This whole subset of the legal high market is not something I’d really previously been aware of, nor is it something I was likely to explore on my own. As I mentioned last week, bath salts and that sort of thing aren’t really my scene. Consider cocaine and similar substances that these products are alleged to be analogous to. I know people who have experienced a broad spectrum of intoxicants, and they all say that, while potentially quite amazing, the “synthetic” end of things can be pretty dicey. Take cocaine, specifically. I’ve heard two things consistently. I’ve heard that good, trustworthy stuff that isn’t going to melt your face off is hard to come by, and that if you can manage to get a hold of a decent supply, it’s the best drug you should never do as it can very easily become a tough to kick habit, what with everything that’s in there. One might be tempted to think, than, that an above-board alternative would be a safer bet as far as content and consistency is concerned.

While potentially true, and sometimes indeed the case, there is no guarantee. We’ve talked plenty of times about the the dangers of the herbal end of the legal high market, about irresponsible vendors and shady product, and the lack of recourse should something unfortunate happen (never mind the fact that nearly every “tragedy” you hear about is more often then not the result of flagrant misuse/”over-indulgence”). The same rings true for bath salts, which tend to attract an edgier, more “metal” (if you will) crowd than incense does. The bath salt crowd also tend to be more social, much in the way users of the pill and powder uppers the the compounds in bath salts are similar to tend to go out to parties and such. Indeed, it was partly because of night club and bar owners that attention was originally brought to the growing commonality of bath salts.

If it sounds as though I’m secretly poo-pooing bath salts, I apologize. Personally, I’ve never been a fan of synthetic substances. They make me suspicious, and there are very few that I myself would even consider being willing to try. But that’s my thing. I don’t want it to color what I’m doing here. But, as a good journalist, it is important to state that yes, I have biases.

At any rate, for those of you unfamiliar, bath salts are exactly that. Various mineral and Epsom salts. The difference is the bath salts we’re talking about also have what ingredient labels call amino acid blends or natural extracts and stuff like that. These are usually the same sorts of “research chemicals” you often find in incense blends, albeit of a much different composition with much different effects. The specifics are readily available with a little Google searching. You can find whole forums, in fact, dedicated to research chemicals and the people who experiment with them. For the rest of us, you can buy small packs or jars, most commonly in 200 and 500 milligram sizes for anywhere from 20 to 50 bucks a piece. Sold with names like Ivory Wave, Lady Bubbles, and Crazy Train, not to mention a few with names that are tongue in cheek Charlie Sheen jokes, the field is far less diverse then that of the incense and herbal high market. The same array of problems are shoehorned into the smaller selection of vendors, however. The two biggest issues seem to be consistency and potency. Apparently going through a whole bag and feeling nothing, and then going through a little of a second batch of the same brand and getting laid the fuck out, Tyson style (or vice versa) is pretty par for the course. Absolutely every piece of advice about the stuff I can find says it is absolutely necessary to start with a little and work your way up, no matter how seasoned or confident you are. This stuff, like anything, can be dangerous.

By all rights it can be fun too, or so I hear. And like most stuff that’s fun, the government is cracking down. Apparently, the DEA has issued some kind of emergency warning that will ban the 3 most common research chemicals used in bath salt blends. Don’t you like how they can just up and ban something, and we the people don’t get a say? Granted, a lot of state level governments have already banned them, or have made enough of a stink about them that a ban wasn’t long in coming, but that doesn’t change my point. They aren’t fucking around, either. The penalties for this stuff is on the order of other schedule one substances, which is to say, years in prison.

So what does this mean? You have 30 days to stock up on as much of the stuff as you care to get your hands on before the banhammer comes down. Now I’m sure, as we’ve seen with JWH and states like Louisiana, that these companies won’t be long in putting forth new products with new formulas that will happily take the place of the ones people have enjoyed before. I’m sure some already have (I’d share a link, but I have no point of reference and don’t want to look like an ass). But for the time being, time is running out for mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, or MDPV, as well as a handful of others. Get while the gettings good, I suppose, and we’ll take another look in a month when the dust has settled. At that point we can revisit the subject and I can do some proper bath salt reviews.

Be the first to like this post.I'm a 20-something journalist appalled by the silliness of our country and it's laws. We persecute people for plants. So, ever the fan of better living through chemistry, I'm starting this blog so that my peers, friends, and the general internet can find reliable alternatives.

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The Law Man Cometh : The Bath Salt Ban

Well, it happened. As of last Friday, the DEA finally got around to actually implementing that ban on the 3 biggest bath salt ingredients and bringing the banhammer down hard. These three chemicals are now classified as schedule one narcotics, and anyone caught selling, possessing, distributing or basically anywhere near these things is in for a world of hurt. While, to my knowledge, no one has yet gone down under the federal law. State laws are a different matter, having been in place for some time, but it remains to be seen how much of this new DEA emergency act is in earnest, and how much is just posturing. The problem is, until the DEA actually decides to do something to someone, we have no real way of knowing. Sure, they’re a few days late getting the emergency action placed in the federal register, but it would be foolish to assume that this single instance of sluggishness is representative of how they’ll play the rest of their cards. For the time being, one can only offer advice.

And that advice is “Don’t be Stupid”.

Congratulations, boys and girls. Those of you who are fans of bath salts now get to dance that much closer to that dread realm known as “the wrong side of the law”. Given how I know bath salt fans often stockpile quantities (especially in the face of the ban, and with so many crazy “buy it while it’s still legal” sales going on) I’d wager a fair few are actually already earning the unrealized malice of The Man, as simple possession of these compounds is against the law. That does not, however, mean, that these products aren’t still available. In fact, several companies, either through ignorance, balls, or lack of scruples, are still plainly offering bath salts and other concoctions chock full of prison waiting to happen.

At the risk of sounding politically incorrect, these sites and the people who frequent them are, plainly stated, retarded. Understand that when I say this, I mean no offense to those who are, by fault or fate, legitimately mentally handicapped. In fact, I personally would be more inclined to trust the judgement of someone who was, quite literally speaking, not right in the head over someone stupid enough to order illegal substances that are in the public spotlight from the internet with a credit card. Doing that is asking to get caught and anyone dumb enough to take that risk deserves whatever comes down, if for no other reason then such brazen ignorance deserves to be squashed. Social Darwinism in action.

So I will say it again. Don’t be stupid.

Other then bullheadedness, what has the reaction of the legal high community been? Mixed.

