Ban designer drugs

Midland (Mich.) Daily News: The Midland County area has seen the devastating effects of the designer drug known as bath salts.

The drug has led to overdoses, criminal activity, violence and other destructive behavior. It has created a new headache for local law enforcers in their efforts to keep the communities they serve safe.

So we welcome the news that the Michigan House and Senate are pushing legislation that would limit over-the-counter sales of substances such as bath salts and synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or spice.

And we like the fact each of the bills not only lists specific chemicals used to create the products, but also addresses the issue of future threats. If a creative manufacturer comes up with a new recipe for a substance not covered in the bill, the legislation gives the Michigan Department of Community Health the power to declare it a threat and have police pull it off the shelves. That authority comes in the form of a 180-day ban on the altered drug formulas.

A number of communities already have banned the over-the-counter drugs, declaring them a threat to their residents. We hope the state moves on its legislation fairly quickly.