Bath salts illegal in Iowa
A drug involved in the brutal stabbing of a 15-year-old Red Oak girl was recently outlawed in the state of Iowa.
Cheyenne Borem was visiting her grandmother in Peru, Ill., when she was attacked by her step-uncle, Richard Vasquez, who stabbed her nine times, cut her 25 times and choked her with a belt.
Vasquez was high on a synthetic drug referred to as “bath salts” at the time of the incident.
The chemicals used to make salvia divinorum or bath salts were added to the Schedule I list of Controlled Substances on Aug. 29.
Anyone in possession of these drugs is committing a serious misdemeanor, punishable by law, and anyone who manufactures or delivers these chemicals is committing an aggravated misdemeanor.
Both Red Oak Police Chief Drue Powers and Montgomery County Sheriff Joe Sampson confirmed the use of bath salts and related synthetic drugs have not been an issue in our local community.
“We are very fortunate that hasn’t happened here,” Powers said. “Our police have been briefed on the changes to the law regarding these drugs. General drug enforcement laws apply and we are ready should an incident occur.”
One of several “designer drugs” outlawed in the new bill, bath salts is a combination of one or more types of the chemicals methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and 3-methylmethcathinone (4-MMC or mephedrone).
These compounds are similar in structure to methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or Ecstasy).
They are crystallized and marketed as “legal,” replacements for meth-amphetamine (speed), LSD and cocaine.
They are not the typical baths salts or epsom salts used in bath water.
The side effects of these drugs have proven extremely dangerous, if not lethal.
Symptoms have been documented to include addictive behavior, rapid heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, hallucinations, paranoia, agitation, depression and extreme violence.
There are psychiatric effects from taking the drugs that have led several individuals to harm themselves and others, some fatally, and to exhibit extreme paranoia and delusions not unlike schizophrenia and other psychoses.
The drugs have been sold in packets labeled as bath salts, bug repellent, natural stain remover and other such pseudonyms in mainstream convenience stores, gas stations, bait and tackle shops and head shops.
However, the main avenue of marketing has been the Internet.
Marketing seems to be targeted at youth.
“We heard the story of a family in Indianola, their son used the drug and then committed suicide,” Sen. Joni Ernst said. “He hallucinated and shot himself. His family was very distraught that he could get the drug so easily.”
Ernst supported the bill to make the chemicals to manufacture bath salts and other drugs such as K2 illegal in the state of Iowa.
Local counseling and rehab centers have concurred with law enforcement, there has been no report of the use of bath salts in the area with the exception of one youth (who remains anonymous) in Council Bluffs who sought medical attention and counseling to help recover from addiction to bath salts.
Tammy Noble, education coordinator with the Iowa Statewide Poison Control Center, said the bath salt usage numbers are on the rise.
“In 2009 there were zero calls for bath salt exposure,” Noble explained. “In 2010 there were two calls, one exposure and one information call. In 2011 (as of Sept. 21), there have been 56 calls just in the state of Iowa. Of those calls, 40 were exposures to the drug.”
“Our message is this is a dangerous drug that should be illegal,” Sen. Ernst said. “The bill passed unanimously. We do not want our children to have access to any of these drugs.”