State Representative's Bill Works To Tackle Synthetic Drug Problem

State Representative Anne Thayer is trying to tackle the ongoing problem of synthetic drugs, such as "bath salts" and synthetic marijuana, being sold on the shelves in Upstate stores.

Thayer has a bill at the State House that would ban the sell and possession of more than 100 ingredients found in synthetic drugs.

The DEA passed an emergency ban on three common "bath salt" ingredients, mephedrone, methylone, and MDPV, in October. Several Upstate counties also passed bans on synthetic drugs.

Since then, law enforcement agencies in the Upstate are dealing with synthetic drugs being marketed in a new way as "glass cleaner." In some cases, deputies say the label has been changed, but the ingredients fall under the banned substances. In other cases, the chemicals do not include ones on the federal banned substance list.

Thayer says her bill would put South Carolina 5 years ahead of the "street dealer" because it includes a comprehensive list of chemicals found in synthetic drugs. Thayer says the bill could be up for debate on the House floor as early as Tuesday.  

Deputies say they were "bath salts" in disguise. Narcotics officers from the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office recently found a package of synthetic drugs while they were doing spot checks at local convenience stores and head shops. The package was labeled “glass cleaner,” but when deputies peeled it back, they found a label underneath as “bath salts.” 

Lt. Ashley Harris says, “Bath salts had a bad name. People were starting to shoot up their house. People were starting to go crazy, so they (the manufacturers or sellers) said let's call it ‘window cleaner,’ and so they just stuck a label on top of bath salts.” 

Lt. Harris says it’s an example of how people are trying to get around a ban on synthetic drugs, known as bath salts and fake marijuana. Lt. Harris says, “You can call it ear wax. That's not important. What is important is they're trying to sell their product.” 

Sometimes, deputies say synthetic drug sellers and manufacturers just the change the label. Other times they change the chemical make-up, so that the drugs aren't actually on the banned substance list. 

Rep. Thayer says, “You have to be specific because when you start getting vague in the law, people start interpreting that differently.” 

Rep. Thayer has worked with a forensic investigator to put together a list of more than 100 ingredients found in bath salts and synthetic marijuana. She has a bill that would make them all illegal. Rep. Thayer says, “We feel like this puts us about five years ahead of some of the street pharmacists.” 

The legislation is personal for Rep. Thayer. She says, “The scary thing to me and one of the reasons that I was interested in it is because obviously I have teenage children, and this is the kind of drug that really good kids are using.” 

Lt. Harris says anything that keeps the drugs off the streets will help. He adds, “It makes it a little harder to skirt the law.”