This leads to hallucinations and irrational behavior, so much so that those taking such drugs can end up in serious trouble. In many ways, it’s similar to the PCP epidemic of the early ’80s, and the overall effects are quite similar. In 2012, calls about bath salts to poison control centers peaked with 2,697 and declined each year after that. Promoted as providing a “legal high” that can escape detection in drug tests, bath salts are intended to mimic the hallucinogenic and euphoric highs of methamphetamine or cocaine.
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Bath Salts look like white or brown crystals and are usually found in plastic or foil packages. Bath Salts are a brand name for Synthetic Cathinones, which are drugs made in labs. You see, the basic compound isn’t actually that stimulating compared to amphetamine. It’s found naturally in khat, a plant that’s alcohol withdrawal often grown in the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa (Somalia and Kenya,) and its use predates coffee. Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. Enter your phone number below to receive a free and confidential call from a treatment provider.
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At lower doses, they’ve also been marketed as a substitute for methylphenidate (Ritalin) to sharpen mental concentration and as an aphrodisiac. Adding to the attraction is the cheap price; a 200-mg package of bath salts—which may be 3 hits—sells for as little as $15 addiction and termination to $20. Like other manufactured drugs, bath salts may contain additional unknown substances. This can make them very dangerous, as a person cannot be sure what they are consuming. Bath salts are sometimes used as a cheap substitute for stimulants like cocaine.
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Also known as synthetic cathinones, bath salts can cause severe intoxication. People high on these substances experience a range of physical, psychological and behavioral health problems, including hallucinations,paranoia and elevated body temperature. People were abusing a synthetic cathinone in Russia and eastern Europe for several decades before the drug appeared in western Europe and the United Kingdom in the 2000s. And cathinone, an alkaloid derived from east Africa’s khat plant, has been chewed by people for hundreds of years for its stimulant effect. People typically abuse bath salts to experience euphoria and increased alertness. Synthetic cathinones increase dopamine levels in the brain, which triggers feelings of pleasure.
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In vivo microdialysis studies in rats confirm that mephedrone and methylone (0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg, i.v.) increase extracellular levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain, similar to the effects of MDMA. Little is known about the pharmacology of MDPV, but our unpublished findings show the drug is a potent blocker of dopamine and norepinephrine uptake. The fact that synthetic cathinones enhance dopamine transmission predicts high abuse liability. Mephedrone (0.24 mg/infusion) is readily self-administered by rats, but reinforcing effects of other synthetic cathinones are largely unexplored. Few preclinical studies have examined the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of synthetic cathinones or the consequences of chronic drug dosing, and these types of investigations are needed.
What is their effect on the body?
They shove electrons into the center of the molecule so that it binds more strongly in the brain. This also means you get some nasty side effects, particularly as the drug breaks down. You cannot simply enact legislation to ban everything that gets people high. It took the DEA around 18 months to ban the compound and, until then, it was sold throughout the US in garages and other places. This meant that a lot of people could get their hands on it, including those who were underage for alcohol and tobacco.
Other potentially fatal drug reactions are suicidal feelings and overdose. Overdose is the most common complication from the use of bath salts. The drugs’ packaging often states “not for human consumption” in an attempt to circumvent drug prohibition laws.[5] Additionally, they may be described as “plant food”, “powdered cleaner”, or other products. Users usually snort the drug up the nose, but it can also been injected, smoked, swallowed or used rectally.
But they can also lead to immediate, life-threatening health problems that require medical attention. Around the world, Narconon drug rehabilitation centers helping individuals avoid these dangers by enabling them to leave drug abuse far behind. In some 45 locations, Narconon enables people to achieve drug-free lives. Serious physical damage is also possible, as in the case of the New Orleans woman who lost her arm, shoulder, breast and other tissue after an injection of bath salts into her forearm set up a chain reaction of tissue death. Arizona law enforcement personnel reported that a man high on bath salts tried to break into an operating room armed with a fire extinguisher.
Though most people consume plenty of sodium daily—much more than their bodies need—certain people require more sodium due to medical conditions or excessive fluid loss. Sodium is a mineral naturally found in many foods, such as meat, fish, and vegetables. It’s also found in table salt, which is made of 40% sodium and 60% another mineral called chloride. All these things can be deadly, even if someone only tries the drug once.
While the body needs a small amount of sodium daily, many people in the United States consume far too much from salty snack foods, take-out meals, and other high-sodium foods. For example, people with hyponatremia (low sodium levels), defined as a sodium concentration of less than 135 mEq/L, are treated with intravenous sodium or oral salt tablets in medical settings. Low sodium levels can be caused by a number of health conditions, including chronic diarrhea, kidney disease, liver failure, and the use of certain medications and illicit drugs. Bath salts are human-made stimulants that are chemically similar to methamphetamine and MDMA.
