Hello My Name is: Meph, Meow, MCAT, Drone, Bubbles aka: Bath Salts

Totally not the bath product that soaks your cares away! This designer drug has been given the incorrect name and confusion with the bath and body product has kept it from being more readily known. Parents are less likely to ask questions about something called "bath salts", healthcare providers have not even gotten wise enough to know the difference unless you have taken care of a wild patient that has been under the influence of this nasty stuff.
The infographic has some interesting facts and the history of the drug commonly called "Bath Salts".

Source: patmoorefoundation.com via Addiction on Pinterest

Go Ahead Chew off My Face....

 

Cannibals on the loose? End of the world? What do you think? With all the recent news stories concerning "whacko's on the loose"eating human eyeballs out of unsuspecting victims heads, chewing faces off and other assorted craziness, it makes you wonder. What the heck is going on?

One explanation can be found in this article by Author Carole De Tosti Phd via Technorati. Posted May 30th 2012:

"Bath salts" the code name in teen-speak for the trending designer drug that has been touted as the new LSD once again is in the news, this time in Miami. The crime that took place on Saturday, the 26th of May shocked South Florida. A naked man was shot by Miami Police on the MacArthur Causeway. He was eating another naked man's face.There is growing fear that the "zombie-like" attack was caused by the dangerous white powder. (The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made illegal the possession and sale of three of the chemicals commonly used to make bath salts — the synthetic stimulants mephedrone, MDPV, and methylone.) Armando Aguilar, the president of the Miami Fraternal Order of Police thinks the cannibal attack by 31-year-old Rudy Eugene was caused by "bath salts," which go under fanciful names like Vanilla Sky, Ivory Wave, White China, Dynamite and Cloud 9 and can be purchased in jars and packets in tobacco shops or paraphernalia shops in malls.

Jackson Memorial Hospital Emergency room doctors echoed Aguilar saying they have seen a major increase in incidents linked to methylenedioxypyrovalerone. According to emergency room Dr. Paul Adams, "We noticed an increase probably after Ultra Fest." "Bath salts" are more deadly than meth or coke because the drug chemists and their purveyors use loopholes in the law to get around the DEA ban by tweaking the chemicals used to create the drug. Short-term effects include very severe paranoia that can sometimes cause users to harm themselves or others.

Effects reported to Poison Control Centers include suicidal thoughts, agitation, combative/violent behavior, confusion, hallucinations/psychosis, increased heart rate, hypertension, chest pain, death or serious injury. It takes 15 minutes for the drug to take effect and 4-6 hours for it to wear off. The powder is usually ingested by sniffing/snorting and can also be taken orally, smoked, or put into a solution and injected into veins. Dr. Adams of Jackson Memorial Hospital noted that the "bath salts" user’s temperature rises to an extremely high level and they become very aggressive, sometimes using their jaws as a weapon during attacks. The patients are often delirious. Dr. Adams gave an example of one case to illustrate. “Extremely strong, I took care of a 150 pound individual who you would have thought he was 250 pounds. It took six security officers to restrain the individual.” Adams continued, relating that the powerful strength and violence of patients on “bath salts”  threatens those charged with the task of assisting those high on the drug.

The chemical manufacturers are following the FDA guidelines by labeling bath salts as "not fit for human consumption," but that labeling effect is disastrous: reverse psychology marketing to the young and/or adventurous looking for a new thrill. The element of danger is a come on. Though users may only inhale the toxins once or twice, the fear is that they may have recurrent episodes. Officials have pointed out that the substance creates a "ticking time bomb" and in a number of instances, users have committed suicide in the throes of a flashback.

Now there is this incident of zombie cannibalism to add to the horrors of the designer drug's impact. Police reported that Eugene, who was growling like an animal as he swallowed pieces of the 61-year old homeless victim's flesh, was ordered to stop but refused. He continued to tear off and eat the man's ears, nose and cheeks, when police shot him six times. The initial rounds that hit Eugene had little effect as he ate and even tried to gouge out the man's eyeballs. The victim, who is clinging to life in intensive care, is barely recognizable as human, according to reports. Zane Horowitz, MD, an emergency room physician and medical director of the Oregon Poison Center thinks, "Drug makers will keep creating new combinations" of designer drugs "at home and in illicit labs"...because "drugs like these are new and below the radar, unlike named illegal drugs." If "bath salts" are made illegal, other drugs will be created. That is not a good argument to avoid putting a nationwide ban on these chemicals permanently. The lag time needed to create new chemical combinations may stave off the creation of ticking time bombs like Rudy Eugene. A ban will save lives.The sooner the permanent ban, the more likely that events like this zombie-cannibal attack will be avoided.

Even the puppies are doing it~~ Beware~~ had to add that, way to cute!

