Hartsville City Council gives final OK to bath salts ban
By JIM FAILE
Hartsville City Council gave final approval to an ordinance banning the sale, possession and use of bath salts in the city limits.
The 6 - 0 vote came during a special meeting Thursday night. The ordinance takes effect immediately.
The city’s ordinance does not criminalize the sale or possession of bath salts – synthetic stimulants and cannabinoids intended to replicate the hallucinogenic effects or cause a similar reaction to the effects of illegal drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy, LSD and marijuana and which can be sold in retail outlets in South Carolina.
The ordinance provides for a $25 civil fine for violators and also includes a provision for the revocation of the business license of any business that violates the measure three times.
City attorney Marty Driggers told council on Oct. 11 when it first took up the ordinance that council does not have the legal authority to make the sale or possession of bath salts a crime because the state has not done so.
Earlier this month, Darlington County Council adopted an emergency ordinance that does criminalize the sale and possession of bath salts and that provides for a fine of up to $500 and up to 30 days in jail for violators.
The city ordinance is crafted after a model ordinance recommended by the S.C. Municipal Association and previously adopted by the City of Florence.
City police can issue citations for violations of the ordinance but cannot make arrests or incarcerate violators, Driggers said.
Council’s vote came as officials with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control worked on an emergency regulation to ban the chemicals statewide.
Councilwoman Wanda James was unable to attend the meeting.