Drug Rehab News: Dangerous New Bath Salt Drugs Coming To a Neighborhood Near You
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Throughout the United States, health professionals, law enforcement officers, as well as drug and alcohol rehab facilities are dealing with an unusual rise in the number of reported cases dealing with a relatively new drug known as “Bath Salts ”. They are synthetic stimulants that have no real value as a bath salt or other bath products - first emerging in the United States two years ago, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).The two primary compounds found in “Bath Salts” are mephedrone and methylenedioxyproverlone, referred to as (MDPV). Last year, the DEA published reports on both compounds, noting that each was “related in chemical structure” to illegal hallucinogenic substances like ecstasy and meth.Mephedrone, first synthesized and reported in a French journal in 1929, did not appear on the designer drug market until 2003, when an underground chemist named “Kinetic” rediscovered and published the formula on the website The Hive (the site shut down in 2004). It has been banned in numerous places, including Israel and Europe.MDPV has been sold as a “research chemical” since 2008 and has been banned in Germany, Australia, Finland, and Israel. Currently, neither compound is federally controlled in the US, which makes “Bath Salts” containing both substances legal to buy, sell and possess. Fifteen states have already banned the substances.The packets of “Bath Salts” contain small amounts of crystalline powder. The drug is typically administered by smoking, snorting, eating in pill form, injected, and even mixed with water as a beverage. They are often labeled with warnings like “Novelty Only” and “Not For Human Consumption” in an effort to avoid federal narcotics laws. US distributors sell the drug online, through traditional distribution methods, or by retail distribution at convenience stores, gas stations, and head shops (retail stores specializing in drug paraphernalia). “Bath Salts” are also often sold in dance clubs and at underground parties known as “raves”.Packets of “Bath Salts” are branded with a variety of names such as “Aura”, “Ivory Wave”, “Russian River”, “Xtreme”, “Goodfellas”, “Cloud 9”, “Vanilla Sky”, and “White Lightning”. They typically sell for approximately $40 to $100 per gram, and each packet contains approximately one quarter to one gram. A gram consists of approximately eight to 40 doses.There are widespread and dangerous adverse effects from using “Bath Salts” - ranging from paranoia, seizures, agitation, increased heart rate and blood pressure, chest pain, dizziness, vomiting, and profuse sweating. The abuse of “Bath Salts” has been linked to psychotic episodes, delusions, and panic attacks. In some cases of serious abuse - death, suicide, homicide, self-inflicted wounds and child endangerment have been reported.Mark Ryan, Director of the Louisiana Poison Center, emphasizes the serious nature of this new drug. “If you take the very worst of some of the other drugs - LSD and Ecstasy with their hallucinogenic-delusional type properties, PCP with extreme agitation, superhuman strength and combativeness, as well as the stimulant properties of cocaine and meth -- if you take all of those and put them all together this is what you get. It’s ugly.”Even online prayer and ministry sites such as TheSecondAdam.com have reported requests for prayer concerning bath salt addiction. That site recommends a regional rehab center that is getting good results for bath salt addiction and other types of chemical dependency.In 2010, there were 303 calls about “Bath Salts”, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ National Poison Data System (NPDS). As of July 1, 2011, poison centers reported 3,740 calls. This shows the trend of how popular this drug has become, and the dangers associated with its increased popularity. Rehab centers nationwide have also seen the surge in phone calls to their facilities. Gene Rowell, Executive Director of the ’Owls Nest Recovery Community in Florence, SC, recognizes the urgency in addressing this growing national problem. “Of those whom we have treated at the ’Owls Nest Recovery Community , we know this growing epidemic is treatable. However, because of the extreme harm this drug can cause, once abuse is established, treatment must be immediate, intensive, and thorough.”Copyright M-38 2011 www.recoverfromaddictionnow.com |
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Author Resource:-
Quentin Odonnell is a researcher in current trends being noticed in society. He also is an advocate of technologies and programs that save and change human lives for the better.
bath salt drug rehab, bath salt drug rehab
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By :
Clay Whitfield
Submitted
2011-07-22 01:17:38 |
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