Some companies, like the former Legal Salts store, have given up the ghost and just shut down. Others, like our old favorite Da Brand, cashed in and is evidently letting someone else handle the headache. Others are hobbling along, shifting to incense or leaning on fresh, untested blends to try and keep going. That being said, those among you who are salt fans still have options. For example, several companies have been poised and ready to go for some time with legal, alternative formulations. Am-Hi-Co, Buzz Wholesale and VIP/London Underground are among them. Other sites are selling bath salts and implying that they are legal without actually coming out and stating that they are. Again, don’t be stupid. I would advise heavily against ordering from companies who don’t explicitly state that their products are ban safe.

In the mean time, keep an eye here and on sites like the Legal Drug Review to find new sources and keep up on reviews of the latest and newest products that companies are rolling out.

And stay safe. Be smart. Enjoy yourself.

I'm a 20-something journalist appalled by the silliness of our country and it's laws. We persecute people for plants. So, ever the fan of better living through chemistry, I'm starting this blog so that my peers, friends, and the general internet can find reliable alternatives.

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The State of the Legal High

While I cannot locate the exact place, I believe at one point I have referred to the legal high market as the Wild West. Here, a few months in, it is obvious and apparent that the description is apt. In the past few weeks, let alone the months that I’ve been writing this blog, things have rapidly changed. As I said, however, it’s par for the course. Companies I review one week are gone the next, products disappear almost as soon as they are released, emergency bans and legal action take out whole sections of the industry in single strokes. Change is truly the only constant. So where do things stand now, at this point in time? Who is still going strong, who is gone, who has made heroic comebacks, and what do legal high aficionados have to look forward to in the coming months? This seems as good a point as any to take a breath and ponder what we’ve learned.

Firstly, I came across a bit of news I wanted to share. As you know, I tend to frequent Legal Drug Reviews as a good source for companies and specific product information, not to mention the entertainment value. When I checked them out earlier today, I found they mentioned an amazing deal that is too amazing not to mention here. Now, I know I haven’t officially reviewed Am-Hi-Co other then saying their products have a positive rep and they seem to handle their business well, so I don’t want you to mistake this for me pitching them. This is more a Black Friday type deal, like if I tell you that you can hit up Best Buy and get a giant flatscreen for fifty bucks, that’s not me advertising Best Buy as it is conveying to you that there is one hell of a sale going on. The sale is so good I’d tell you about it almost regardless of where it was. Except for Herbal Smoke Shop. I wouldn’t take that swill if they were giving it away.

Anyway, the Am-Hi-Co sale. Excuse me shamelessly stealing LDR’s graphic.

This is, no doubt, a response to the impending DEA emergency action that is poised to ban the three primary “amino acid blends” or “organic extracts” or whatever we want to call the active ingredients that are found in pretty much every bath salt and pill available from everyone, not just Am-Hi-Co. Am-Hi-Co just seems to be the only one capitalizing on the impending doom by having this massive sale. Whether this is because the whole DEA ban thing is overblown or because other companies aren’t paying attention (or are playing things close to the vest), I have no idea. It’s a moot point, though, because regardless of what happens later, right now you can save a ton of money on some at least halfway decent stuff.

As far as the ban is concerned, that train isn’t showing signs of stopping. In case you missed last week’s post, the DEA 22 days (give or take) away from instituting an emergency ban on the 3 most common research chemicals found in bath salts and most pills, with the eventual and likely goal of making them Schedule 1 controlled substances. Basically this one act is set to completely demolish most of the bath salt and pills industry. Do bear in mind that something like 20 states have already passed state level bans on at least one, if not all three, of the compounds, and also that we’ve seen this sort of “crisis” before. About this time last year we saw a similar reaction against the JWH family of compounds, the then active ingredients in most herbal incenses like Spice and K2. Well, here we are a year later and there is still good herbal incense to be had. That’s because the industry is flexible, and all we have to do is move a molecule around and a compound is suddenly different and legal again. As long as there is a demand, someone will find a way to fill it.

This does not, however, mean that companies can afford to be lazy. Again, look at K2 and Spice. You may be able to get incense, but those two, which were arguably the top of the game, are long gone. They quite obviously made the mistake of assuming customer loyalty. When they dried up as a source, they were apparently hoping their “loyal followers” would stick around until they could sell something passable again. No such luck. Companies that hadn’t proactively prepared for the ban found that the bulk of their customers deserted them while they were trying to get back on their feet. As a result, most of these companies never got back up at all.

That being said, despite ample warning of this impending change, very few salt and pill providers seem to be doing anything about it, and I fully expect history to repeat itself. As far as salts and pills are concerned, expect the field of competition to narrow significantly at the end of the month and start looking for a good supplier now, one you know will still be around. Be prepared, it looks like it’s going to get messy.

Herbal incense and, to a lesser extent, natural herbal highs, are, conversely, doing rather well. Anyone who has siblings can tell you why. After all, when mom is busy yelling at your brother or sister, they’re, ostensibly, not looking at you. The man has been so busy dealing with the “bath salt crisis” that herbal incense has sort of fallen off the radar. These days, if you do hear about it, it’s usually only in conjunction with bath salts, as the two go hand in hand in some circles. Ironically, the organic ingredients in a lot of incense and the active ingredients in actual herbal blends, like salvia, damina, kanna have fared worse then the actual research chemicals, at least as far as bans have been concerned. This has understandably upset those who chose more natural routes for their intoxication, or those who use the plants as a component of their spiritual practice. For the most part, though, they are still readily available from sites like IAmShaman, who is just as deserving of their beaming review as when I first wrote it.

The occasional speed bump aside, herbal incense is, for the time being, your best bet. The market has begun to diversify with new (hopefully legit) companies offering consumers a wider range of selections then they’ve had in the past. With less legal heat to worry about, many have focused instead on refining and improving their selection and making what’s good better. DaBrand, while still touting their terrible theme song (and almost naked Karen McDougal, at least there is that), has polished a little bit. Their selection is still conspicuously slim but the chatter seems to say that they’ve focused on making what seems like a meager selection the best it can be. Domestic Oddities has rebuilt and added some products, however they look just as messy and unprofessional as before. K2, despite being gone for almost a month, is back and offering…well, the same abysmal nothing as before. None of the rest (IO, Spike99Store, etc) have changed in ways worth noting, if at all.

Who knows how long this will last, however. Once the lumbering civic machine “quashes” bath salts, the pendulum might swing back toward incense and start making trouble over there again. It truly is impossible to say where things will go even in the span of a few weeks, but for right now incense is up, bath salts are down, and Am-Hi-Co’s sale is practically on fire.

View the original article here

Friday, November 11, 2011

Ivory Wave Review

Hi friends

I will tell you the story of my friend concerning his “Ivory Wave” testing that took place yesterday afternoon & night. This is a transcript from his mail, the “I” refers to him and of course not to me…. Friend is 6? tall, 80kg, 30 years old.

