N.J. bans ‘bath salts’ drugs

"Bath salts" selling more frequently across the country are not the ones Grandma sprinkled in her warm bath. They are designer drugs that New Jersey officials outlawed Thursday as they detailed recent stories of users who had extreme, violent reactions.

"Shady retailers are playing a deadly game, selling highly dangerous drugs with fake labels like 'bath salts' or 'plant food' to evade the law," New Jersey Attorney General Paula Dow said as she announced raids of businesses storing the drugs.

"Here in New Jersey, the game is over. Today, anyone who sells these drugs is committing a crime. We're taking these drugs off the streets in order to save lives."

Six synthetic chemicals used to make the designer drugs were added to a list of controlled dangerous substances, making possession and sales illegal, with penalties similar to those for marijuana possession. Fines could top $25,000, and jail terms up to five years may be imposed.

New Jersey is among the first states to ban bath salts. Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi also have outlawed them.

In Pennsylvania, the attorney general does not have the authority to ban drugs, said Nils Frederiksen, spokesman for the Attorney General's Office. A bill banning bath salts passed the state House this month and now awaits a vote in the Senate, which is considering a similar bill of its own.

On Wednesday, a Luzerne County Court judge, at the request of the district attorney, issued a permanent injunction banning bath salt sales after more than 100 people were treated at a county hospital.

Last month, Rutgers University student Pamela Schmidt, 22, was found dead in her boyfriend's home in Cranford. Robert Pariso, also 22, is charged with murder. His mother said her son was being treated for a bipolar disorder and abused drugs, including bath salts. He became increasingly paranoid, she said.

That case, Dow said, increased the urgency to take action, along with numerous other cases in the state. Authorities detailed how the drugs can cause extreme paranoia and hallucinations, and stimulate self-mutilation and suicidal thoughts.

According to the American Association of Poison Control, there were 1,782 calls to poison centers regarding bath salts from January through April, compared with 302 calls in 2010, officials said. The drugs factored into an estimated nine deaths last year.

Thomas Calcagni, acting director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, said reported cases likely represent only a fraction of those who use the drugs. There are likely many other cases of adverse reactions never reported, he said.

Dow said anyone who voluntarily surrenders bath salts to authorities by May 8 will not face criminal charges.

She stressed that bath salts are not to be confused with Epsom or other soothing salts intended to be added to bath water, which can be purchased at drugstores.

The designer drugs are packaged as bath salts or incense and sold at truck stops, convenience stores adjacent to gas stations, and smoke shops.