Dayton signs synthetic drug ban

Synthetic marijuana, now even more like regular marijuana: it's illegal.

Synthetic marijuana compounds? Now listed as Schedule-I drugs. Bath salts? The same. Designer psychedelics 2C-E and 2C-I? Yep. Illegal to buy, sell or possess.

The new law, which kicks into effect July 1, effectively bans a variety of products that have flourished in the last year as legal alternatives to illegal drugs.

Head shops have had a bonanza with synthetic marijuana products, reporting this year that it accounted for more than half of their business.

Whether the expanded law will actually stop people from getting high is doubtful, though. Retailers say crafty chemists are already churning out new products that aren't covered by the new law.

No doubt we can look forward to more drugs and more laws in the coming year.

More synthetic marijuana coverage:

• K2 and the synthetic marijuana boom [COVER STORY]
• Synthetic marijuana bans spread to Princeton and Hastings
• Synthetic marijuana: Statewide ban in the works
• Duluth won't enforce its synthetic marijuana ban
• Minnesota head shops sue DEA over synthetic marijuana
• Synthetic marijuana: Head shops' lawyer says DEA overreached