INDIANAPOLIS — A bill combating synthetic drugs, co-authored by Rep. David Yarde, R-Garrett, passed in the Indiana House of Reprsentatives by a 97-0 vote Thursday.
House Bill 1196 expands the definition of synthetic drugs to include a range of chemical compounds, including those known as bath salts.
Yarde’s version of the bill allows the Indiana Board of Pharmacy to add newly identified chemical components to the banned list immediately through emergency rule, when they are found in Indiana or other states.
“We need to run alongside these creative chemists in order to protect Hoosiers,” Yarde said. “Drug addiction is a plague that is engulfing not just northeast Indiana, but all over the United States. This creates more protection for the youth of Indiana.”
Drugs known as bath salts have effects similar to amphetamines and can cause damage to the nervous system. The law would make possessing or dealing synthetic bath salts the same as for real drugs and enhance penalties for those offenses with jail time.
Supporters of the bill say significant activity in synthetic drugs is causing concerns all over the state. Makers of the synthetic drugs are taking advantage of current law that lists only specific drugs and omits many ingredients that are extremely dangerous. The harmful substances are not now illegal due to slight differences from drugs listed in the law.
“”We want to create this law that will stop making it easy for chemists to create and distribute what they are justifying as ‘legal’ drugs,” Yarde said. “Passing HB 1196 will protect young Hoosiers from getting caught up in synthetic drugs, which create instant addictions to extremely dangerous substances. This is an extremely important step that must be taken in order to protect our Hoosier children and young adults.”
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