Idaho Senate Broadens “Spice” Law

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Senate committee voted to expand Idaho laws outlawing synthetic marijuana. The Senate voted 34-1 on Tuesday to add new formulas of the drugs — known among users as "spice" — to the state's list of banned substances. Sen. Bob Nonini, a Coeur d'Alene Republican, was the lone dissenter.

The new formulas have been identified by the state forensics lab, developed by manufacturers seeking to skirt Idaho's existing spice prohibitions. The measure comes after lawmakers in 2010 outlawed a variety of chemicals that mimic the effects of cannabis and other new products that contain organic leaves coated with chemicals that provide a marijuana-like high when smoked.

During Tuesday's debate, Sen. Steve Vick of Dalton Gardens described what he termed dangerous hallucinatory effects of the drugs.