BANGOR, Maine — In early December, a disheveled man with his pants halfway down wandered into Bella Hair Studio, a Main Street salon, wanting a haircut.
When he didn’t get his way because he didn’t have an appointment, the man became increasing agitated and belligerent, ultimately threatening two employees.
Police believe the man, who was arrested on a warrant, was under the influence of bath salts, suffering from a mental health problem or some combination of the two.
Elsewhere downtown, another man believed to be high on bath salts recently frightened the owners and staff at The Fiddlehead Restaurant on Hammond Street to the point that they closed the bar there three hours early because of safety concerns.
Those are just a few of the incidents — and some of the milder ones at that — that downtown business owners, employees and residents say have been making them feel unsafe since the synthetic hallucinogen hit Bangor more than a year ago.
Last month’s episode at the hair salon prompted owner Bob Gilgan to organize a forum with the help of Bangor police, who were among the first in the country to become experts in dealing with people under the influence of the synthetic hallucinogen.
Business owners worry that perceptions that downtown Bangor has become less safe because of bath salts may be driving potential customers away.
During the roughly hour-long session Wednesday for about 25 people, Bangor police Sgt. Paul Edwards and Officer Jason McAmbly said that the number of bath salts-related incidents has dropped sharply since state and federal authorities cracked down on the drug.
The officers offered some dos and don’ts for dealing with people under the influence of bath salts or other drugs or who are suffering from mental health crises.
The idea, they said, is to attempt to de-escalate situations so they don’t get further out of control and to call 911. People who are delusional and agitated should be treated with caution, using a soft, calm, clear voice, said Edwards, who is an instructor for crisis intervention teams in the area.
Business owners and employees said better lighting and beefed up police or security presence could help, especially at Pickering Square, where the city bus transfer area is located and as such attracts transients and other troubled types.
Bangor City Councilor James Gallant, who attended the session along with Councilor Charles Longo and state Rep. Doug Damon, R-Bangor, said he would bring the safety concerns to the full council.
Gallant encouraged merchants, employees and residents of the neighborhood to come to the city with any other worries and ideas for improvements.
Interesting. I’m not sure why this bath salts story landed a front page spot, since this is very old news and bath salts use and arrests has been declining for months. What’s the real story behind this article?
Because it’s a problem, …though they won’t admit it, it’s a problem that they really don’t know how do deal with. When they do figure out what to do, it will be to punish. But does that get rid of the problem? That’s like saying capital punishment stops people from killing, just ask Texas how that’s working. It doesn’t.
How about trying to figure out where this crap comes from and try to stop as much as you can getting to the kids? They tried to punish pot, , then cocaine, then heroin……but they never put any money towards….stopping the flow, until it was too late. People complain about methodone, and I don’t blame them, you are trading one addiction for another. Everybody knows where heroin comes from, just like they know where these bath salts come from. It’s supply and demand, get rid of the supply, and the demand will eventually go down. And yes, it will get through, but it’s gonna cost em alot more than it does now.
What are they going to do with this? If it was me, I would do what they do in the bigger city’s, use the offenders to follow the money. Sounds like a TV show huh?…..how about setting up some undercover’s to find out, but do something other than watch them freak out, and die, and be resolved with the fact that prosecution will handle the problem. One guy said to lace it with cyanide, kill em off, and that way they will stop?…….that would be murder, and instead of one druggie to take care of in prison, we would have to foot the bill for a murderer as well…..
They need to start searching online…it took me 5 minutes to find several sites that sell it. They’ve also found a way to get around the bans…and one site is selling what they call “50 state legal” bath salts.
The most common way to discourage use of a drug people tend to like too much is to poison it. It’s called denaturing. You may have heard of denatured alcohol. They add a poisonous substance to the alcohol (usually wood alcohol or methanol) so that if you do get enough of it to make a problem of yourself, within 3 days you’ll collapse and go blind then die if you have not received competent emergency treatment.. Tylenol 3 and Vicodin work the same way. Tylenol is poisonous. You can only take so much of it before it ruins your organs, and knowing that it’s poisonous you shouldn’t ever take it at all, not even children’s Tylenol. Do we live in a world that is that sneaky, evil, and devious? You betcha.
The idea of poisoning people in order to save their lives is the most absurd thing I will read today. Your suggestion that poisoning a substance will stop an addict from getting their fix is naive.
It’s been done with denatured alcohol for at least a cnetury. Admitedly, this is a different situation, especially since only the scofflaws have control of the manufacture.
Destroy the village to save it.
