New Types of Synthetic Marijuana Prompt Iowa Legislators to Act

Marion police and Cedar Rapids hospitals have on their encounters of synthetic pot and the dangers that accompany the drug.

In a previous interview with Marion Patch, Scott Elam, lieutenant in Charge of Investigations at the Marion Police Department, said the most dangerous feature of the drugs is how widely they vary in makeup and the varied, untested effects they have on the human body. 

"I think they most dangerous thing with the synthetics is that (manufacturers) go and change the chemical makeup," he said. "There are no studies as far as what that will do to someone long term."

But now Iowa legislators are taking action to ban some of the newer varieties of synthetic pot. According to Radio Iowa, a bill banning this susbtance is in the Iowa House and has gained an endorsement from the House Public Safety Committee.

"I would ask that you would, for the sake of helping to protect Iowa teenagers, that we could add these compounds to the list," said Iowa Rep. Joel Fry, a Republican from Osceola, according to Radio Iowa. "It, in the end, will hopefully protect more of our teens in an effort to try to stay ahead of where these individuals and manufacturers are taking K2."

His statement came nearly a week after authorities in Des Moines believe that three hospitalized students from East High School in Des Moines were sent to the emergency room due to an overdose of a brand of synthetic marijuana.

"Yeah they tripped out. They like both had seizures during lunch and one of them just got taken out," said student Steven Nichelson to WhoTV. "(I) saw my friend Ariana, who's a junior I believe, have a seizure. The other one got taken out on a wheelchair."

The new bill makes taking the drug an aggravated misdemeanor.