Bath salts are a complex blend of powdered chemicals including mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, also known as MDPV. These designer drugs produce a high similar to methamphetamine and cocaine when snorted, smoked, or injected. However, bath salts should not be confused with regular household products such as Epsom salt, which do not contain synthetic stimulants.
Bath salts were recently made illegal in Texas, and added to Penalty Group 2 of the Texas Controlled Substances Act. However, other states continue to sell the drug for about $25-$40 per 50-milligram packet through online retailers as well as in smoke shops and gas stations under innocuous-sounding names such as:
- Ivory Snow
- Red Dove
- Vanilla Sky
- Ivory Wave
- Bliss
- White Lightning
- Hurricane Charlie
Why It Is Dangerous
Not marketed for human consumption, MDPV and mephedrone are made in unregulated clandestine labs. Reports have confirmed the following possible health effects:
- hypertension
- rapid heartbeat
- delusions
- hallucinations
- extreme paranoia
- suicidal ideation
Poison control centers around the country fielded 235 calls relating to the “bath salts” last year, and already have seen 214 cases this year, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. There have been scattered reports of users dying, either of overdose or drug-induced suicides or accidents.
In 2011, lawmakers in nearly half of the states have issued emergency bans on bathsalts. On January 30, 2011, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D) announced a bill that would add mephedrone MDPV to the list of federally controlled substances.