Police laud ‘bath salts’ drug ban

‘I’m thrilled,’ chief says of new rules

Calgary Police Chief Rick Hanson is applauding the federal government’s move to ban the key ingredient in the street drug known as bath salts, saying it allows officers to finally crack down on dealers.

“I’m thrilled,” Hanson said. “Too many people were selling it, they were bringing it into the country. This is going to allow us to take the steps that are necessary to endeavour to put a stop to the sale of that.”

The compound MDPV, a synthetic substance that’s been around since the 1960s, has been placed in the same category as cocaine and heroin.

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said she sought the ban after health officials raised concerns over health and safety risks associated with abuse of the drug — named for its resemblance to the harmless bath additive.

Before the federal ban, the compound was sold as a legal product — as herbal treatment, incense, plant food, fertilizer, insect repellent, pond cleaner, even vacuum cleaner fresheners — and was widely available online.

It comes in power form and can be snorted, ingested, pressed into a pill or capsule, inhaled, smoked, and used as eye drops or nasal spray, said Calgary police.

Symptoms include foaming at the mouth, rapid breathing and quickened heart rate, overheating, resisting treatment, muscle pain, incoherent speech, combativeness, hallucinations and other mindaltering properties.

“It is an awful drug and yet it was being sold as something that’s not illegal yet, or it can’t be that bad if it’s not against the law,” Hanson said.

“Well, now it is. It’s going to allow us to take some pretty proactive steps in getting it off the street.”

Calgary police investigated two reports of bath salts this summer, though at this time, neither case has been posi- tively linked to the drug.

In June, the parents of a 21-year-old man called police with concerns their son had used the drug. Police backup had to be called to help subdue the man, and a police officer injured her hand in the struggle.

About a week later, a naked man seen smashing his face against a fence was also suspected to be high on the drug.

“We haven’t seen the proliferation that they’ve seen in some places in the U.S., but we have seen (the drugs) here,” Hanson said.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police welcomed the ban, calling it “an important step in stopping organized criminal groups from acquiring and profiting from this illegal substance.”

The compound can be used in legitimate research if authorized by regulation.

Officials warned the public not to confuse the street drugs with household bath salts, Epsom salts or scented crystals.