The news media have been a buzz with stories of people using bath salts to get high. It's important that campuses understand this new drug:
- "Bath Salts" are not salts you would put in your bath. What people are using are drugs sold at smoke shops and online that are only labeled as bath salt to skirt FDA regulations. Sold by the gram, these products are said to contain either mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) or MDPV (3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone) or perhaps both. Retail packages however do not necessarily carry labels identifying either the drug or the dose within.
- MDPV and mephedrone are both stimulants with action similar to amphetamines. Thus they appear to carry risk of addiction and complications from stimulant use including heart rate and blood pressure increases. The drugs appear to be most commonly snorted, but may also be smoked or even injected.
- As of now, these two drugs are not controlled by the DEA; nor are they controlled by California law. Thus, as long as they are not sold for human consumption, they are legal to buy and possess. The ONDCP has issued a statement about these drugs, and it appears that the DEA is studying them as well.
- There are no research studies on the effects of these drugs on humans, and thus their true risks are unknown. Also, there are no reliable estimates available about prevalence of their use, either on or off college campuses. While use is probably very low right now, the current media attention being given to this class of drug may spark interest.
The public should be educated that these are potent drugs and their legal status in no way implies that they are safe. There are numerous accounts of hospitalizations from these drugs. Also, it's important that everyone understand that snorting actual bath salts is not what is happening. Misunderstanding this may lead to some rather ugly poisoning cases as misinformed young people attempt to get high with the wrong type of product. Again, it does not appear that these drugs were ever truly manufactured as a bath salt. They are sold by the gram in smoke shops, not by the pound in bath and body stores.
