Governor Mitch Daniels signs spice bill into law; the ban is effective immediately

BUTLER, Ind. (WANE) The state of Indiana has officially put a ban on the synthetic stimulants nicknamed "bath salts." The ban toughens the prohibition on other drugs that mimic marijuana.

The law took effect immediately after Governor Mitch Daniels signed it on Thursday.

Under it, retailers could lose their business licenses for a year if they're caught selling the synthetic drugs. The license provision would apply in cases in which someone was convicted of selling the drugs as part of the retail outlet's normal business.

The law also adds several chemical compounds to a law that legislators passed last year banning marijuana-like drugs known as spice or K2. It also allows the state pharmacy board to declare a substance is a synthetic drug.

In Butler, Indiana, the Police Chief said the bill will make fighting a particular crime in his town much easier. He said it's no secret his small town is a hot spot for selling synthetic marijuana, or 'spice'.

“This particular bill gives us finally the proper mechanism we need to go out and enforce the law and rid our state of this dangerous drug,” said Nichols. This version of the law gives the Indiana State Board of Pharmacy the power to put an emergency ban on any adjusted formulas of spice without lawmakers' approval.

Nichols said that’s how spice sellers have been getting by, by creating different ’recipes’. With this law, he’s hopeful he will finally be able to catch store owners selling an illegal form of the drug and then they could face even more consequences.

“If a retail location is caught selling spice that they could lose and more than likely would lose their retail license for up to a year,” he said.

Arizona Harting told NewsChannel 15 he knows all too well what makes spice so appealing. “It's cheap, simple, affordable, easy in, easy out, get high, then you want it again,” he said. Harting used to be addicted to spice, but it nearly destroyed his marriage and relationship with his kids. He’s working to get clean and agrees the new law should help.

“Spice is just not worth the money that you spend on it to ruin your life or health,” he said.

The law goes into effect immediately.