Title
To urge the United States Congress to permanently ban mephedrone, methlenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), and methylone, all key ingredients for "bath salts."
Body
WHEREAS, synthetic stimulants (chemicals) that are marketed at "bath salts" are often found in a number of retail products; and
WHEREAS, many of these retail products are sold over the Internet, in convenience stores, and at gas stations; and
WHEREAS, bath salts, which have become increasingly popular, particularly among teens and young adults, are ingested by sniffing and snorting, taken orally, smoked, or put into a solution and injected into veins; and
WHEREAS, the American Association of Poison Control Centers has reported that between January 1 and August 31 of this year 4,720 calls were made to poison centers about exposure to bath salts compared with 303 calls for all of 2010; and
WHEREAS, these synthetic stimulants act as central nervous system stimulants causing rapid heart rate (which may lead to heart attacks and strokes), chest pains, nosebleeds, sweating, nausea, and vomiting; and
WHEREAS, people who abuse these substances have reported agitation, insomnia, irritability, dizziness, depression, paranoia, delusions, suicidal thoughts, seizures, panic attacks, impaired perception of reality, reduced motor control, and decreased ability to think clearly; and
WHEREAS, police are alarmed by the paranoia and often-violent hallucinations that people who use the drugs experience; and
WHEREAS, these products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for any reason and; and
WHEREAS, they are marketed in a manner so as to mask their intended purpose in an attempt to circumvent the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 and the Controlled Substance Analogue Enforcement Act of 1986; and
WHEREAS, today marks the day that Ohio will add six derivatives of cathinone that have been found in bath salts to its list of Schedule 1 controlled hallucinogenic substances; and
WHEREAS, on September 7, 2011, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) used its emergency authority to ban chemicals used in "bath salts," calling the chemicals an imminent hazard to the public; and
WHEREAS, the DEA emergency ban took effect on October 7, 2011, and will make it illegal to possess or sell mephedrone, methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), and methylone or any products which contain the chemicals for one year; and
WHEREAS, a permanent national ban is needed to ensure that these synthetic stimulants continue to stay out of our convenient stores and gas stations; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That the Council of the City of Columbus does hereby urge the United States Congress to follow in the steps of the Drug Enforcement Administration by permanently banning mephedrone, methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), and methylone or any products which contain the chemicals.