These bath salts can kill
Not long ago it was Spice, a.k.a., synthetic marijuana (similarity of appearance, not effects). As lawmakers and enforcement agencies caught up, by 2011 they were already behind the latest in designer drugs: "Bath salts." The problem with these synthetic, home chemistry set highs is that as soon as one or another ingredient is banned, the makers find another way to concoct it. And rename it.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, names for this hallucinogenic drug which mimics LSD or cocaine (and sold easily online or, at least originally, in convenience stores) include ("Ivory Wave," "Purple Wave," "Red Dove," "Blue Silk," "Zoom," "Bloom," "Cloud Nine," "Ocean Snow," "Lunar Wave," "Vanilla Sky," "White Lightning," "Scarface," and "Hurricane Charlie." That may be outdated. I did a quick search online and found more popular names, with an allegedly legal formulation. They do resemble regular bath salts and are sold in a rainbow of colors.
In 10 seconds I found a brand called Eight Ballz "bath salts" and "glass cleaner," Blow, and 99 MPH "novelty powder." Some labels call it plant food. The site offers to ship it overnight and brags that it's legal with no banned ingredients. With some ads calling it "herbal" it's packaged in small bags, plastic tubes, or small canisters. A 500 mg buy ranges $20 to $30. When I clicked "reviews" I saw a disclaimer "not for human consumption," but underneath it lists customer reviews such as "enjoyed the ride start to finish." I don't know about you, but I don't get a "ride" from glass cleaner or bath.
Poison control centers reported record-breaking calls related to bath salts in 2011 nationwide (none in 2009, 303 in 2010, and 4,100 by July 2011). According to NIDA, the drug is usually snorted (but may be eaten or injected) and contains amphetamine-like chemicals, such as methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MPDV), mephedrone, and pyrovalerone. Risk of mephedrone overdose is very high; bath salts are highly addictive and easily abused.
Bath salts trigger intense, meth-like cravings and psychotic thoughts and behaviors. They've been tied to crimes such as rape, stabbing, robberies, assault and scores of self-inflicted injuries. One woman scratched herself until she bled because she believed bugs were underneath her skin. Another man killed himself. Another tossed himself off a building.
The drug finally killed a man in Missouri this month, the first recorded death by the drug itself. His body temperature spiked to 105 degrees and his heart stopped. While they tried to subdue him (Tazer shocks and pepper spray did nothing), he claimed to be God. Yes, bath salts are as illegal in Missouri as they are here; Idaho passed legislation banning the known formula last year, just after passing an anti-Spice law. The DEA passed a temporary ingredient ban and is working on more, but again, makers just keep reformulating.
Symptoms of bath salt highs are like those of other synthetic stimulants. They include chest pains, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, agitation, hallucinations, extreme paranoia, and delusions. Like with Spice, specially designed drug tests are able to detect bath salts in the blood stream, but it's not yet part of the typical array for employers.
Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Email sholehjo@hotmail.com