SENATE PASSES SENATOR COLLINS-BACKED PROVISION TO BAN DANGEROUS SYNTHETIC DRUGS

            WASHINGTON, D.C.-The U.S. Senate recently approved a Food and Drug Administration bill that includes an amendment, supported by Senator Susan Collins, that would ban the sale of synthetic marijuana and other drug-like products, like mephedrone and MDPV, that can be used to make "bath salts."

            "Quite simply, these chemicals are dangerous and do not belong on store shelves," said Senator Collins.  "I am deeply concerned with the terrible effects of these chemicals on people in Maine, and across the country.  The longer we wait to seriously address this issue, the more people we put at risk.  Congress must take action."

            This legislation, similar to a bill that has already passed the House, would take the chemicals the Drug Enforcement Agency has identified within synthetic marijuana products and place them as Schedule I narcotics, thus treating them like other banned narcotics such as methamphetamine and cocaine.

            Senator Collins has said that the bath salts crisis is a "national threat that requires national action."  She has also cosponsored legislation that would require better coordination between federal and local law enforcement agencies that are targeting the spread of synthetic drugs, like "bath salts."