I just received my package this morning which i ordered from UltraHighs , 2 different smoking blend (which I love) and 500mg of ivory wave. The last one has been arousing my curiosity lately. The reviews I read of this products were really impressive and it was impossible for me not to test this product.

Most reviews I had read more or less said “beware ! Ivory Wave is potent may be to potent stuff”. Some people even threw it away (crazy people…).
So i was warned of the overwelming potential and started and remained on low dosage. I had no scale this day, but i assume i took doses around 25 to 50mg of Ivory Wave.

12h00 : last client leave my shop. I go up to my office and decide to have a go at the thing. My nose quickly cleaned those few mg. No burning, but it start a small allergy (runing nose is usual for me) that lasts a few minutes.

12h05 : i feel a wave of energy flowing through my body and mind. Very clear mind. Very nice feeling maybe thats why its called Ivory Wave aha .

12h10 : I’m feeling very good, alert, clear mind. I like the thing. Got two appoitments at 2pm so i decide to wait after those to redose the thing.

1h55 : After what i just lived I feel confident that I can redose and function normally. Seconde dose of Ivory Wave is taken… and the energy flows

Work was fun boy was I in a talkative mood.

3h15 : Redose Ivory Wave, the double of the precedent ones.

A few minutes later I start to understand the product, it is clearly amphetamine like, but no dilated pupils !??

Had sex redosed Ivory Wave a few times and then fall in the classic trap, many small redosing some smoked some sniffed, lost track of the thing and was not really trying to be careful anymore. Was feeling great, 100% energized, clean head (or so said my wife).

Then I got hit by the peak of the day. I must say I smoked just before a big joint of smoke XXX which i though i would barely at best feel. Changed my high greatly to what something like the onset of lsd. HUGE body high and the classical anxiety, fast heart beat and all those effects we know and don’t like. Took two xanax .25 to correct the problem. Those did their job.

This peak past I redosed a little a few times, the last time around 8pm.
Could not (didn’t want) to eat anything, same for lunch… no food yesterday (i know it’s not the best… but really no way i could force myself to eat)

2am : Time passes, sleep is going to be tough to find, I then remember i have very good super green indo kratom that is fairly sedating. Took 5g.

3:30 am : Went to bed and fell asleep without a problem.

Woke up at 8am, no hangover but a bit spaced out. Face looks good to my surprise. Took a little to remove the spaced out feeling.

This is a messy report, not real dosage, several products mixed, etc…
The things I found could interest you guys are :

- amphetamine like
- no dilated pupils
- can be very strong if overdosed
- I always wanted more, beware of this abusing potential of the product

Sorry for this very messy report and i would like to thank Ultra Highs

Be the first to like this post.

View the original article here

Dorchester County drops 'bath salts' bill - Charleston Post Courier

SUMMERVILLE -- The effort to ban narcotic "bath salts" in Dorchester County sank quietly away this week.

The proposed law died on the brink of a second preliminary vote because the state has already banned the over-the-counter designer drugs.

Photo by Grace Beahm

County Council approved the ban in a unanimous first preliminary vote in October; the law would have taken three votes. But County Administrator Jason Ward told council on Monday there was no point in pursuing it, because the county is enforcing the state law. Council members nodded quietly and moved to the next agenda item.

Abuse of the store-bought drugs seemed to spike out of nowhere in the county this year. The drugs are crystal or powder substance that mimic illegal drugs, reportedly causing rapid heart rate, severe panic attacks, hallucinations, seizures and psychosis. The symptoms can be fatal.

Since January, Dorchester EMS crews and sheriff's deputies have chased dozens of calls, such as a "hyper-excited" person tearing off clothes and running down the street naked.

The state had delayed acting on a ban while waiting for the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to relist the drugs as Schedule 1 narcotics, a move that would ban their use as medicine and remove them from store shelves nationwide. But the state acted after the DEA put an emergency ban on the drugs.

Reach Bo Petersen at 937-5744 or follow him on Twitter at @bopete.

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Norton Police Support Bill to Ban Dangerous Bath Salts - Patch.com

On Nov. 3, a Bill sponsored by Attleboro State Rep. George Ross was discussed during a public hearing before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary on Beacon Hill to classify bath salts as a Class C substance under the state's Controlled Substances Act.

According to Zane Horowitz on WebMD, these are not the typical salts you buy at Bath and Body Works. Illegal street chemists market these salts, which are often called "Ivory Wave," "Purple Wave," Vanilla Sky," and "Bliss." Since the label says 'not for human consumption,' the salts, which can be found in small convenience stores, have avoided being specifically enumerated as illegal.

"We haven't seen any problems with the bath salts in Norton, however we fully support the bill," said Lieutenant Todd Jackson on behalf of Norton Police Chief Brian Clark.

Representative Betty Poirier (R-North Attleboro), who cosponsored the bill, Attleboro families who have been directly impacted by the effects of bath salts and representatives from approximately 75 police departments joined Ross at the hearing. Rep. Steven Howitt who represents Norton, Rehoboth, Swansea and Seekonk also petititoned in support of the bill.

The hearing comes just days after the United States Drug Enforcement Administration placed the key ingredients found in “bath salts” under federal control and regulation.

The use of bath salts as a way to get high has been a growing problem throughout the nation. In fact, several states have banned it from store shelves. In Attleboro, two families had to cope with the effects the drug had on their children. The effects were such that one of the users of the bath salts had to be hospitilized for more than a month. Two Attleboro residents, with support from their family, testified on what the drug did to them.

Ross sponsored the bill after learning about how the bath salts were being used by local teenagers and how they are highly addictive. Ross said he was dismayed to learn about the effects the chemical in the bath salts had on those who ingested it which can include suicidal thoughts, paranoia and fatigue.

Attleboro Police Chief Kyle Heagney testified in support of the legislation. "We are familiar with the various locations and stores that have sold bath salts (in Attleboro) and asked them to remove them from the shelves. They did comply but confidential sources say it's been made available behind the shelf with word of mouth requests," Heagney said. "I know it's legal, but legal does not mean safe."

View the original article here

Bath salt ban sets in, but success may be short-lived - Anderson Independent Mail

ANDERSON COUNTY — Near the checkout counter at Zane’s Fast Stop are two empty glass shelves where the synthetic stimulants known as “bath salts" used to be displayed.

The powdery or crystallized drugs, once sold for less than $20 a jar, have also disappeared from the Iva Quick Stop.

Independent Mail reporters bought bath salts from both of those Anderson County convenience stores about a month ago.

But in Anderson County and in the Upstate, a lot has changed in a month.

Anderson County enacted an emergency ban on bath salts on Oct. 18 — three days before the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration made the same move.

The federal agency’s temporary ban makes it a crime to possess or sell the three key ingredients that are used to make the paranoia-inducing drugs. The drugs’ major components are mephedrone, methylone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, or MDPV.