The problem with Tylenol (acetaminophen) is that a lot of people accidently take it wrong. Over-the-counter cold medicines and some prescription medications (actually hundreds) contain it. If one is taking Tylenol and NyQuil together for a cold, they may be unknowingly overdosing. Tylenol dosing for children is 15mg/kg of body weight. Confusion has come with different strength products, parents not reading labels before dosing because they feel confident they are giving the right dose, and not knowing their children’s correct weight. When given correctly, Tylenol is a super safe drug. To call is poison that can ruin organs (it can damage the liver with overdose) and that you should never take it is paranoia. There are many drugs that can do bodily harm if taken inappropriately.
You cannot ban a substance that does not yet exist. The chemical composition of hallucinogenic speed analogs lends itself to easy manipulation to produce a different chemical compound that effects the brain in a very similar manner.
Yeah, I know…but because it’s such a big problem it’s important for officials to keep on top of what the banned substances are being replaced with.
“Because it’s a problem, …though they won’t admit it, it’s a problem that they really don’t know how do deal with. ”
Proper regulation, as opposed to prohibition, of drugs would be a good start. People resort to crap like this because of it’s legal status.
Well, bath salts were legal until this paper had another story every day about problems involving bath salts. They were banned because they became a problem.
They used to say this same stuff about cannabis back in the 30’s; it makes you crazy and violent and want to murder people. It sounds like it just might be true this time around. People just aren’t buying it so fast this time until they see more first hand evidence. People are a little smarter nowadays. This sounds like it’s only a problem with our lower IQ population though.
It is true. Much of the anti-pot material could be considered job preservation for the Feds who no longer had to police Prohibition. This is not an endosement of pot use, it is a halucinogen, but the approach was overblown. Not so here. This stuff is very bad news.
It does feel like Reefer Madness Karma…..
The government beared false witness against a safe, economical, versatile, plant Cannabis and Industrial Hemp, and claimed “it makes you crazy and violent and want to murder people.” etc.
And now low and behold,
A man-made synthetic drug does exactly what they propagated.
Trivializing a real problem again? Get real, open your eyes, get rid of the blinders.
Fuel the fire. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain
happened to me 3 mos ago downtown. didn’t know about the meeting though.
Aww the booze peddlers just don’t like the compitation from the drug peddlers. Put them all out of business. It all affects a persons mind in about the same way.
Huh? No way.
Maybe some of these places should hire private security. I know there are costs involved, but I’m sure customers would feel better knowing they can let their guard down a bit.
they hire private security …we pay higher prices for the services.
Then people are going to have to keep in mind that hese things can happen.
When dealing with anyone who is psychotic and agitated you have to stay calm or else the situation will escalate. This might sound weird, but it actually works really well…get them a cigarette, well, if they are a smoker. That will help calm someone down who is psychotic. You have to be really careful about any mention of police or the hospital, though, as that can set them off. Maintaining a calm casual conversation can also help keep the person focused enough so they level off….only if it’s helping the situation, though. The worst thing to do is behave in a verbally or physically threatening way. That’s a sure fire way to get assaulted.
So your saying a tazer gun followed by a face full of mace and hog tied wouldn’t be the answer?
Neither a tazer nor mace would even slow them down. It WOULD make them feel threatened and scare them, though, and they’d react violently. I’m dead serious about cigarettes as I mentioned before. Nicotine really does have a calming effect on people who are psychotic.
You CLEARLY have never dealt with a person on bath salts, have you??!!
Actually, yes I have.
Bath salts are satans pixie stix. :/
Yes more free advertising for the drug dealers. Thanks, Bathsalts Daily News
I’d call this trivializing but it isn’t. It’s called reality.
One easy solution to the whole issue !
Maine Constitution Article I. Declaration of Rights.
Section 16. To keep and bear arms. Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms and this right shall never be questioned.
Judge Andrew P. Napolitano
Frankly discusses how the federal government has
circumvented the Constitution and is systematically dismantling the rights and
freedoms that are the foundation of American democracy. He challenges Americans
to recognize that they are being led down a very dangerous path and that the
cost of following without challenge is the loss of the basic freedoms that
facilitate our pursuit of happiness and that define us as a nation.
