By Tony McVeigh
Frankfort, KY – Legislation banning the manufacture, distribution and possession of synthetic stimulants known as "bath salts," zoomed through the Kentucky House on a 94-0 vote. The drug, commonly called "Dove," is sold in convenience stores and smoke shops. Rep. John Tilley of Hopkinsville told Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeigh, prolonged use of the drug can lead to paranoia, hallucinations and delusions.
"It looks like a bath salt would look if you just dumped in your bathtub. And people snort that?' Yeah, they can do anything with it, sadly. They can inject it, snort it. But they're mostly snorting it. And it's legal?" It is legal. And it produces a bad trip."
The bill now moves to the Senate. Lawmakers have completed eight days of the 30-day session. A suggestion to trim six days off the session has been floated, but so far no adjustment has been made to the official calendar. Last year's special session on the budget lasted six days, at a cost to taxpayers of 384-thousand dollars.