DA confirms first case of bath salt use in County
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
Emergency legislation signed by Gov. Paul LePage in early July — an act to prohibit the sale or possession of so-called bath salts containing dangerous synthetic drugs — and his Aug. 13 address, emphasizing the “devastating consequences for those that abuse” the drug have heightened awareness to the dangers of the substance that was largely unknown just a year ago.
The problem isn’t just limited to southern Maine communities, where headlines are becoming more frequent indicating the latest bath salt-related arrest. Prior to the law being enacted July 6 making it a crime to sell or possess the synthetic substance, sold under a variety of names such as Vanilla Sky, Ivory Wave and White Rush, at least one store, according to Presque Isle Police Det. Sgt. Wayne Selfridge, was known to be selling the product in the area prior to July.
“The owner of the Presque Isle store voluntarily removed the product from the shelf prior to the law being enacted,” said Selfridge, noting that despite stores removing bath salts from their shelves, the drug is still accessible to those who want it. “It’s still being sold online and from person to person.”
While the majority of reported cases are downstate, District Attorney Todd Collins has confirmed at least one recent case of an individual being arrested who was later found to be under the influence of bath salts.
“There was one individual, Jeffrey Shaw, 40, of Presque Isle, who was indicted by the grand jury in May for unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs, eluding an officer, operating under the influence, driving to endanger and criminal mischief — dating back to an incident on April 30 in Presque Isle. It was first believed he was under the influence of cocaine — tested positive for cocaine. We have to address those charges, since the lab has since confirmed it was bath salts,” said Collins.
Although at the time of Shaw’s arrest, possession of bath salts was not illegal, Collins said, “”he was driving impaired nonetheless,”
Shaw is awaiting his next appearance in Superior Court in Caribou. No trial date had been scheduled at presstime.
Collins said the law “certainly doesn’t go far enough.”
“The governor is looking at getting it looked at in the new session,” he said.
The DA is hopeful the law will at least help reduce the availability of the drug.
“The first goal is to get compliance (from stores). We’d rather have the stuff out of the county/state completely,” but Collins said he understood it would take time to address the issue.
“At some point enforcement will come into effect. The emergency legislation went into effect the moment it was signed. Now the goal is to seize contraband — inform them through civil violation that it’s illegal,” said Collins.
According to Collins, the penalty for a first offense under the new law is a maximum fine of $350, which he said was probably what his office would ask for. The second offense would run a maximum of $500.
“A third offense becomes a Class E offense, punishable by up to six months in jail and/or $1,000 fine. The first offense of trafficking in it, a Class E crime, would result in six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. If you traffick twice, it’s 364 days in jail and a fine of $2,000,” said Collins.
Use of bath salts, whose clinical name is methlyenedioxypyrovalerone or MDPV, can result in numerous side effects, including: increased heart rate, agitation, diminished requirement for sleep, lack of appetite, increased alertness or awareness, anxiety, fits and delusions and nosebleeds. More serious side effects include: blood circulation problems, including increased blood pressure; seizures; muscle spasms; muscle damage; loss of bowel control; hallucinations; aggression; severe paranoia; panic attacks; sharp increase in body temperature; and risk of renal failure. At least one death has been confirmed in the state as the result of using the drug. Numerous other arrests have been made in connection with individuals using the product.
Collins said traditional treatment of those using amphetamines have been unsuccessful in treating people on bath salts.
“Treatment for amphetamines don’t work with bath salts. It has no effect on patients found to be using the drug. Medical personnel have a hard time sedating patients who are using,” said Collins.
Police are preparing for what’s to come.
“More people are using. Use is slowly increasing for points north of Bangor. It’s coming and it’s not going to be pretty,” said Selfridge.
For more information, contact the Maine Office of Substance Abuse Information and Resource Center at 800-499-0027.