For at least one year, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration will classify those substances as the most restricted drugs in the country, while agents study the drugs to determine if they should be permanently controlled.

Anderson County leaders have already enacted measures intended to last longer than a year. After the county’s emergency ban was in place, the Anderson County Council voted last week to approve a more permanent ordinance. That ordinance makes it illegal to have bath salts or synthetic marijuana in any of the county’s unincorporated areas, and comes with a $500 fine for violators.

The city of Anderson and Pickens County have voted on similar ordinances, as have other areas in the Upstate. Those ordinances also ban substances used to make synthetic marijuana — a move made in reaction to the Oct. 4 death of Anderson University basketball player Lamar Jack. Toxicology tests and analysis revealed that Jack had ingested JWH-018, a chemical found in fake marijuana, before he died.

Enforcing the ban

Anderson County Sheriff John Skipper said his narcotics officers have seized 1,100 packages of bath salts and synthetic marijuana products since the county ban took effect.

“We’ve been going around to a lot of places to let people know about the ban, but we haven’t issued any citations yet,” Skipper said. “We have also been getting calls from citizens saying, ‘Hey, I read about this stuff in the newspaper, and I know of a store that has been selling this kind of stuff.’ We have been following up on all those calls and are making sure that people know these things are illegal.”

Before the ban, law officers in the Upstate dealt with bath salts users like a Piedmont man who needed an Anderson County SWAT team to calm him, a Central man who wielded a gun and threatened to shoot imaginary people, and a Liberty woman who wandered the streets carrying a child.

“The only reason that bath salts were such a big hit was because you could walk into anywhere and buy them,” said Lt. Chad Brooks of the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office.

Since the federal ban, mentions of “bath salts” have also disappeared from the pages of police and deputies’ reports in the Independent Mail’s coverage area. From Sept. 18 to Oct. 19, Pickens County sheriff’s deputies answered 10 bath salts-related calls from Easley to Liberty to Central, according to incident reports. Officers in those areas say that they are unaware of any new calls related to bath salts since the ban.

The same is true in the county and city of Anderson.

“Our guys have made copies of the federal regulation on bath salts and we are going around to convenience stores and gas stations handing it out,” said Anderson police Sgt. Tony Tilley. “We want people to know they are illegal and they need to get them out of their stores.”

Anderson University spokesman Barry Ray said Friday that the university created a policy against synthetic marijuana and bath salts on campus right after the death of Jack, a 19-year-old sophomore.

Clemson University does not have a separate, special policy, according to its spokesman, John Gouch.

“Since the DEA has put it on their illegal list, there’s no reason for Clemson to do anything extra,” Gouch said. “We will just comply with the law.”

Plenty left to do

Law enforcement officers say their next tasks involve searching for sales of the drugs on the streets and on the Internet.

Central Police Chief Kerry Avery said that working with local postmasters is integral to getting enough evidence to justify searching personal computers.

“When we get a search warrant, it wouldn’t just be for the product itself,” he said. “It would concern related papers, computers, thumb drives and zip drives.”

Officials believe that the persistence of Internet-based and street sellers will keep law enforcement and health-care providers busy, regardless of the federal ban.

Dr. Wally Davies, medical director of AnMed Health Medical Center’s emergency department, said he had seen several people who came into the emergency room and either said, or showed symptoms indicating, they were high on bath salts. Davies said the failure of hospital drug tests to detect bath salts is one of the biggest problems doctors face when they are trying to determine if someone has taken the drugs.

Davies predicts that a reliable test to detect bath salts won’t be available quickly.

“I’m sure they will come up with a test for it, but it will take months, if not longer,” he said.

Understanding the drugs’ long-term effects will take even longer.

“Usually there’s a several-year lag between when stuff starts showing up in the public and when it starts showing up in a definitive publication,” Davies said.

That’s frustrating for doctors at Patrick B. Harris Psychiatric Hospital in Anderson, where at least two patients are still having trouble coming back from the effects of bath salts they took weeks ago.

“We think the federal ban was a good idea; it was necessary to protect the public health,” said hospital director John Fletcher. “But we are not under the illusion that the ban means we will never see another person high on bath salts.”

A spokesman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said the agency doesn’t have any statistics that demonstrate the effects of the temporary bans on synthetic marijuana and bath salts.

It’s too early to have that kind of information, said agency spokesman Jeffrey Scott.

“We are going to continue to aggressively pursue our cases, but we also rely on our state and local counterparts,” Scott said. “We have gotten a lot of calls from store owners who want to make sure they aren’t supposed to have the stuff and we have to tell them that it’s illegal.

“We get: ‘Can’t I still sell out my last bit of stock’ — and we have to say no,” Scott said. “But we aren’t going to be the ones out there shaking down 7-Eleven and Circle K.”

In the Upstate, Dr. Davies says that controlling access to synthetic drugs is “like playing Whack-A-Mole.” He said that as soon as one substance is banned, novice chemists begin to use the Internet to try to figure out how to make still-legal variants of the drug.

Some Internet companies that sell bath salts and synthetic marijuana are already claiming their suppliers have replaced banned chemicals with legal ones that are just as effective.

“There’s too much money and too much demand from the public,” Davies said. “People are going to find a way to manufacture this stuff.”

View the original article here

Bath salt designer drugs banned - Arizona Daily Wildcat

Injecting, snorting or smoking bath salts may result in intense hallucinations that can trigger suicidal thoughts and psychotic behavior.

But these bath salts are not the kind you throw into a tub of water. These designer drugs are classified under names like “bath salts” or “plant fertilizer” as a cover. On Oct. 21, the Drug Enforcement Administration scheduled a temporary, one-year federal ban on three stimulants found in bath salts.

“The reality is, this is every bit of dangerous as any drug we’ve ever seen, if not more so,” said Keith Boesen, the managing director at the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center.
These bath salts are hallucinogenic amphetamines, Boesen said. They are known to cause hallucinations, extreme paranoia and agitation in patients.

“They think they’re constantly under attack, so they might attack other people,” he said. “Or they get into these very paranoid, depressive states … and patients have committed suicides.”

The “bath salts” label was a marketing ploy to get past U.S. regulations, Boesen said. The idea for manufacturers was to make the drugs appear as though they were selling as a bath product.

Ramona Sanchez, a public information officer for the DEA, said 37 states have taken action to control these synthetic stimulants. The DEA ban shows its commitment to keeping streets safe, she said.
“It will now be seen as a federal violation if anyone is caught in possession or selling them,” Sanchez said.

In Arizona, there are still people abusing the drugs. The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center’s statistical data covers the whole state, except for Maricopa County. Since January, 86 bath salt cases have been called in, Boesen said.

