Don’t touch those “bath salts”

NASHVILLE, TN. In an effort to curtail drug crime in Tennessee, on April 18, 2011, the Tennessee state Senate unanimously approved a bill prohibiting the possession or sale of methcathinone, presently sold legally as “balt salts” or sometimes “Molly Plant Food.”

Law enforcement says abuse of this psychoactive stimulant, which is considered addictive, is on the rise.

In passing the bill, the state Senate joined the state House of Representatives, which had already unanimously passed HB457.

But the new law, which awaits the governor’s signature, only makes it a misdemeanor to posses or sell this addictive stimulant.

Why wasn’t it made a felony? Reason: the projected costs of incarcerating those convicted caused the switch from originally being a felony to being only a misdemeanor with no mandated jail time.

One can only hope the state legislature will be so considerate of the incarceration costs should they wind up with the power to regulate a woman’s right to choose. See “Oh, how they torture the language so,” previously in this blog.