Another bill aimed at synthetic drugs is moving through the General Assembly. Half a dozen bills are taking on so-called designer drugs.

Two Republican lawmakers are moving down separate paths to outlaw drugs that can be bought in convenience stores with labels such as “plant food” or “bath salts.” Rep. Tony Shipley’s bill outlaws synthetic drugs that produce similar highs to existing controlled substances. Shipley is also a co-sponsor of Rep. Ryan Williams’ bill, which passed the state House last night. Williams says the two proposals would work in tandem.

“Mine deals mainly with the chemistry of it. His deals with the symptoms that are generated…as a by-product of these compounds.”

Last year, Williams passed yet another bill outlawing a list of known compounds. Since then, he says drug makers have come up with 20 new versions to get around the law that now need to be specifically banned.

The bills dealing with synthetic drugs were stalled until Governor Bill Haslam put money in his budget to pay for enforcing them.

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The bill, HB 2645 Ryan Williams/ SB 2507 Tracy, follows up last year’s bill nicknamed the “Molly’s Plant Food” bill.

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