Indiana law enforcers plan new synthetic drugs push - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller and Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry say they're taking steps to eliminate sales of synthetic drugs such as those known as bath salts and spice.

Zoeller said Wednesday his office and other state agencies have issued a statewide notice detailing penalties for violating the state's tougher new synthetic drug law. He's also asking retailers to sign an agreement not to sell synthetic drugs and surrender any inventories they have in return for closing of any pending investigations of them.

Curry says Indianapolis police will hand deliver warning letters to retailers that sell the drugs.

Scot Imus of the Indiana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association says he thinks the steps are a great idea.

The drugs mimic the effects of stimulants and marijuana. Zoeller says the drugs can make users paranoid, cause rapid heartbeat and other behavioral changes.

"We're not suggesting that the vast majority are doing anything wrong, but clearly some of them are," said Zoeller.

Bloomington mother Tonya Dugan teaches her eight-year-old son to stay away from all drugs - especially bath salts - because she's seen what they can do firsthand. She says it's the very drug one several of her family members have abused after casual use.

"It's cost my father his 15-year marriage to his wife. Both of my brothers have been in prison because of dumb stuff that they've done," Dugan said.

Sadly, Dugan's story is growing increasingly more common in Indiana. Workers at the IU Health Poison Control call center say they take about 500 calls a year on bath salts.

"I was finding packages and little round glass bottles," said one man.

The father and grandfather asked not to be identified, but shared with Eyewitness News how a bath salt addiction affected his now ex-wife.

"It got to the point where she was seeing things. She would stay up so long that she would see things that were not there," he said.

The drugs go by the names "Cloud 10," "Bang Bang" and "White Lightning," but whatever they're called, victims like Dugan, who have seen their effects firsthand, want to make sure they're banned for good.

"Puts a whole new perspective on what street drugs do," she said.

Learn more about the drugs and what law enforcement is doing to stop their sale.

(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)