The Latest Drug Trend Is…Bath Salts?

February 1st, 2011

These aren’t your grandmother’s bath salts. The most recent–and extremely dangerous–drug trend has poison control centers and government officials on edge. Special chemicals labeled as “bath salts” and parading under such fantastical brand names as “Ivory Snow” and “Vanilla Sky” are known to cause hallucinations, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts. What’s even more concerning is that they can be bought by any 18-year-old at their local convenience store.

Bath salts are snorted, injected, or smoked by users to achieve a hallucinogenic high. Mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, also known as MDPV, are usually its main components. The damaging effects of the drug have led to emergency calls all over the country.

“[The drugs cause] intense cravings,” said Mark Ryan, director of the Louisiana poison control center. “They’ll binge on it three or four days before they show up in an ER. Even though it’s a horrible trip, they want to do it again and again.”

One such example is the experience of Neil Brown, who slit his face and stomach repeatedly with a skinning knife after getting high on bath salts. Brown has tried “every drug from heroin to crack” (Washington Post) and warns that the hallucinogenic effects of bath salts are among the most terrifying. He survived, but others have not been so fortunate.

The good news is that bath salts are a relatively new phenomenon, and many lives can be saved if lawmakers take the initiative to control the drug before it gets out of hand. Ryan stated that emergency calls about bath salts have dropped dramatically since Louisiana made their sale illegal.

To Learn more, check out our Bath Salts Drug Index