Businesses Warned About Ban on Designer Drug

San Diego County's district attorney and sheriff today announced letters are being sent to nearly 100 businesses to warn of criminal or civil penalties if they ignore a new state law banning the sale of synthetic drugs, including an increasingly popular and dangerous drug known as bath salts.

“We're taking this action to let businesses know about the new law and penalties they could face,” District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said. “More importantly, we want to be proactive to let San Diegans know how dangerous these drugs can be. Bath salts in particular have been linked to an alarming number of calls to poison control centers and scary emergency room visits.”

The first wave of letters was mailed today to mini-marts, convenience stores and other businesses that have been known to sell bath salts, according to Dumanis and Sheriff Bill Gore.

The letters inform store owners about the new law and explain that failure to comply could result in criminal prosecution or a civil enforcement action. Potential sanctions include fines and imprisonment or permanent injunctions and substantial civil penalties.

AB 486, authored by Assemblyman Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, went into effect  Oct. 9, making it illegal to sell, dispense, distribute, furnish, administer or possess for sale synthetic stimulants known as bath salts.

—City News Service