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West Texas Leaders Want Odessa City Ordinance Banning Bath Salts
West Texas Leaders Want Odessa City Ordinance Banning Bath Salts 7/29/12
fbolton@cbs7.com
CBS 7 News Reporter
July 29, 2012
Odessa, TX - West Texas leaders are coming together in hopes for a new city ordinance in Odessa banning bath salts. The ordinance will prevent any new business coming into Odessa to sell the drug and those who are caught with it would receive a penalty.
"As the saying goes a drug counselor uses, it doesn't discriminate. Substance abuse does not discriminate. Everyone is using it, from teenagers to adult population," said Anna Scroggins, counselor and owner of New Day Counseling.
West Texas leaders from criminal, medical and drug prevention backgrounds gathered to discuss the issue of bath salts in the community. They stated that they are following the lead of other Texas counties, by banding together to get bath salts banned in Ector County.
According to the Permian Basin Council on Alcohol and Drugs Abuse, the region of West Texas, including Ector and Midland counties, falls right behind Houston in the largest amount of bath salts usage reported to poison control centers.
"They're 11 regions in our state. For us to be the 2nd … but one of the smallest in population, that's huge. That's scary, because we know people are doing it [using bath salts],” said Carrie Bronaugh with the Permian Basin Council on Alcohol and Drugs Abuse.
Leaders stated that having this city ordinance in Odessa would prevent the spread of the drug and help those addicted receive treatment.
"And if you are being charged… if it's a misdemeanor, that's hope that they're going to get treatment. Because most of our courts are requesting that the clients now get some form of counseling and education. And that they aren't just being charged and sending them out back on the street," said Anna Scroggins, counselor and owner of New Day Counseling.
Like many synthetic drugs, bath salts are highly addictive. For information on ways to receive help click here.