City Passes Ban on Bath Salts, Synthetic Marijuana

Easley City Council unanimously approved a local ordinance that will effectively ban the sale, possession and manufacturing of the synthetic drugs known as bath salts and synthetic marijuana.

On Nov. 3 city council introduced the ordinance as a precautionary measure to make certain the synthetic drugs do not make their way back onto store shelves.

The United States Drug Enforcement Agency issued an emergency ban on the chemical ingredients found in bath salts for 12 months on Oct. 21. The state of South Carolina followed suit and rescheduled the chemicals as Schedule 1 drugs on Oct. 24.

"We can bring a charge out on the street today for possession of a controlled substance," Easley Police Chief William Traber said on Monday night. "Instead of a General Sessions court case his will actually be a city court case."

Mephedrone, methylone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), the three substances used to make bath salts were banned. Five substances used to make synthetic marijuana were already banned.

According to South Carolina law, anyone who manufactures, distributes or possesses such drugs is guilty of a felony and can be punished with no more than five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for a first offense.