VIDALIA — Gov. Bobby Jindal’s recent decision to ban six dangerous chemicals being sold as bath salts and plant food in the State of Louisiana has local law enforcement agencies cracking down on the substance.

“We’re going out this week to each and every store that we believe to be selling these items, meet personally with the managers, and ask for their cooperation,” Concordia Parish Sheriff Randy Maxwell said in a press release. “They’ll have time to remove the products but, after that, if our deputies or city police find the items are still on the shelves, arrests will follow.”

The chemicals in the fake bath salts have been added to the Controlled Dangerous Substance Act as Schedule I drugs, meaning the possession, manufacturing or distribution of the drugs will carry penalties similar to that of heroin, which could lead up to 30 years in prison.

Maxwell, Vidalia Police Chief Arthur Lewis, Ferriday Police Chief Kenneth Hedrick and members of their staffs, met Tuesday morning to discuss asking area merchants to voluntarily remove the items from their shelves immediately.

The officers all agreed on the dangers of the substances, which are being marketed to the public through packaging with the names Ivory Wave, Ocean Charge Plus, White Lightning, Scarface, Hurricane Charlie, Red Dove, Cloud-9 and White Dove.

The removal of the substances from area convenience stores and gas stations, comes after Jindal’s decision last week to ban the substances due to a large number of emergency room calls regarding problems from people using the substance.

According to Jindal’s office, many users are “in crisis” after using the substance, which can be snorted, smoked or injected.

Users of the drugs are being treated for extreme paranoia, delusions, agitation, hallucinations, chest pain, hypertension, headaches and suicidal thoughts in some cases.

Law enforcement officials and emergency room doctors have reported violent encounters with many of those high on the substance.

State Secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals Bruce D. Greenstein said due to health and safety concerns, the problem is in dire need of quick action.

Jindal also stated last week that law enforcement officials have the tools they need to crack down on the new illegal substances.

In total, there are six chemicals being added to the schedule I drugs list including, Methylone, 3,4-Methyenedioxypyrovalerone, Mephedrone, 4-methoxymethcathinone, 4-Fluoromethcathinone and 3-Fluoromethcathinone.

The addition of the new chemicals is not new to the state; in the summer, “synthetic cannabinoids,” or fake marijuana, were also banned.

According to reports from the CPSO, many arrests have been made for possession and distribution of fake marijuana, and officers are planning on cracking down just as hard on the possession and distribution of the new chemicals.