'Take-back' program offered for newly banned substances

DES MOINES – State public safety officials announced Thursday they are offering a “take-back” program to dispose of certain “bath salts” and Salvia Divinorum that are being banned in Iowa.

During the recently completed 2011 legislative session, the Iowa General Assembly passed legislation that Gov. Terry Branstad signed that added synthetic cannabinoids, Salvia Divinorum, and “bath salts” to Iowa's list of Schedule I controlled substances. Synthetic cannabinoids -- often marketed under names such as K2 and Spice --were addressed on a short-term basis by action of Iowa's Pharmacy Board during 2010, so synthetic cannabinoids already had been illegal to distribute in Iowa on a temporary basis.

With the recent legislative action, state Department of Public Safety (DPS) officials said synthetic cannabinoids were added to Iowa law as Schedule I controlled substances effective July 29. A person possessing any of several varieties of synthetic cannabinoids is committing a serious misdemeanor, and a person who manufactures or delivers synthetic cannabinoids or who possesses such substances with the intent to deliver is committing an aggravated misdemeanor.

Unlike synthetic cannabinoids, two other substances – Salvia Divinorum and “bath salts” – had not previously been addressed by either the Legislature or the Pharmacy Board. Given that these substances have been legal to possess or distribute, the new law includes a delay of 30 days before Salvia Divinorum and "bath salts" become Schedule I controlled substances effective on Aug. 28, according to a DPS news release.

By delaying the addition of these substances to the list of Schedule I controlled substances, any person already in possession of the either type of substance will have an opportunity to dispose of the substance before it becomes contraband, according to DPS officials.

For a brief time this month, state officials are offering the opportunity for any person to drop off any amount Salvia Divinorum and “bath salts” at Iowa State Patrol district offices or at the DPS headquarters -- no questions asked. All substances turned over to the Iowa Department of Public Safety will be destroyed at the conclusion of the collection and disposal program, which will run from Monday, Aug. 8, through Friday, Aug. 26 during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

Known street names or product names for the “bath salts” of concern include Black Rob, Maddie, Magic, MDPK, MTV, Super Coke, as well as packaging labeled as “Bath Salts” or “Incense” and including a product name such as Aura, Blue Silk, Bonzai Grow, Charge Plus, Euphoria, Hurricane Charlie, Ivory Wave, Lovey Dovey, Ocean, Pixie Dust, Red Dove, Scarface, Vanilla Sky, White Dove, White Girl, White Lightning, according to a DPS news release.

Known street names or product names for Salvia Divinorum include Diviner's Sage, Ska María Pastora, and Seer's Sage, while known street names or product names for synthetic cannabinoids include Black Mamba, Buzz, Earthquake, Fake Weed, Genie, Hush, K2, K3, Mystery, Ocean Blue, Pot-Pourri, Pulse, Serenity, Spice, Spice 99, Stinger, and Voodoo, DPS officials said.

State officials said the new law addressing “bath salts” does not affect legitimate bath products that are typically found in the health and beauty section of a wide range of retail stores. Instead, the law addresses what are sometimes described as “designer drugs” that may be packaged and sold under a variety of names and may go by a number of different street names, according to the DPS statement.