There have been a consistent number of cases every month, he said. There were nine in August, nine in September and eight in October. There were less than 10 cases for all of 2010.

Laura Denton, a physiology freshman, said bath salts still seem to be under the radar in terms of students knowing about their uses, but said the ban could be helpful.

“It’s taking away the opportunity for people to hurt themselves,” she said.

Boesen said he doesn’t know whether the bath salts are now being purchased online or at local smoke shops.

Stores such as Hippie Gypsy, Moon Smoke Shop, and Epic Smoke Hookah and Glass do not sell bath salts. But people do call in and ask about them all the time, said Marcus Letter, the store manager at Epic Smoke Hookah and Glass.

A while back, Letter said he researched the bath salts and decided there was “no way” he would sell them at the shop because of how harmful they are.

Boesen said most of the bath salt cases have involved college students and teenagers. However, the last two patients were in their 40s and 50s.

“The problem we’ve seen with bath salts is the effects seem pretty unpredictable compared to what we’ve seen with methamphetamines or cocaine,” he said.

Those suffering from the effects of the bath salts don’t necessarily respond well to conventional drugs given to them to treat the symptoms. It can sometimes take a few days for patients to come out of their delusional state, Boesen said.

“Even if you used it once and didn’t have a problem, there’s a very good chance you will have a problem eventually.”

Patients who have used the drugs for shorter periods of time have gone into psychotic and delusional states where they have been admitted to psychological facilities, he said.

People making the bath salts use cheap ingredients that may not be mixed with the same amount of chemicals each time, Boesen said. They just want to make the biggest profit.

Poison centers across the country continuously collect data on symptoms people have to help build an idea of what’s happening, he added.

“The hard part is the chemicals keep changing, so we don’t know which chemicals are causing which problems necessarily, and that’s still trying to be figured out,” Boesen said. “This is a lesson we don’t need to learn if people would stop using it.”

View the original article here

Bath salts sent to area post office - Marietta Times

A New Matamoras man was arrested Friday after picking up packages at the post office filled with illegal bath salts.

The drugs, often labeled for sale as bath products, were banned in Ohio in October and in Marietta in July. Effects from ingested, inhaled or injected bath salts are similar to those caused by meth and cocaine and can include agitation, rapid heart beat, delusions and hallucinations.

Todd W. Grether, 34, of 408 Cougler St., was charged with a third-degree felony possession of drugs and taken to the Washington County Jail, where he remains without bond pending his initial court appearance Monday.

According to a release from the Washington County Sheriff's Office, inspectors for the U.S. Postal Service informed officers with the Major Crimes Task Force Wednesday that they had intercepted packages bound for New Matamoras that contained bath salts. Using a federal warrant, postal authorities opened the packages, which contained 25 packets of the drug.

The packets tested positive for MDPV, the chemical found in bath salts that was recently classified as a Schedule I controlled substance.

Grether was informed Friday the packages were ready for pickup, with cash due upon delivery. According to the release, Grether paid $245 for a package with 10 packets of bath salts and said he would return later to pay for the other package.

As he exited the post office, he was taken into custody by task force agents. When questioned, Grether admitted knowing the packets contained bath salts but said he didn't know they were illegal.

Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks said the packets were intended for resale.

"He had redeemed the first package, which he was going to sell and then with that money go back and get the other package," he said.

Mincks said the packages were sent from Texas after Grether made a purchase online. The bath salts were discovered by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) task force, which monitors packages.

View the original article here

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Pols look at state ban on intoxicating 'bath salts' - Boston Herald

Her face red and hot with tears, Lindsey Semple described Thursday how bath salts - the name for a new, potent designer drug - had derailed her life, cost her two jobs, drained her savings and nearly killed her.

"At work, I would be shaky and pale from staying up up to 72 hours straight," she told lawmakers at a State House hearing. "I got suicidal and very paranoid."

Although she described being "clean for about two months," Semple convulsed in tears when she described her family’s intervention to get her off of a drug that can be purchased legally in Massachusetts.

Semple’s testimony stirred members of the Committee on the Judiciary, whose chairman, Rep. Eugene O’Flaherty (D-Chelsea), promised to "expeditiously" consider legislation that would classify "bath salts" as a Class C narcotic. O’Flaherty noted a recent decision by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to classify bath salts as an illegal substance would provide guidance to states considering action on the issue.

"The federal government has given a clear indication that this has risen to a level where it needs some attention," O’Flaherty told the News Service after the hearing. "It certainly raises the bar here for us to act on it expeditiously."

O’Flaherty’s co-chair, Sen. Cynthia Creem (D-Newton), said, "It seems to me it’s something we really ought to be looking at."

In addition, a senator revealed that the committee he co-chairs is preparing to unveil legislation that would empower the state commissioner of public health to declare any substance a "public health hazard" and put it on a "schedule" of illegal substances until a permanent determination is made.

"Our concern beyond [bath salts] is, once this is made illegal, what’s next?" said Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy), co-chair of the Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse. Keenan said other modern substances - "There’s salvia out there, K2, bath salts" - lend themselves to a rapid response from the Department of Public Health.

The bath salts bill (H 3739) was filed by Rep. George Ross, a freshman Republican from Attleboro, who testified that the drug has been "flying just under the radar" of policymakers while poison control centers have reported a sharp spike in overdoses as a result of the product.

"I was floored by the severity and extent of the abuse," said Ross, a former police commissioner, noting that the product had been banned in 26 states and Great Britain.

Although bath salts share a name with a harmless product that consumers use for therapeutic purposes, backers of the legislation say that the drug has no legitimate consumer purpose and has been mislabeled to appear benign.

Ross told the News Service after the hearing that he hopes his colleagues act on the bill before they recess for seven weeks on Nov. 16.

"There’s no reason, if the committee’s in agreement to move this thing out, to consider it for the whole body," he said. "Every moment we waste, every second we waste, there’s a chance that somebody else is going to become addicted to this stuff. If we wait throughout the holidays, people are going to forget about it. You’ve got to strike while the iron’s hot."

Supporters of the bill say bath salts, which are often sold as household products, produce similar effects as cocaine or methamphetamines when snorted. Its effects include hallucination and paranoia, and it can cause a sharp rise in body temperature.

Rep. Randy Hunt (R-Sandwich) read a letter from a constituent who described her daughter’s own descent into a bath salts addiction, noting that they were available for purchase "in a store on Main Street in Hyannis." Rep. Elizabeth Poirier (R-North Attleboro) joined Hunt and Ross in support of the legislation, which has 23 co-sponsors.

Several police chiefs also described their experience dealing with abusers of bath salts, and they noted that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration recently issued a temporary emergency order declaring bath salts a Class 1 drug.