A NATION OF COWARDS by Jeffrey R. Snyder
The uncompromising understanding reflected in the warning that America’s gun
owners will not go gently into that good, utopian night: “You can have my gun
when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.” While liberals take this statement as
evidence of the retrograde, violent nature of gun owners, we gun owners hope
that liberals hold equally strong sentiments about their printing presses, word
processors, and television cameras. The republic depends upon fervent devotion
to all our fundamental rights
Massad Ayoob
He is an internationally known firearms and self-defense instructor. He has taught police techniques and civilian self-defense to both law enforcement officers and private citizens in numerous venues since 1974. He was the director of the Lethal Force Institute (LFI) in Concord, New Hampshire from 1981 to 2009, and he now directs the Massad Ayoob Group (MAG).
amen, concealed weapons permits are a good thing.
i sort of agree. not just for sketchy drug abusers but some of the people that work down there are sketchy as well. I had one man push me aside when he was in a hurry to get to the court house. He was nicely dressed so I guessed he worked there. He come up from behind me and put both hands on my shoulders and moved me aside and said “excuse me” in a sarcastic tone. As he had a brief case clutched under one of his arms. I was shocked at first because I’m 40 years old and don’t need to be disrespected like that. Also for all I know he could of been trying to rob or attack me. If I had a concealed weapon I might have shot or stabbed him. I don’t care if he’s an employee of the court house. If you sneak up behind another stranger and put your hands on them they have the right to defend themselves. Even if you’re only trying to push them out of your way. I don’t care if this man thinks his life in back-woods bangor is more important than mine. Next time I might be carrying at least mace and if someone sneaks up behind me like that again. They are going to get “whats for”.
Hands on shoulders and an “Excuse me” and the next time you’re planning on ending his life. You just stuck a dagger in the back of all those folks who want everyone to be armed with lethal weapons. Clearly, arming everyone would NOT be a good idea. For those without weapons, always remember to be patient with those who move through life at a slower pace because like chocolates, when you touch one of them you never know what you’re gonna get.
Absolutely
Yeah, and all the drug addicts will have guns while wandering downtown – bath salts and guns – good idea??? Others will be jumpy and shooting at anything that moves. There are many who would be safe having a gun – but many who won’t be. Sounds like you want to take justice into your own hands. What we need is an improvement in the system.
Several of those arrested for “Bath Salts” had weapons.
You can’t just go around shooting everyone you suspect is dangerous.
Agreed
I feel fortunate to have the right but sad I feel the necessity.
I concur 357magnum! Spot on. Also, This is as close to a zombie apocalypse as it gets. No pun intended. Serious matter. But let’s all protect our familes, friends, and even our employees, businesses & customers! The motto should be; Don’t bring salts to a gun fight. :).
Thank you realasit gets !
The 2nd Ammendment is THE Backbone to our Constitution & TBOR.
Hope I NEVER have the to make the decision to put my RKBA onto action, but it’s comforting to know that the choice is available.
List countries with restrictive gun laws….link below.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=list%20countries%20with%20restrictive%20gun%20laws&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CDIQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nraila.org%2Fissues%2Ffactsheets%2Fread.aspx%3FID%3D78&ei=cvwPT8KtCY610QGO17WFAw&usg=AFQjCNG0lVW8u-1t3aOSMRQa0hCfyALggg
(I)n Canada a dramatic increase in the percentage of handguns used in all
homicides was reported during a period in which handguns were most strictly
regulated. And in strictly regulated Germany, gun-related crime is much higher
than in countries such as Switzerland and Israel, that have simpler and/or less
restrictive legislation.” (Library of Congress, “Firearms Regulations in Various
Foreign Countries, May 1998.”)
Someday, all of this senselessness which we are subjected to on a daily basis will be forgotten…..MARANATHA !!! :<)
1) “Police believe the man, who was arrested on a warrant, was under the influence of bath salts, suffering from a mental health problem or some combination of the two.”
2) Bangor council supports embattled Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2011/12/12/news/bangor/bangor-council-supports-embattled-dorothea-dix-psychiatric-center/?ref=relatedBox
Hey you, yeah you on the right, who is supposed to connect the dots, ?
Maybe a “beat” cop in the downtown area on foot. Bath salt uses are paranoid, maybe it will keep them at bay. Or a “rent-a-cop’.
Although, I can appreciate the message of this article, it’s not exactly good advertising for downtown Bangor. It perpetuates the view that downtown is a high crime area which it is not.
“Police believe the man, who was arrested on a warrant, was under the influence of bath salts, suffering from a mental health problem or some combination of the two.”
And this:
“Business owners and employees said better lighting and beefed up police or security presence could help, especially at Pickering Square, where the city bus transfer area is located and as such attracts transients and other troubled types.”
Until we start seriously digging into how to deal with other areas shipping their indigent/mental patients to us, and stop talking about closing DDPC, this BS will never end. Yes, I realize the Bangor area has it’s own ‘population’ of troubled people; however, outlying areas with little to no opportunity or services allow for people to move closer to where they can get the help they need too.
It’s called “self-medicating.” Only this time they’re self-medicating with the equivalent of Draino or some other pure poison.
Frankly, I think they should be opening beds in DDPC not closing it altogether!
How simple that would be. If they tried to break into my home, then sure, I’d do that in a heartbeat.
