Bath Salts

When you think of the word "drug" what comes to mind? Probably marijuana, cocaine, lsd, prescriptions but what about bath salts? When I first heard stories about people on bath salts my reaction was you have to be kidding right, but no first popping onto the radar of the DEA and poison control in 2010, this product is causing quite a stir in the United States. Mark Ryan from the LA poison control says in an interview on the Dr. Oz television show "that he has never seen a drug that has caused the problem as quickly and severely as this". Making local and national headlines as the new designer drug that is completely legal, for now at least, and very dangerous. It doesn't stop people from purchasing it and snorting, ingesting, injecting and smoking bath salts. The product was never marketed with the intent of people using it in their bathtubs and the effects were really unknown until it hit markets, it is produced in a small bag with names like ivory snow, blue magic, tranquility, and bolivian bath. In order to be in accordance with U.S. Food and Drug administration the bags were printed with "not for human consumption". If this stimulant had been printed with for human consumption, it would have been regulated. Makers are using this as a tactic to skirt below the laws and regulations. Users are said to experience the effects of crystal meth and cocaine but with deep paranoia, hallucinations, and psychosis that have caused some to commit suicide. Phone calls to the poison control center have been on the rise since this product has made its appearance. From 303 calls in 2010 to 3,740 calls as of June 30, 2011. (www.aapcc.org, July 7, 2011) Bath salts is becoming a very rapid spreading problem. Although it seems it doesn’t matter what age or ethnicity you are, this can be very harmful. Because of the easy access it is often tried among teens and young adults. The extreme cases where users have been suicidal and delusional are becoming increasingly