STATEHOUSE (Jan. 20, 2011) - Senate lawmakers by a 47-0 vote today approved a bill authored by State Sen. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette) banning pot-like products across Indiana and creating stiff penalties for using and selling the substances.

Senate Bill 57 now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

"Lawmakers are taking serious actions to get these harmful drugs off of store shelves in Indiana," Alting said. "Now this bill will be debated by members in the House. I will continue to stress to my colleagues the dangers of these intoxicants and work to make a statewide ban on Spice a reality."

Alting's proposal adds various chemical compounds used in synthetic pot to the state's controlled substances list and creates the same penalties for producing, distributing, selling or using the products as marijuana.

Current state law bans "analog drugs" that are designed to have similar effects as illegal drugs, but a loophole exempts drugs labeled "not for human consumption" - often used on brands like 'Spice' that are sold as herbal incense, Alting said.

He said since the drug is not labeled for human consumption, the Federal Drug Administration has not tested its effects and therefore the long-range implications are unknown.

Sen. Ron Alting

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