In downtown Bangor? No. What if the bullet ricocheted and hit someone else in the process?
Could you live with the first shot going over their head and striking someone else dead?
I couldn’t.
Be proficient with your firearm… Practice often,,, use defense rounds, aim double tap to center mass aka torso…. Always be aware of your background whats behind your target, not difficult if you have the mentality for it. Train yourself….
Something needs to be done about Downtown Bangor with bath salts and all the transients. I had to stop taking my toddlers over a year ago to the Bangor Library because someone was outside screaming profanities at us. There are so many people from the homeless shelter going their for a warm dry place to stay. It’s really too bad because it’s a beautiful building. I wish I knew what the answer was:(
Conceal, Carry, Protect yourself when you feel threatened. Simple
Exactly
It appears that we are getting more and more instances of bath salts cases every day. Why is it we never heard anything about these idiots when it was still legal to purchase those faux drugs? Did the cops and store owners just sort of see them and laugh while eating their donuts and emptying the cash registers? Now it is illegal and seems to be out of hand.
Read. Instances have gone down since the bans. But, it’s obviously still a problem. Read.
I don’t like going into Bangor anymore, it makes me nervous. I think someone better get with it – clean up the streets of this city.
I don’t like down town Bangor anyway. Shady characters catch the city busy down there. Lots of clinics were people with mental illness go, besides the bath salt use there are a ton of drunks that are all over the place. Also drivers don’t care if a pedestrian is a cross walk. Drivers are dangerous down town. Also there are NO new buildings down town. It looks like a dirty old remembrance of something from 100 years ago. Also it’s not like they are architecturally/aesthetically pleasing. They are rather plan ordinary looking (yet outdated looking) buildings. Also why would I want to shop down town and buy over priced crunch granola clothes or coffee that is way over priced? Unfortunately once in a while I need to use the post office (which for some reason is in a real crappy location with bad parking) which doesn’t look like what a post office should look like for a city. I also need to catch the bus from time to time downtown : ( but if I had my druthers I would never go downtown Bangor anyway. Also the inside of some of these buildings are creepy looking. Overly renovated buildings that have styles from the 1920s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, all mixed into ugly messes. Very unprofessional looking. I’d rather go out to the Bangor mall area where things too newer or out Union St. where buildings look more professional. Or even over to some parts of Brewer.
Everyone’s a critic … architecture, visuals, etc. I can name you at least one century old building that has been very nicely renovated and well amintained. If you’re that turned off, don’t go there. Simple.
Downtown Portland is safer.
Anything you do like?
Judging by their post, big box stores only!
Seriously, you’re saying that the architectural integrity of outer Union St. trumps that of downtown?
Seriously?
The business owners are right to be concerned.
Another idea… everyone who’s fretting and complaining, why not spend less time in front of the computer and some more time Downtown? There are a lot of great shopping and restaurants. The museum is free. Meet your friends for a cup of coffee and hang out. We have a fantastic library; take out some books, or post your BDN comments from one of their computers. Window shop, drop in and get to know the merchants. Nothing makes these types feel more unwelcome than knowing that there are law abiding members of a community that are always watching and won’t take this crap. There are many communities across the country who have been saved from this downward spiral by beginning neighborhood watches with the help of the police. Does the Bangor Police Department have such a program?
i was at a bar in guilford and a guy walked in…wanting a place to shoot a gun…lol bath salts?
The police are dealing far too much with the same people on a daily basis with no end in sight. How about taking the users and bring chain gangs into venue. Have them pick up the city and clean public buildings and the more they continue to use, the more time they serve? Only a suggestion.
Keeping a double barrel 12 gauge under the counter with some 00 buckshot handy seems reasonable…
Of course they’re are drunk people hanging around downtown!!! The place is full of Pubs and eateries that serve booze… It doesn’t matter how high class a place is, a bar is a bar is a bar, made to get people drunk and to pick up loose people… Put a suit on a drunk and they are just a drunk, Thats all… I don’t go to Downtown Bangor because I’m scared of all the drunk people coming out of the bars and driving drunk.. You never hear of the police arresting people that got drunk in a fancy downtown Bar because they wear suits…. I wish they parked outside the seadog, Hero’s or the Racino, plenty of drunks come out of them places… It’s just 2 dangerous to visit Bangor at night anymore… I guess this is what Fusion was all about, having Bars and eateries.. horray you got your wish….
What do you do for fun?
….
I think that our city councilors cringe every time a Bath Salts/Drug story is printed by the BDN. The hope I bet, is the attention is diverted somewhere else.
I think the City council has to make some choices. Business downtown or methadone clinics as a revenue maker.
Buy a gun and get a permit to carry it, and dont be afraid to use it if needed.