WASHINGTON — In the past two years, the use of synthetic drugs made of legal chemicals that mimic the effects of cocaine, amphetamines and other illegal stimulants has risen dramatically.
Though President Barack Obama signed a bill into law this month banning the sale, production and possession of more than two dozen of the most common “bath salt” drugs, health professionals believe lawmakers will not be able to keep up, the Associated Press reports. Makers of the drugs constantly adjust their chemical formulations to create drugs that aren’t covered by the new laws.
Also, U.S. laws prohibit the sale or possession of all substances that mimic illegal drugs, but only if federal prosecutors can show that they are intended for human use. Bath salts and other synthetic drugs have “not for human consumption” printed on the packets.
Related Articles:
