INDIANAPOLIS | Businesses caught selling synthetic marijuana or stimulants known as "bath salts" will be effectively shut down for one year under a new law signed Thursday by Gov. Mitch Daniels that took effect immediately.
House Enrolled Act 1196 allows the state to suspend for one year the retail merchant certificate of any store found to be selling the drugs. Without a retail merchant certificate, a business is prohibited from selling anything.
Under the law, the owners, executives or managers of a business that loses its retail merchant certificate are also barred from applying for a new certificate for one year.
"I don't want to put anybody in jail, I don't want to charge them a huge fine, although this bill allows for that, I just want people to stop selling these drugs," said state Rep. Milo Smith, R-Columbus, a co-sponsor of the measure.
The new law also expands the list of compounds defined as synthetic marijuana or "bath salts" and allows the Indiana Board of Pharmacy to issue emergency rules adding to the list when the General Assembly is not in session.
"There's no loopholes left," said state Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette.
Businesses selling the drugs can turn them in with "no questions asked" on April 28 at any state police station except the Toll Road post.