Speech by the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Regulations to add MDPV to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

June 5, 2012
Ottawa, Ontario

Check Against Delivery

Good Morning,

Thank you for joining us today, as we share how our Government is taking swift action to deal with a very serious and dangerous substance that is being used as a recreational drug in our communities.

I would like to start by thanking Fredericton Police Chief Barry MacKnight for joining us today.  Chief MacKnight represents men and women who work hard to keep their communities safe, so I'm especially glad that he can be here today for this announcement.

As many people are aware by now, drugs that go by the street name "bath salts" have been linked to serious incidents in Canada and in other countries.

Let's be clear: these are not typical household bath salts. They are not the Epsom salts or the scented crystals that you will find in many Canadian homes and pharmacies.

These are drugs. Serious drugs.

While some of the so-called "bath salts" drugs already contain controlled substances that make them illegal, one of the key ingredients in many of these products, a substance known as MDPV, is not currently illegal in Canada.

This means that border officials or police officers who find these products have difficulty cracking down on them.  Even though they know it's a harmful drug, the gap in the law means they can't stop it.

Today I am pleased to announce our Government's intent to protect the health and safety of Canadians by making MDPV illegal.  This will make it harder for people to deal in or even to manufacture these so-called "bath salts".

The dangers these drugs pose are both physical and mental, including severe panic attacks and anxiety, as well as hallucinations and psychosis.

There have been several reported instances related to bath salts in Nova Scotia and Ontario.

Law enforcement is rightly concerned about the danger these "bath salts" pose to the public.  We need to give law enforcement the tools they need to get these products off the streets and out of the hands of those who may be unaware of the harm they can cause.

By making MDPV a controlled substance, it would be illegal to produce it, sell it, import it or possess it.

We owe it to our children and our communities to remove this serious health threat as quickly as we possibly can. This is why the Harper Government is taking immediate steps to ensure that this happens as quickly as possible.

We will publish our intent to add MDPV to Schedule 1 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in the Canada Gazette later this week.  That will put MDPV in the same category and heroin and cocaine.

This action is on a fast track because we can't afford to let this drug continue to threaten the lives of Canadians, especially young people. We expect to complete the process to make this dangerous substance illegal by this fall. Our Government is committed to keeping our streets and communities safe.

Thank you.