Bath Salts Drugs Should Be Banned, Senator Says: Why?
Some bath salts contain synthetic chemicals said to cause an intense high when snorted, smoked, or injected. (CBS/WKMG)
The New York lawmaker announced on Sunday that he is introducing legislation to add the chemicals - said to produce a high similar to methamphetamine and cocaine when snorted, smoked, or injected - to a federally controlled substance list.
Bath salts and plant foods containing the drugs are now being sold legally in convenience stores, smoke shops and online under names such as "Tranquility" and "Zoom 2."
So far, there have been no reports of deaths linked to the drugs. But Schumer is adamant about the need for a ban.
"By calling them bath salts, they're trying to deliberately mislead people into thinking they are an everyday product," he said, adding that the drugs they contain are "nothing more than deadly narcotics."
One or both of the chemicals have already been banned in the European Union, Australia, Canada, and Israel, Reuters reported. In the U.S., Florida, Louisiana and North Dakota have all recently banned the substances.
Said Schumer, "The longer we wait to ban the substance, the greater risk we put our kids in."
What do you think? Is Chuck right about banning the bath salts?
Or is he all wet?
FDA considers ban on menthol cigarette sales
July 15, 2010 4:09 p.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- NEW: "Ethnicity does not play a role" in marketing strategies, tobacco official says
- Tobacco industry calls menthol cigarettes "no more harmful than non-menthol cigarettes"
- Critics claim the menthol flavor makes them more addictive
- FDA panel is hearing arguments from public health and tobacco industry officials
(CNN) -- Menthol cigarettes are no more harmful than regular cigarettes, tobacco industry representatives argued Thursday as a federal advisory panel opened a two-day meeting to consider whether to ban the sale of those cigarettes.
Menthol cigarettes, which account for one-quarter of the cigarettes sold in the United States, have been under scrutiny by public health officials and public health watchdog groups. Critics claim the flavor makes them more addictive and denounce the marketing campaigns that they say target menthol cigarettes specifically at minority smokers.
According to a study published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, menthol cigarettes are favored by three-quarters of African-American smokers.
But Leonard Jones, director of marketing at Lorillard Tobacco Company, said that "ethnicity does not play a role" in marketing strategies for the Newport menthol cigarette. "We don't collect or retain information on ethnicity in our marketing data base."
Representatives from Phillip Morris USA, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and Lorillard Tobacco Company plan to present scientific evidence that they say shows menthol cigarettes are no more harmful than non-menthol cigarettes. The meeting, moderated by the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Tobacco Products, is being held in Rockville, Maryland.
The 12-member federal advisory panel, which is in charge of overseeing the implementation of the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, is scheduled to makes recommendations on menthol cigarettes by March 23, 2011. The committee includes three non-voting members representing the tobacco industry.
The panel could decide to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes or order that the levels of flavoring in them be reduced.
There is no evidence showing higher numbers of deaths among menthol cigarette smokers than among non-menthol cigarette smokers, said Jane Lewis of Altria Client Services, which represents Phillip Morris USA. And "at the end, that's what matters," she added.
The meeting is being streamed live on the FDA's website. According to the agenda, participants will discuss the characterization of menthol cigarettes, clinical effects of menthol, biomarkers of disease risk, marketing data, and population effects.
Ban bath salts? Who cares if someone gets a buzz from bath salts.
Maybe the government will ban beer because someone gets a buzz
from it.
Will the government ban everything that's bad for you?
They would if they could. Some in government anyways.
Remember corn is bad for you, at least High Fructose Corn Syrup( HFCS).
So, from now on anything with HFCS is banned.
[Corn ethanol takes more energy to produce than it creates.
Besides taking valuable land away from producing good crops.
The only ones happy with corn ethanol are the corn farmers.]
ALL fast food is banned.
All petroleum products are banned.
No more gasoline powered cars.
Drive your windmill powered cars.
Coal fired power stations are banned.
Nuclear power is banned.
All old people who get sick are banned.
They are costing the tax payer too much.
BTW:
That has been mentioned by the head of Medicare.
It's called rationing. Thank you Obama.
In other words, if your old, don't get sick.
Because the government says you're too old to
take care of under government run health care.
Driving fast is banned.
All red meat is banned.
Oh, ban bottled water. EVIL.
Oh, ban bottled water. EVIL.
Anything that is bad for you is banned.
Welcome to the nanny state. 1984
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