Will Pa. Bath Salts Ban Prevent Zombie Attacks?
Pennsylvania has banned bath salts - a possible culprit in the gruesome 'Causeway Cannibal' attack in Miami.
It's been almost a year since Gov. Tom Corbett signed a bill banning a group of designer drugs called bath salts in Pennsylvania.
Authorities blame the substance for some cases of violent and bizarre behavior - and speculate that bath salts may be the drug that led a Florida man to attack a homeless man on Miami's busy MacArthur Causeway, stripping off his clothes and chewing the victim's face off.
Police shot and killed Rudy Eugene, 31, after he growled at them, refusing to stop his vicious assault on Ronald Poppo, 65.
Bath salts have been called the "new LSD" and can inspire powerful feelings of invincibility, according to this report about bath salts and the Miami cannibal case.
Officials and the general public need to look past the headlines about "zombies" and "cannibalism" and consider the fact that Florida is one of the worst states in the country when it comes to funding mental health services, says columnist Subhash Kateel.
If the "Causeway Cannibal" story isn't ghoulish enough, a Maryland student has now admitted to eating his roommate's brain and heart. There's been no word yet on a motive in that fatal attack.
Bath salts - which can affect users the same as cocaine, LSD and methamphetamines - have been banned in Pennsylvania since August. The success of the ban depends on whom you ask. Drug treatment officials say bath salts are still pretty easy to get via the Internet and head shops.
Suspected bath salts cases in Pennsylvania include:
- A man who broke into a house because he was being chased by electricity
- A man who set fire to his girlfriend's apartment and attacked firefighters when they arrived
- A man who assaulted a state trooper and didn't seem affected when a stun gun was used on him.
So tell us what you think. Take our poll and add your comments below.
Holly
8:31 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I just wanted to clarify that the picture you originally had with this article showed the substances known as K2 and Spice. Those substances are synthetic cannabinoids, which is often referred to as synthetic or "herbal" marijuana, which is entirely different from bath salts. The main ingredient in bath salts is mephedrone (or its analogs). I uploaded a picture of a couple of bath salts containers. Be aware that bath salts are also marketed as plant food and jewelry cleaner. They get around the laws by printing "Not for human consumption" on the label.
Lucy Bennett
9:43 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Thanks Holly for the catch and the new picture. I've removed the other image.
Beege Marshall
11:47 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I sure as ---- hope anyone who CHOOSES to ingest this stuff doesn't start using "on drugs" as a defense for their behavior, as we have heard before with alcohol. We are sick to death of ANY substance used as a "defense" when they knowingly put it into their system.
Mury Hallman
4:56 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
why is it mostly men using bath salts or am I missing something?
Mury Hallman
4:57 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Why is it mostly men who are using bath salts or am I missing something?
M
john
3:15 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Just make weed legal and all this will go away. Oh and tax the crap out of it!