View the original article here

Bath salts have become a problem for local law enforcement - Greene County Daily World (blog)

So-called bath salts -- one of the latest fads in synthetic stimulants -- are deemed illegal and included in a Indiana law that was effective July 1 banning synthetic marijuana products.

However, they are still showing up locally in some inmates residing in the Greene County Jail.

That's a concern for local law enforcement officers, the prosecutor's office and the courts.

GCSD Chief Deputy Major Mike Hasler recently told me that bath salts are just another thing that police agencies have to be concerned with these days.

People under the influence of bath salts are viewed as more violent in their behavior.

The county had a strangulation and domestic battery case in September in which the defendant was alleged to have been under the influence of bath salts.

Major Hasler says local officers are seeing criminal suspects on bath salts with increasing frequency.

"Actually, I think a lot of the people we deal with appear to be more violent on the bath salts. It's all bad," Hasler said. "It seems like when we have to deal with someone on bath salts there is more violence and it does take more to restrain the person."

Hasler said bath salts have not reached the epidemic proportion on a scale with methamphetamine, but he noted, "It's definitely something that is here and something that we (as a law enforcement agency) are concerned about. I think there are a lot of people that do the bath salts that don't do some of the other stuff. I think the cost of it is one factor. The other factor is when people started doing it, it wasn't illegal to do. I think the other side of it is, they got some of the same results from it where you could stay up for days. It's just seems like they are more aggressive on it."

Indiana State Sen. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette) wrote the bill making synthetic marijuana products like Spice controlled substances across Indiana. The bill also covers chemical compounds found in some products labeled as bath salts but used as a mind-altering stimulant that, until now, skirted state law.

Certain kinds of bath salts have emerged as a substance-abuse problem rivaling Spice -- the product marketed as incense but in so many cases used like marijuana. Like Spice, these mind-altering bath salts have been sold under a variety of names, including "Ivory Wave," Vanilla Sky," "Bubbles" and "Tranquility."

The two main ingredients in these dangerous so-called bath salts are actually powerful stimulants that can mimic illegal drugs like methamphetamine, amphetamine or ecstasy. Effects from ingesting the products this way can range from elevated heart rates, agitation, paranoia, hallucinations or even suicidal tendencies.

The Indiana Poison Control Center reports more than 250 cases of bath salt incidents this year.

Nationwide, the American Association of Poison Control Centers had received 2,237 calls related to bath salt products so far in 2011 -- more than seven times the number taken during all of 2010.

The senate bill also aimed at synthetic marijuana products -- herbs sprayed with hallucinogenic chemicals. When smoked, these products dangerously distort perceptions and impair coordination. Local ordinances passed by some communities lack enforcement across jurisdictions and are limited to lesser penalties and fines. Police and prosecutors asked lawmakers for a statewide ban while federal Drug Enforcement Administration officials consider a nationwide prohibition.

Now, these synthetic products are on the controlled substances list.

Another law that went into effect July 1 calls for retailers to place dissolvable tobacco products securely behind counters and away from minors. Often marketed in brightly colored, candy-like packages that can be appealing to younger consumers, dissolvable tobacco contains harmful ingredients that cause tooth decay and cancer.

Penalties for selling tobacco products to minors are also strengthened by this law.

It sure looks like our law enforcement agencies are being bombarded with a wide array of new challenges to keep our residents safe and protected.

And shame on the manufacturers who target our younger generation with harmful tobacco products masked as candy.

Let's hope the new laws will help slow down this attack on our society.

View the original article here

XXX Sense Review

Today we got our hands on a bath salt available exclusively in the southern United States. We do not know if the XXX Sense blend contains 4-MMC/Mephedrone or MDPV; however, it is obvious that they have already re-branded the products. The direction in which they decided to take their advertising is interesting; however, it is not entirely surprising. At least people can stop calling them bath salts now!

Reports rate the product to be awesome; however, we do not advise the consumption of these products for a few reasons.

1.) You can buy the active ingredients individually for much cheaper.

2.) You know what you are researching. Bath salts are usually a blend of various research chemicals and cutting agents to add weight.

Please leave feedback in the form of comments or emails if you know anything about these products!

View the original article here

UK Ban Phenazepam

The government announced on July 21st 2011 that the research chemical phenazepam will be controlled as a Class C drug. This gives the UK Border Agency the power to seize and destroy shipments of phenazepam.

This is just another addition to the on going research chemical bans being passed in many countries. Mephedrone has been been illegal in the United Kingdom for a while now; however, the United States has just recently invoked a ban on the substance which will begin in a few weeks.

Drone IV Plus Review

If you have tried any of the previous Drone blends, then you know that it is one of the best brands out there. But now they have come out with their newest 50 state legal blend, Drone IV PLUS.

This stuff knocks the socks off of any of the other new 50 state legal blends – Drone IV Plus is the best, hands down! The old Drone and Drone IV blends are great if you can still get them in your state. If not, then I highly recommend that you try Drone IV Plus!

Currently legal in EVERY state – and in my opinion is more powerful than Drone IV! Try some today.

Drone IV Bath Salt Review

I don’t usually take the time to go online and do this type of review thing, but after I tried Drone IV I felt the need to at least let people know what’s up with ordering this stuff online and how good it was. First off, I purchased it through k2incenseonline.com, they were not only prompt in replying to an e-mail I sent, but had my product to me in under a week. The Drone IV was PRIMO. I have tried a few bath salts before, including the original Drone. and couldn’t stand that uncomfortable stimulation that made me feel like I was tweaking out. Drone was all the euphoria, with none of the un-comfort. I will definitely be making another purchase in the future, and have already told my friends that enjoy a blissful bath every once and a while. Drone IV is definitely at the top of my list due to it being legal in ALL 50 STATES and the best bath salt on the market!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

8 Ballz Bath Salts

It seemed only a matter of time before a bath salt blend would pop up with this name on it. Sure enough in my hands I am holding a genuine bag of “Eight Ballz” bath salts. This particular blend comes as .5g (500mg) of a white flour-like substance. The effects were produced merely 30 minutes after my “bath” and entailed a great deal of euphoria and mental stimulation. Thoughts were flowing easily and the urge to interact had me chatting up a storm. My composure was easily kept though, which is a big plus seeing as other blends sometimes produce and overwhelming and uncomfortable stimulation that is unquenchable. I was coasting through the second hour with no urge to re-bathe at all. The comedown effects begun around hour 3 and after floating back down to base line over the next 45 minutes I felt no hangover, just a little tiredness. Sleep came easy and I awoke the next day feeling fully refreshed. All in all this blend was a breath of fresh air compared to other blends that have hit the market. The great feeling and lack of hangover earns it two big thumbs up in my book. Click Here to visit the site

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 2nd, 2011 at 11:54 pm and is filed under Charley Sheene Bath Salts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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Bath Salt Of The Week: Fine China

This is a new personal favorite of mine; Fine China. With all the recent federal and state bans on the common ingredients, it has become harder and harder to find an ENJOYABLE 50 state legal salt.

