As a Michigan criminal defense attorney, I hear about some of the latest designer drugs that are out on the streets. One such designer drug is called “bath salts.” Generally, people who hear that term imagine the fragrant granules that are used for bubble baths. However, the bath salts drug is different than that. It is a dangerous combination of chemicals, including mephedrone, MDPV, and methylone. These drugs are often sold in stores and marketed as “bath salts,” with a warning that they are not for human consumption. Marketing the drugs as a legal bath product is a tactic to allow the drug’s users to purchase the product legally in stores and to escape the prying eyes of law enforcement.
Bath salts recently gained national attention when it was initially claimed that a suspect from Florida consumed bath salts before biting off most of a homeless man’s face. However, toxicology reports actually ruled out the presence of bath salts in the suspect’s body. Still, people jokingly referred to the incident as the start of a “zombie apocalypse.” Users of bath salts might experience hallucinations, agitation, paranoia, chest pain, and other severe symptoms. Being high on bath salts could have caused this face-eating incident.
Michigan lawmakers have reacted to the influx of bath salt use in this state. Governor Snyder recently signed legislation that outlaws bath salts and other drugs—like synthetic marijuana (also called K2)—in Michigan. Bath salts are considered analogue drugs because they are drugs manufactured to skirt federal and state drug laws. Many states are cracking down on analogue drugs and are outlawing these drugs, which have the same or similar chemical compounds to those drugs we know to be illegal, like marijuana and heroin.
The anti-drug laws in Michigan and the rest of the United States are very harsh. If you or someone you know has been contacted by police or prosecutors, now is the time to get an experienced drug crime defense lawyer. You will want to make sure your attorney understands the ins and outs of aggressively defending drug charges.
Stephanie M. Service is a defense attorney at Kronzek & Cronkright, PLLC. She represents clients in all criminal matters, including drug crime representation.
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