'Bath salts' ban takes effect Sept. 1

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A synthetic drug marketed as "bath salts" so as to avoid regulation in order to be sold legally -- can no longer be sold as of Sept. 1 when HB 2118 goes into effect.

The bill bans the sale of the drugs, adding them to the list of Texs controlled substances. The chemicals are Mephredrone and Methylenedioxypyrovalerone, also known as MDPV.

Doctors have said the drugs can cause extreme paranoia, hallucinations, rapid heart beat, higher blood pressure and even death.

HB 2118 was sponsored by Reps. Garnet Coleman, Phil King, Helen Giddings, and Ken Sheets and Sens. Craig Estes and Leticia Van De Putte.