East Stroudsburg, PA – Reps. Mario M. Scavello (Monroe-176th) and Rosemary M. Brown (Monroe/Pike-189th) are calling on local businesses to remove synthetic cocaine – sometimes marketed as concentrated ‘bath salts,’ from their shelves, citing legislation that the House has passed to add these dangerous new chemicals to the list of banned controlled substances.
“We have seen an increase in emergency room visits to Pocono Medical and other area hospitals as a result of misuse of this product,” said Scavello, a co-sponsor of the bill that passed the House unanimously earlier this month. “No legitimate business person would want a product they sell to be used as a drug that contributes to a young person’s death.
“These chemicals will be banned in short order once the Senate passes a bill, so why not take this step now to just say no. I have asked businesses throughout Monroe County to remove these ‘bath salts’ from their shelves,” said Scavello. “In fact, I’d like to go one step further. Anyone finding these dangerous products in a local shop can call my office and I will personally visit the store to request their removal.”
House Bill 365 is now in the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration. It amends the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act to expand the list of banned substances to included Salvia Divinorum, Salvinorin A, Divinorin A, and chemicals that the equivalent of synthetic marijuana and synthetic cocaine. These chemicals will be added to the list of Schedule I controlled substances after the Senate passed the bill and it is signed by the governor.
“This legislation is the Senate and it is our hope that they take up this matter promptly and make these dangerous substances illegal,” said Brown. “We continue to hear news about local jurisdictions banning the sale of these ‘bath salts,’ including action taken this week by Luzerne County, whose district attorney obtained an injunction banning the sale of this product in stores throughout the county. I urge local municipalities to do the same.”
For more information, call Scavello’s office at (570) 839-0313 or call Brown’s office at (570) 420-8301.
