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SALT LAKE CITY -- Gov. Gary Herbert is expected to sign a bill Friday morning making Spice an illegal substance.
The use of that herb in Utah was first exposed by a KSL 5 News Investigation. In fact, KSL's investigative reports were the driving force behind several bills proposed during this year's Utah legislative session.
Last year, West Valley City mother Kerry McCullough was desperate to get the word out about Spice, the legal herb her son was smoking to get high. It even sent him to the emergency room.
"We don't know what to do. We really don't," she said at the time.
A year later, Kerry can't believe the impact her story has had on family, friends, community, and lawmakers.
"You guys are the only ones that stepped in and wanted to even help with it," she said. "Then all of a sudden it just exploded."
Gov. Herbert plans to sign HB23, which outlaws Spice. "I think it's an important piece of legislation," he said.
Herbert says he'll put pen to paper as soon as the measure reaches his desk. HB23 also bans Ivory Wave, a mix of bath salts being snorted for a meth-like high. Ivory Wave was first uncovered in a KSL 5 News report.
Meanwhile, Rep. Val Peterson, R-Orem, reacted quickly to our November investigation into products that turn ordinary juice into alcohol. HB85, which is still in the early stages on Capitol Hill, would prevent Utah minors from buying "Spike Your Juice" and similar mixes.
"I thought it was an issue and concern," he said. "As I talked to the department of alcoholic beverage control they said it looked like there was a gap in the code."
Kerry McCullough suspects there will always be a gap somewhere.
"There's going to be something else out there but hopefully we'll respond faster because we know about these things now that are synthetic drugs," she said.
But with the legislature's response to Spice and other synthetic drugs, she said it's another tool to help parents in the fight against drugs.
Story written by Lori Prichard and Kelly Just.
