AMA supports ban on drugs known as 'bath salts'

CHICAGO — The nation's largest doctors' group has adopted policy supporting national legislation to ban synthetic recreational drugs known as "bath salts."

These drugs can cause paranoia and hallucinations and have been linked with deaths and hundreds of calls to poison centers nationwide. Some states already have implemented their own bans.

In other action at its annual meeting Monday, the AMA adopted policy that recognizes BPA, or bisphenol A, as a hormone-disrupting agent.

The policy supports ongoing industry actions to stop making baby bottles containing the chemical. BPA is used in a variety of consumer products.

The AMA also adopted policy that supports stricter monitoring of mercury emissions from cement plants. The idea is to reduce Americans' exposure to potentially harmful levels of mercury.

The AMA policy-setting meeting continues this week Chicago.