Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver joined with Assemblyman Edward C. Braunstein to announce the passage of legislation that would further curb the use of bath salts by adding new compounds used to make these types of drugs to the state's banned substances list (A.717-A/Braunstein).

Bath salts is a commonly-used term for man-made stimulant drugs that are similar to methamphetamines (also known as "ICE" or crystal meth). These drugs can stimulate both the nervous system and the cardiac system and can cause heart attacks, seizures, permanent brain damage and severe hallucinations. Reports have shown that an individual's behavior on bath salts can sometimes lead to suicide or the harm of others.

"Unfortunately, the disturbing and oftentimes tragic use of bath salts is all too prevalent in New York, despite current federal and state regulations that have been put in place to restrict and criminalize their availability," Silver said. "We need to close any of the remaining loopholes that make it far too easy for someone to purchase and use such dangerous substances. Doing so will help protect our families and keep our communities safer."

"These are dangerous, unpredictable drugs that can have devastating effects - we have seen too many examples and heard too many stories all over our state and in several others around the country," Braunstein said. "The Assembly has taken action for several years in a row to stop the use of bath salts, and today's legislation makes significant strides toward our goal of getting them off the streets of our communities completely."

In 2011, the state enacted a law that banned the sale or distribution of any product containing Mephedrone and MDPV, types of substituted cathinones which were being marketed at the time for recreational use as bath salts, and classified these stimulants as controlled substances. Adding these additional compounds to the state's banned substance list strengthens the 2011 law by closing possible loopholes that have made it easy to chemically alter Mephedrone and MDPV and produce slightly modified "bath salt" products.

The legislation would classify these substituted cathinones as a Schedule I stimulant controlled substance and imposes criminal penalties on those who sell, use and/or possess these substances. The bill would also make it a felony to sell the substances to a minor or on school grounds.