white powder marketed as bath salts under names like Ivory Wave, Vanilla Sky and Purple Rain mimics cocaine and LSD when snorted. And as of Wednesday, it's illegal in Florida.

15:08 State issues temporary ban on fake cocaine 0 Comments

State issues temporary ban on fake cocaine - Florida - MiamiHerald.com: "The white powder marketed as bath salts under names like Ivory Wave, Vanilla Sky and Purple Rain mimics cocaine and LSD when snorted. And as of Wednesday, it's illegal in Florida.

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an emergency rule that makes possession or distribution of the powder a third-degree felony punishable by one to five years behind bars. The rule will remain in place for 90 days, and legislators plan to pass a law making the substance illegal permanently.

Until now, the packets of powder have been sold in convenience stores and head shops. They contain a chemical called methylenedioxypyrovalerone, or MDPV. Side effects include increased heart rate, nosebleeds, hallucinations, severe paranoia, seizures and kidney failure. It's typically sold in 500 milligram packets for about $35.

Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen said users usually ingest 10 milligrams or less, but some are consuming entire packets.

In one case, a man under the influence who had ingested the drug displayed near ``superhuman strength'' and required seven officers to subdue him, McKeithen said."

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