After vigorously searching different websites for new blends that actually packed a punch, I made an order and was amazed when my package arrived in only a few days! I tried Fine China and a few others, but this stuff blew the others out of the water. Minimal burn which goes away almost instantly, which is always an absolute selling point for me.

Fine China delivers a perfect blend of euphoria and energy, with even the smallest amount! I bought the 500mg size and still have almost half left after extensive testing.

Where Are They Banned?

Banned List

Please let us know if you hear of any other places that are getting outlawed. Your comments help everyone stay safe!

BATH SALTS

Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
Florida
Georgia **not signed?
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri (8-29)
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York (state)
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Utah
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Bath Salt Counties
South Charleston, SC
Columbia CO
St.Charles MO

Some actual ‘Facts’ about Bath Salts

The media has blown the issue of Bath Salts to such an extreme, one could even compare it to the utterly ridiculous Marijuana propaganda of the early 1900's. Since this site is read by people with all different points of view, I am going to lay down some un-biased information for the sake of better informing the people (because the news sucks at it).

First, lets look at how different media angles are tackling the subject.

Check out some of the stunning reporting work of “Lauren LaBorde” of bestofneworleans.com …

Brilliant. First off, you know you have to be 18 buys bath salts? Just getting that out of the way for the insanely oblivious readers.

According to these people, 1 hit and you are either going to be seriously hurt, or dead.

Everyone remember Harry Anslinger? He’s the guy who ran the rediculous propaganda campaign to make Weed illegal. Along with all his claims of how it is making certain races go crazy and make good music, he had some ‘claims’ (lies) which he used to persuade people into thinking Marijuana was a killer.

Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death!Are you starting to get a grasp of what i’m saying? This ‘Bath Salts’ epidemic and media frenzy is being made possible because of: FearProtection of Corporate Profits (profits of tobacco/alcohol sales tax)Yellow JournalismNot to mention, A HUGE part in the effort to ban bath salts is Drug Cartels. You think they are just gonna let people sell a product legally online, which is BETTER than theirs, and cheaper, all while not having to do any smuggling/money laundering/cop evading? No, they would have every Bath Salt vendors arms and legs broken if they could. But they can’t, so who knows what they are going to do to get this stuff banned.IF YOU WANT BATH SALTS BANNED, THE ASSISTANCE OF THE DRUG CARTELS WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.Back to some gold news snippets I found:SCRANTON – High on bath salts and acting under an increasing sense of paranoia, a 25-year-old West Scranton man broke into a monastery early Wednesday morning and stabbed a priest in the face and hand, according to a criminal complaint.A Panama City woman was jailed for allegedly swinging a machete at her mother while high on “Bath Salts“.Here’s an article from the 1930's talking about the NEW KILLER DRUG – BATH SALTS!!! (wait, no) Marijuana!!!!!!

I’ll let you ponder up your own opinion on what you’ve just been shown. I’m not here to force my opinions into your head, only give out some facts for the sake of safety.

Here they are.

Sure, bath salts are killing people, there is no denying that. But who is actually dying off these bath salts? It must be the kids who see these bath salts in the convenience store in the fancy package and decide to try it, and end up dying. (this is what a lot of people use in their news articles as to why it should be banned) Oh wait. You have to be 18 to buy these, and if your kid is buying stuff which he has no information about, then putting the stuff up his nose or shooting it in his veins, then you kid is probably retarded.

The people that are taking bath salts like White Dragon and Ultra Molly and dying already know what they are doing. They know it is legal and will give them an intense high just like the meth or crack that they just ran out of. They then push it to the limit and end up doing way too much, resulting in another drug baser death. It’s not the bath salts themselves;

When used in small amounts, like you are supposed to, bath salts DO NOT cause “extreme paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, hypertension and suicidal thoughts.” That stuff only happens if you are shooting up a whole bag, or blowing down lines ever 5 minutes.

There is also not just 1 kind of bath salt, there is thousands. Bath Salts are just research chemicals packaged up nicely, and there are hundreds of different RC’s all with different effects. So while one bath salt might make you go batshit insane, there is some that make you have a mellow, safe time if used correctly. If you disagree with that, then you are probably one of the people who thinks nobody has what it takes to graduate college or get a job/life while smoking pot.

NEWSFLASH

People do it… and make more money than you while chiefing like indians.

Here’s what it all boils down to:

It is a stimulant, just like the coffee you drink every day. If you drink coffee every day, then can safely say that you get the feeling of bath salts (more awake, focused, energetic). You fucking coffee-drinking baser. We should ban that shit, and focus on LED Bulbs. Same with tylenol, killing over 10,000 a year. Let’s get that shit on Dr. Oz.

Bath Salts Banned In Alabama

Today in Alabama, the actions of Attorney General Luther Strange along with the Partnership for a Drug-Free Community has banned 2 chemicals in Bath Salts via another ‘Emergency Ban”. methylenedioxpyrovalerone (MDPV) and Mephedrone were the two made illegal. They are going to seize all bath salts currently in stores in Alabama with no warning. An Alabama representative states that they are going to test the seized drugs for the 2 illegal chemicals, and send back any that do not contain the banned substances.
As of February 23rd, Bath Salts have been made illegal in Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and a few cities.

Ocean Snow Bath Salts Review

A friend of mine recently turned me on to this stuff called bath salts. They apparently are becoming quite popular now; with many brands too choose from. Ever since the first time trying them with my friend I have been dying to get some for myself, and after searching a little online I decided to grab a bag branded “ocean snow” from a reputable dealer. It arrived in a few short days and the experiment process began.

I opened the bag and gave it a nice wiff to find it had a somewhat fishy smell, and upon dumping about 100mg out and pushing it around with a card I found it had properties similar to clumpy flour. Most online reviews usually involve the user snorting the powder so I went ahead and did it that way with what I had dumped out. It burned slightly going up, and kinda made me squint for a few minutes in a half sneeze type motion. After the tickling/burning sensation left I felt a nice stream of happiness flowing throughout my entire body, with a slight tingling in my fingers. It was also an eye opener, making me feel very awake and full of energy. I sat back and enjoyed the sensation for roughly an hour until I began contemplating whether or not I should go ahead and finish off the bag. My thought process was somewhat skewed, so it didn’t take much of an internal struggle before I was back at my table dumping out the last contents of the ocean snow. This line went up much smoother than the first, but didn’t quite meet the expectations I had due to my initial line. I felt the stimulation and was wide awake, but it seemed the euphoria I was craving simply wasn’t there this time. After a few hours into my second dose I realized the error of my ways and that I really shouldn’t have finished off the bag. The stimulation was still incredibly strong, so strong that lying down or being motionless was next to impossible, which basically sealed the deal that I wouldn’t be sleeping that night. I smoked a gram of really high grade bud and it didn’t help a bit, to be honest I don’t even think I felt high from the marijuana at all. Sunrise came and my eyes began to droop slightly, and after thinking about it for some time, I decided to take a few sleeping pills to try and dose before the light crept into my room. The sleep aid worked surprisingly well, and I was asleep in practically no time, although in retrospect it was around 8 hours since my last dose of the bath salt so the fact that I was having trouble sleeping at all was astounding.

