Synthetic pot, 'bath salts' banned

COLUMBIA -- South Carolina officials are hopeful a new ban on synthetic marijuana and hallucinogenic "bath salts" will get the drugs out of the hands of teens and young adults, following a decision Monday to officially outlaw the substances in the state.

South Carolina joined 37 other states with a unanimous vote by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control board to classify the designer drugs as illegal. The vote will result in law enforcement yanking the products from the shelves at convenience stores and smoke shops, where they have been sold over the counter for around $25.

Users, as well as individuals who sell or make the drugs, will face a felony charge of up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for a first offense.

Rep. Wendell Gilliard, D-Charleston, said many of the Charleston County students he spoke to about the chemicals in the past several months seemed to take his warnings lightly. He said that will change with Monday's action and as reports continue to come in from across the country about the grave consequences of using the drugs, which can include death, stroke or psychotic behavior.

"I think people are waking up to the fact that this is serious," Gilliard said. "You have to understand that it is detrimental to their lives. It just takes one hit off of this to alter their whole lives."

The bath-salts ban does not apply to the toiletry. Rather, the substance in question is a chemical applied to powder or crystals that have a consistency similar to standard bath salts. The product, which mimics cocaine and LSD, is sold in small containers and marketed under names such as "Ivory Wave," "Purple Wave," "Vanilla Sky" or "Bliss."

"K2" or "Spice" is a chemical that is applied to herbal substances or potpourri and smoked to mimic marijuana. It also goes by the name "Blaze," "Red X Dawn" and "Mr. Nice Guy."

The statewide ban follows local action to control the substances by Moncks Corner, Dorchester County and Dorchester District 2, among other local authorities. On Friday, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration put a temporary emergency ban on the bath salts after a similar ban on synthetic marijuana took effect in March.

The vote by South Carolina's health officials will allow state and local agents, police and sheriff's deputies to enforce the bans, said DHEC spokesman Adam Myrick.

State Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel said the drugs are against the law and he advises stores to contact local law enforcement agencies to rid their shelves of the products before they are charged with a crime. SLED and other state agencies have tried to get the word out to store owners that the new law was coming, and now it's time for compliance, he said.

Gilliard and other legislators want to pass a new law against the drugs in South Carolina to build on Monday's ban after the Legislature reconvenes in January. Meanwhile, the federal emergency ban will last up to 18 months. Permanently outlawing the drugs on the national level will take additional action.

The medical community has been waiting for government to step in. Geoffrey Gray, an emergency room physician at Trident Health System, said the patients he sees for bath-salts use are psychotic, agitated and violent. The drug can cause delusions and hallucinations for up to 48 hours, Gray said.

"Anyone can go up and buy them," he said. "They are as readily available as drinks and candy."

Taking bath salts and synthetic marijuana off store shelves will ensure fewer teens and young adults can access them, he said.

Reach Yvonne Wenger at 803-926-7855, follow her at twitter.com/yvonnewenger and read her Political Briefings blog at postandcourier.com/blogs.