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Michigan to Outlaw Synthetic Drugs, Again

Gov. Rick Snyder will sign a group of bills into law banning K2, Spice and similar synthetic drugs in Michigan.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder will sign a group of bills into law today outlawing K2, Spice and similar synthetic drugs that have been cited as a reason for a spike in hospitalizations and psychotic behavior in the state, according to the Detroit Free Press.

One of the bills Snyder is scheduled to sign updates the list of chemicals used to make synthetic drugs and bans the possession and sale of them. In 2010, the state prohibited seven substances that were commonly used to produce synthetic drugs, but the manufacturers outsmarted the law by changing the formulas, according to the Press.

Another assortment of bills would allow the state to temporarily ban a substance if health officials believe that it is an immediate danger to people’s health, reports the Press.

The drugs were mostly sold under the names "K2" and "Spice" at gas stations, retail stores and on the Internet as incense or potpourri, according to the Press.

Tina Trenkner is the Deputy Editor for GOVERNING.com. She edits the Technology and Health newsletters.
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