I definitely plan on trying bath salts once or twice more; now that I am aware of the dangers of re-dosing I feel I could have a much better time. If you take anything from this review please let it be that re-dosing really does nothing to achieve the effects you are longing for, and that you will have a much better time just enjoying the trip rather than thinking about the next dose.

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Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Recharge Extra Power Bath Salts

Recharge Extra Power I can’t idly sit by and watch all these legislatures bash bath salts left and right with absolutely no idea what is really in them or what they really do. I too have read these horror stories with people committing suicide and it seems to me that it was a gross over dosage or other factors that played a huge factor in the outcome. I felt it was pertinent to order a few brands of the salts to 1. Try them for myself and 2. Write a review so people have a little unbiased info on the blends. The first blend to arrive is a brand by the name of recharge.

I opened the bag to find it contained a fine white powder with a slight fishy type odor. I wet my finger and dabbed it in the bag to get a little taste and it took everything not to immediately spit it on the floor. It tasted nasty as hell, but seeing as I wasn’t ingesting it orally, I wasn’t too concerned. I busted out a line that couldn’t have been more than 50mg and railed it straight to the dome piece. The beginning effects came upon quite quick and somewhat caught me off guard. It is much stronger than I imagined, with a stout stimulation presence and a really interesting tingly feeling throughout my extremities. To be honest it felt wonderful, and I suddenly got the urge to jam out to some music and dance, so I did. An hour past and the energy was still flowing through me, needing to be let out. The only other thing I could think to do is jump on my bike and start riding. I rode for roughly 2 hours round trip experiencing an amazingly clear headspace the whole time. During my ride I mulled over many trials and tribulations I had endured in my life and was able to pick them apart in a completely new way. I really liked the fact that recharge extra power enabled me to stray from the norm thoughts and “think outside the bubble” if you will. I definitely plan on experimenting with this blend again.

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Cloud 9 Bath Salts Review

cloud 9 bath salt Cloud 9 is one of the most popular brands of bath salts on the market today. It is sold in every state but Louisiana due to a case of a man shooting himself in the head after a 3 day binge off of the bath salt. Now the DA was very hasty in putting the blame solely on the salts basically because it’s the only way they will have any ground to make it illegal in the future. After further investigation the mental health of this individual was not reported nor was toxicology report showing what other substances may have lead the man to suicide. I don’t believe in the hype so I ordered some offline and received in roughly a week and a half. It came in a 250mg package that ran me roughly 18 dollars with tax and shipping included. I tried roughly 10mg and absolutely loved it. Immediately after ingestion of the bath salts I felt a rush of energy and even a slight euphoria to go along with it. My mind felt like it was working in overdrive and I wanted to talk to anyone about anything I possibly could. A main feeling I want to point out is a feeling of lack of control and feeling the need to tell people what you really think about them. These two traits can not only coerce you into doing more of the bathsalt, but also say some things to very close friends and or family that may cause serious problems if you can’t keep your mouth shut. I think of myself as a somewhat strongly willed individual so I was able to shrug off the slight urge to break out more or finish the rest of the pack of bath salts. I was also able to kind of keep some of the things I wanted to say to certain individuals inside, which was good because burning bridges with friends is not what I wanted this bath salt for. Overall I would say that as long as you have the will to say no to yourself when your mind is telling you that you should try a little more or that telling some people what you really think is a smart move I think this is an amazing bath salt that I would definitely recommend to some friends. It lasted about 4 hours and I only spent 30 minutes in bed before I was able to fall asleep. Probably one of the cleanest bath salts I have ever tried. I was very pleased with the duration and the ease of the comedown after. Other bath salts I have reviewed lasted entirely too long or had a very unpleasant effect while coming down off of the bath salt. Another great thing about this product is how easy it is to obtain. You can order it off the internet like me or you can call your local head shops and gas stations because the chances are at least one store in your town is selling bath salts. Remember to always be safe!

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Bath Salts Legality

The bath salts, which many of us use to make our time in the tub even more pleasurable, have sparked a new controversy. Some of these products (at least according to certain officials) contain chemicals, which are used by teenagers and grown-ups to get a high similar to the one that the illegal street drugs produce. While the makes and the names of these products, sold as bath salts, are often omitted from the reports, the local governments of four states (at least for now) were quick to ban two well-known brands.

Some of these bath salts, which are often sold online or at herbal shops, apparently contain chemicals that produce high similar to the one from cocaine or amphetamines. The authorities claim that the ingredients of some of these bath salts could cause powerful hallucinations, rapid heart rate, and paranoia and the products are often misused. This substance is either taken orally or snorted, but at least for now, there is little information as what the bath salts contain and there is no evidence that they are potentially dangerous to humans. While the bath salts legality is being heavily debated, according to many the government is simply using unconfirmed stories and employing scare tactics in order to pass laws and legislations that are pointless.

The news that the state of Alabama has decided to place two of these products on its controlled substance list has sparked a big controversy, and while some believe that the products should not be banned, based on rumors alone, others have welcomed the move. The hard cold facts are that the local governments are often too quick to ban products prior to sending them to a lab and finding out what they contain. Many consider this act similar to the “temporary” ban on the herbal incense, which the DEA imposed in 2010; this ban, some claim, did nothing to prevent the people that wanted to smoke herbal incense from doing so and simply created a black market, which introduced newer and higher risks. According to various online and offline sources, the bath salts are indeed used by many youngsters and adults to get a high similar to the one produced by illegal substances, but making them illegal is hardly the right solution. So far, they are still available for sale in most of the states and anyone could purchase them easily from various places, including quite a few Internet sites. Their prices vary from one product to another and they are also believed to have different ingredients, but the one the ingredient that seems to be mentioned the most is mephedrone (or MDPV), which is an amphetamine.

According to our sources, the states of Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida have banned some of these products too and the lawmakers in Mississippi and Kentucky are considering placing a ban as well. It is also rumored that the DEA has labeled them a “product of concern” and might be working on a legislation to ban them nationally.

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