HeartLine

If you have seen the news lately, you have probably heard about the “Naked zombie attack” in Florida. If you’ve heard about that, then you have heard about the drug being blamed: Bath Salts.

Florida is far from the only state that is having reports of very strange and aggressive behavior in people under the influence of drugs. Some people are screaming and running through towns, many are stripping off their clothes in panics, many are committing accidental suicide from paranoia, and many are trying to eat live things. Two incidents in two days occurred in Canadian Valley and one was trying to eat a live cat.

This is a very dangerous drug that needs serious attention!

The first thing you need to know to fight this problem is: What are Bath Salts? Don’t be fooled by the innocent sounding name. They get the name because they look like actual bath salts. Many new drugs have normal or plain names that give the product the appearance of a legitimate use. And then they put “not for internal use” on the label, and they can legally sell it in convenience stores and other places. They are really a synthetic form of cocaine and amphetamine, containing Cathinones. What that means is that the drug is being fabricated by drug dealers, without regulation or regard to the final product’s quality or composition. And some makers add different chemicals, such as Lidocane or Methadrone.

The “high” people get from using Bath Salts are hallucinations, euphoria, and a reaction much like speed, and a higher tolerance for pain. But what they are also getting is violent behavior, heart attacks, kidney & liver failure, and in some cases paranoia and mental instability leading to suicide. And in many documented cases, a strong desire to eat flesh. So if you come across a person acting erratic and you suspect they are on drugs, do not confront them.

Some of the many names are: Bliss, Blizzard, Bloom, Blue Silk, Cloud 9, Drone, Hurricane Charlie, Lovey Dovey, Lunar Wave, Monkey Dust, MTV, Ocean Snow, Purple Wave, Red Dove, Scarface, Super Coke, Vanilla Sky, White Lightning and the most common being Ivory Wave.

According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, in 2010, 304 emergency calls reported the use of bath salts. In 2011 the number ballooned to more than 6,000. The number in Oklahoma is going up just as fast.

It is not illegal because, sadly, the drug makers can often move faster than the lawmakers. It takes time to identify all of the chemicals that are used, then to make a law that covers all of the different recipes. Also, it cannot be detected by ordinary urine or blood tests. The good news is that 6 of the individual chemicals have been outlawed so far, and our diligent lawmakers are working on the rest.

If you or someone you know is in need of substance abuse services, please call 2-1-1 or search 2-1-1 online to find resources in your area!

This blog brought to you by: Kent Collins, HeartLine Board Member