"Bath Salts" and Synthetic Marijuana Banned in SC

South Carolina is now the 38th state in the nation to ban "bath salts."Not the kind you buy for your tub, the synthetic drug that mimics cocaine, and the fake marijuana known as "k-2"

The board of Health and Environmental Control, or DHEC, voted to ban the two drugs, commonly found at gas stations.

Over the past six months, hospitals across the states have seen a jump in patients, saying they've used one of the drugs.

And earlier this month, an Anderson University student died after smoking synthetic marijuana.

Beaufort County Sheriff PJ Tanner tells News 3 that sheriff's from across the state gathered last week and discussed this problem--expressing their concerns over the rise in cases where these drugs were involved.

"The discussion among the sheriffs is 'what are you seeing in your county, as far as the bath salts and the spice and those types of things?,' every sheriff said there is an absolute rise and the indicators are there tha this is becoming a severe and serious problem."

But Sheriff Tanner says that last night's vote will help law enforcement across the state especially locally.

"It's consistent throughout South Carolina, it's not ordanances created by municipalities or counties, it's a state law and which consistency will allow law enforcement to go in and enforce and do the things that they need to do."

As for businesses that claim they dont know the chemicals are illegal.....Beaufort County says that's not an excuse.

"You know if they are in the business and that is their business and their responsible for what they have in their business, then ignorance is no excuse, their responsible today as they were responsible yesterday but today is different than yesterday so there are some changes."

News 3 talked to and visited two businesses in Bluffton that reportedly sold the "Spice" drug but neither store had it on shelves today.

Officals say knowing what to look for is key for everyone.

"Not only does law enfocrement need to increase their knowledge of what we're doing as the law dictates us to enforce it, but I think that everyone as a whole including parents and the general public need to do the same thing, because its important that we are all on the same page," said Tanner.