New law protects young Iowans by cracking down on designer drugs

DES MOINES, May 25, 2012 – The Iowa Legislature continued its bipartisan efforts during the 2012 session to battle the growing problem of synthetic marijuana and other “designer drugs.”

“Legislators voted overwhelming this year to ban dangerous designer drugs, including K2 and bath salts, which are more and more frequently sending Iowa high school students and other users to emergency room with ill effects,” said State Senator Steve Sodders of State Center, a deputy sherrif in Marshall County.

Senate File 2343, signed into law today by the Governor, is part of a multi-year effort by the Iowa Legislature, in cooperation with law enforcement agencies from across the state. During the 2011 session, the Legislature approved Senate File 501, which made it illegal to possess, manufacture, or distribute three types of hallucinogenic drugs.

Senator Sodders said it is important that state agencies, private organizations and local law enforcement agencies provide the resources that educators, parents and young people need to be aware of the dangers of designer drugs.

Reports from healthcare providers indicate that use of designer drugs is on the rise and has resulted in numerous emergency room visits and even death. 

For example, “bath salts” are stimulants that are ingested or snorted to get high. Poison control centers report that bath salts can lead to extreme paranoia, suicidal thoughts, agitation, combative and violent behavior, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and serious injury or death.

The effects of synthetic marijuana, such as K2, spice and Black Blaze, can vary significantly from person to person. Ill effects can include paranoia, agitation, vomiting, seizures, lack of pain response and uncontrollable body movements.

For more information about the dangers of these drugs, contact the Department of Public Safety Public Information Bureau at (515) 725-6196, or visit the websites of the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy, www.iowa.gov/odcp/drug_information/spice.html, and the Iowa Substance Abuse Information Center, www.drugfreeinfo.org/tk2.htmland.