Federal Law Bans Synthetic Drugs

Law enforcement agencies across the nation now have a federal law to help them with their battle to get dangerous synthetic drugs off the shelves in their communities. President Barack Obama signed into law legislation that will make "fake marijuana" and "bath salts" drug compounds illegal throughout the country.

The so-called "legal drugs" are now illegal everywhere in the United States.

The new law was part of a larger bill aimed at speeding up the Food and Drug Administration's approval of new drugs and medical devices.

Closing Loopholes Nationwide

The synthetic drug law was co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and supported by legislators on both sides of the aisle.

"This law will close loopholes that have allowed manufacturers to circumvent local and state bans, and ensures that you cannot simply cross state lines to find these deadly bath salts, and I'm pleased that after a great deal of effort, it has become law," Schumer said.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said the new law would give law enforcement the ability to fight the growing synthetic drug problem.

"In Minnesota and across the country, we are seeing more and more tragedies where synthetic drugs are taking lives and tearing apart families," Klobuchar said. "Today's action means that this critical legislation to give law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on synthetic drugs is finally the law of the land."

Extremely Violent Behavior

The law bans the chemicals used to make synthetic marijuana, marketed as "K2" and "Spice" in head shops and even convenient stores and other chemical compounds used in "bath salts" that are marketed under names like Vanilla Sky, Ivory Wave, Tranquility and Zoom.

The bath salts products mimic the effects of cocaine and methamphetamine, but there have been a growing number of incidents in which users of these synthetic drugs have exhibited extremely violent behavior.

"We have seen bath salts catalyze some of the most heinous crimes in recent months across upstate New York, and the president's signature ensures that the federal government can fight this scourge with a united front, across state lines and at our borders," Schumer said.

Related Information:

• Warnings Issued About 'Fake Cocaine' Bath Salts
  
• What Ingredient Is in MDPV Fake Cocaine?
  
• 'Legal Bud' Products Are Anything But Natural

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