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IT IS A SIMILAR SITUATION IN DIFFERENT TOWNS IN SULLIVAN COUNTY. THIS GROUP OF LAW ENFORCEMENT STOOD TOGETHER IN CLAREMONT TO MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT CERTAIN TYPES OF ILLEGAL DRUGS KNOWN AS BATH SALTS CONTAINING ALPHA-PHP ARE NOW CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES IN NEW HAMPSHIR >> NEARLY EVERY DAY WE ARE DEALING WITH SOME SORT OF SOCIAL ISSUE OR AN ISSUE THAT HAS AN UNDERLYING CURRENT OF BATH SALTS. KRISTEN: CLAREMONT POLICE CHIEF MARK CHASE SAYS HE STARTED SEEING AN UPTICK IN THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM DIFFERENT TYPES OF ILLNESSES BACK IN 2016. POLICE TRACED IT BACK TO THE U OF BATH SALTS, AND AT THE TIME, THEY WERE LIMITED TO WHAT THEY COULD DO UNTIL NOW. >> THERE IS NOW A RISK. FOR THE LAST FOR FIVE YEARS, THERE WAS NO RISK FOR PURCHASING OR SELLING BATH SALTS. KRISTEN: POLICE SAY INGESTING BATH SALTS CAN LEAD TO BIZARRE BEHAVIOR LIKE PARANOIA AND EXTREME STRENGTH. THEY SAY THE HIGHS ARE SIMILAR TO USING METH, COCAINE AND ECSTASY. >> ERRATIC BEHAVIOR, OFTEN TIMES CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BEHAVIOR, OFTEN TIMES IS CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. KRISTEN: SULLIVAN COUNTY ATTORNEY MARC HATHOWAY SAYS IF PEOPLE ARE CAUGHT WITH THE DRUG THEY COULD FACE LONG PRISON , SENTENCES AND FINES SOMETHING , LAW ENFORCEMENT SAYS IS NECESSARY. >> THIS DRUG IS THE MOST DISRUPTIVE FORCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. KRISTEN: LAW ENFORCEMENT TELLS US THAT THEY HOPE BY MAKING BATH SALTS A CONTROLLED DRUG, THEY HOPE THE PEOPLE IMPACTED GET TH

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Law enforcement officials in New Hampshire can now criminally charge someone for the sale and possession of "bath salts."The synthetic drug has been around for years, but police had been unable to target it until the change in state rules.Police said certain types of drugs containing the substance alpha-PHP are now controlled substances in New Hampshire."Nearly every day, we are dealing with some sort of social issue or some issue that has an underlying current of bath salts," Claremont Police Chief Mark Chase said. Chase said he started noticing an uptick in the number of people suffering from certain types of illnesses in 2016. He said investigators traced it back to the use of bath salts, but police were limited in what they could do."There is now a risk because, for the last several years, there has been zero risk if you are buying or purchasing or if you have it in your pocket," Chase said.Police said ingesting bath salts can lead to bizarre behavior, such as paranoia and extreme strength. They said the highs are similar to using meth, cocaine and ecstasy."The erratic behavior, oftentimes criminal behavior, the domestic violence behavior oftentimes is criminal behavior," said Sullivan County Attorney Marc Hathaway.Hathaway said anyone caught with the drug could face long prison sentences and fines."This drug is the most disruptive force in our community," he said.Law enforcement officials said that by making bath salts a controlled drug, they hope the people who have been affected by it can get the help they need.