The DEA has temporarily banned five substances used to make fake pot. But in a hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Rozga called for a nationwide ban on synthetic substances.

He said, "When we think of something as being fake, we think of something as being inferior. I submit to you that fake marijuana and fake cocaine are anything but inferior in strength and anything but safe."

Koeppen added that nine deaths have reportedly been linked to the use of synthetic drugs. Legislation named after David Rozga has been introduced in the Senate and would ban the chemicals used to make the fake pot.