Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday new regulations regarding the sale and possession of bath salts or synthetic drugs in New York state.

The new regulations, created by the New York State Department of Health, will include stricter penalties, higher fines and the potential for jail time, according to an Aug. 7 news release.

Distributors have been able to sell synthetic drugs as “legal” substances by substituting various ingredients and chemicals in the drugs, thus slightly differentiating them from illegal forms. To combat this issue, the Department of Health has prohibited several drugs and chemicals used to make synthetic drugs, according to the release.

Store owners and employees selling the drugs can now be charged with possession of an illicit substance, and violators can face fines of $500 and 15 days in jail. Civil penalties have risen to fines of up to $2,000 per violation, according to the release.

“The actions we are announcing today attack the problem by helping our law enforcement officers enforce the rules, expanding the list of banned substances used to manufacture bath salts, and imposing tougher penalties so those who sell these drugs are held accountable,” said Cuomo in the release.

There have been 191 emergency room visits in upstate New York for cases of synthetic drug use in 2012 so far. Of these 191, 120 took place in June and July, according to the release.

Cuomo held a news conference in Syracuse at 12:45 p.m. to announce the new regulations at the State Office Building at 333 E. Washington St., according to an Aug. 7 article published by The Post-Standard.