This can help replenish electrolytes, says Jenna Braddock, a Florida-based Performance Dietitian, which can restore energy levels and alleviate symptoms like headaches. Another critical scenario where electrolytes might be helpful is during illness, particularly when experiencing fever, vomiting or diarrhea. If your diet is high in ultra-processed foods or if you eat out at restaurants regularly, it’s very easy to exceed sodium intake recommendations.
Toxic doses for the newer synthetic cathinones such as bath salts have not yet been determined9, and doses can be variable due to the illegal nature of the drug. There is a great risk for overdose because packages may contain up to 500 milligrams. Bath salts come in powder form and are usually light in color; white, off-white, or slightly yellow in color.
Because it’s impossible to know what’s in each batch of these drugs without sending them to a laboratory for testing, the risk of overdose and even death can be high. Bath salts, also known as Red Sky, Vanilla Sky, Blue Silk, Ivory Wave, or Purple Wave, are an illicit drug most used by teenagers and young adults. Despite the seemingly innocuous name, this drug can be very harmful.
Research shows that one common synthetic cathinone, called 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), is 10 times stronger than cocaine. A 2023 review published in Cureus found that long-haul COVID-19, which involves ongoing symptoms after the initial illness, may lead to conditions meth addiction: symptoms getting help detox treatment and more like postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) in some individuals. Managing POTS symptoms often involves maintaining adequate sodium intake to regulate blood volume and fluid balance, which helps alleviate symptoms such as dizziness and fainting when standing.
Chemists started experimenting to see what they could do with the base compound, bolting on different atoms and groups. Eventually, they came up with MDPV, which is basically cathinone with three extra bits bolted on. There are a number of other variants that produce similar effects. If you’ve ever accidentally got a fizzy drink up your nose (we would mention one of the leading brands of cola products, but that could be confusing,) you’ll know how painful it is.
- The enduring high and extreme behavior may stem in part from the insidious combination of the compounds in bath salts.
- People typically abuse bath salts to experience euphoria and increased alertness.
- For example, high-salt diets are known to increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, kidney stones, osteoporosis, and kidney disease.
- In a 2011 study published in the journal Addiction, 44.3 percent of 947 mephedrone users believed the drug was at least as addictive as cocaine.
- It’s also found in table salt, which is made of 40% sodium and 60% another mineral called chloride.
- Chemists started experimenting to see what they could do with the base compound, bolting on different atoms and groups.
Adding a “pinch” of salt to water is a common practice, but it’s not always accurate and can lead to excessive sodium intake. Adults are advised to consume at least 1500 mg of sodium daily (especially if you have cardiovascular disease), with 2300 mg as a daily limit. “One teaspoon of table salt has about 2300 mg of sodium and a dash, or pinch, of salt is estimated to have about 155 mg,” adds Braddock. According to the CDC, Americans typically consume well over that amount, approximately 3300 milligrams per day.
Mephedrone and methylene, two khat-derived bath salts, are very similar in action to amphetamines. These designer drugs, desired for their stimulant effects, may also produce hallucinogenic and euphoric ‘highs’. Bath salts are taken orally (mixed with food or a beverage), snorted, inhaled, or injected. Snorting and injecting are the most harmful and dangerous ways to consume these dangerous, psychoactive drugs. Bath salts are a designer drug of abuse with reports of dangerous intoxication from emergency departments across the US.
The Drug Enforcement Administration has permanently banned 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and mephedrone, two chemical ingredients commonly found in bath salts. But a host of other dangerous chemicals can be used to make synthetic cathinones. This video for middle school students explains how synthetic cathinones, commonly known as bath salts, affect the brain and the body. Check out the Mind Matters Series with other drugs and the body related videos and other teaching tools. Bath salts are abused, as they have chemical structures similar to commonly abused stimulants such as cocaine or meth. Once a particular substance is banned, drug producers often create an analog, or chemical substitute, of the drug to continue manufacturing the synthetic drug without breaking the law.
Containers of bath salts will also have warnings, such as “not suitable for human consumption.” Manufacturers do this in an attempt to avoid legal restrictions. There are no approved medications that treat addiction to synthetic cathinones. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Data sources include Micromedex (updated 7 Jul 2024), Cerner Multum™ (updated 14 Jul 2024), ASHP (updated 10 Jul 2024) and others. Adding salt to water can be beneficial if you’ve experienced significant electrolyte losses from sweating heavily or frequent urination, especially during hot weather.