Science of some designer drugs ~synthetics

The science of designer drugs: essential review October 8, 2011,  
★★★★☆ Clinical toxicology of newer recreational drugs. Hill SL, Thomas SHL Clin Toxicol 2011;49:705-719. Abstract

This essential article will probably be of most interest to chemical structure geeks (like me) and academics, but it is the best review I know that gets granular about the pharmacology of the many new designer drugs. The authors did a comprehensive review of published medical literature involving new designer drugs. (Synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cocaine , and GHB are not covered.)
They classify these drugs into four categories:
piperazines 
phenethylamines
tryptamines 
piperidines 

Piperazines are synthetic chemicals that do no exist in nature. Included in this group is BZP, a sympathomimetic stimulant with effects similar to those of amphetamine. BZP inhibits re-uptake of dopamine and norepinephrine.
Phenethylamines include amphetamine, methamphetamine, and MDMA (ecstasy). Other examples are the synthetic cathinone mephedrone, MDPV (commonly found in “bath salts”), bromodragonFLY, and the 2C series.
Phenethylamines are predominantly sympathomimetic stimulants, but can have varying degrees of psychoactive and hallucinogenic properties created by substitutions on the basic molecule.
Tryptamines are derived from the amino acid tryptophan. Examples include psilocybin, LSD and DMT (a component used by Ayahuasca shamans). Tryptamines are primarily hallucinogenic rather than entactogenic or stimulant.
Piperidines include desoxypipradrol (2-DPMP), a component of the designer drug “whack”. It has also been found recently in products sold as “Ivory Wave” bath salts. Piperidines are stimulants that can cause prolonged psychotic effects. This classification scheme is very helpful in thinking about designer drugs, but has limited clinical usefulness.
In fact, when dealing with a patient who has been acutely exposed to a designer drug, the clinician is never certain exactly what chemical or chemicals are involved. Street products can contain a mixture of ingredients. Therefore, there are few specific recommendations regarding medical management in this paper.

The authors’ approach can be summed up by their last sentence: The management of users with acute toxic effects is pragmatic and, in general, as for poisoning with longer established stimulant or hallucinogenic drugs such as amphetamines and MDMA. With 169 references through 2011, this article should be in the files of anyone with more than a passing interest in the science of designer drugs.

The key to these synthetic drugs is the that they are just that synthetics, and they are mixed with other ingredients often, so you have no idea what the heck you are getting. Make a choice.......and die , that sums it up pretty much, we have body bags in all sizes, just hate to tell your momma that you made a stupid choice ;(

Leslie RN ~ don't let me catch you in the ER not being safe ;)

What the heck is "Bath Salts" if its not for my bathtub?

‘Bath Salts’ Growing Drug Abuse Problem

Posted under Stimulants on January 28, 2011
Tagged in bath salts

Makers of the product call it ‘bath salts,’ but it’s anything but a soothing way to relax in the tub. Instead, these little packets of powder carrying names like Ivory Wave, Bliss, White Lightning, Hurricane Charlie and Vanilla Sky are akin to synthetic cocaine or methamphetamine – and very dangerous.
The American Association of Poison Control Centers (http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/Portals/0/prrel/BathSalts11811.pdf) issued a press release Jan. 18 raising the alarm about toxic substances marketed as ‘bath salts’ and said states are beginning to take action. The products cause increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, agitation, hallucinations, extreme paranoia and delusions.
What ‘bath salts’ are
‘Bath salts’ contain powerful stimulants methedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, also called MDPV, and there have been scattered reports across the country of drug-induced deaths accidental overdose or suicide.
How are these chemicals used? According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, most patients calling the poison centers have snorted the substances. In at least one instance, the substance was injected into the individual’s veins.
Chemicals still legal for sale in U.S.
The big difference between ‘bath salts’ and cocaine and methamphetamine, which are classified as controlled substances by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), is that this latest designer drug – marketed as something not for human consumption — is still legal to be sold in the U.S. The same chemicals in the so-called ‘bath salts’ have also been sold as plant food, pond scum cleaner, and insecticide.
MDPV and mephedrone, according to the DEA, are chemicals of concern, but the agency is currently studying them. The result is that they’re legal at the federal level and in states that haven’t yet specifically prohibited them.
States take action
That’s changing quickly – at least at the state level.
After Louisiana had more than 160 poison control cases – and at least three deaths – linked to the chemicals in ‘bath salts,’ Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal banned the chemical ingredients in the stimulants in an emergency executive order this month. The order will remain in effect for 120 days. In order to become permanent, the state Legislature will need to act.
On Wednesday, Florida became the latest state to enact a ban on MDPV, a ruling that stands for 90 days.
North Dakota instituted a ban in February 2010. The city of Huntington, West Virginia outlawed MDPV and mephedrone last December. Officials in Kentucky, Mississippi and other states are beginning to take similar steps, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Always on the hunt for ways to skirt laws, makers of these designer drugs try to stay one step ahead of laws on the books and enforcement to catch offenders. It’s a frequently noted problem. By the time laws catch up to the producers of such drugs, the perpetrators have switched the formulation and morphed the substance into something new.
The Los Angeles Times article noted that California hasn’t yet seen the critical mass of this problem like Louisiana. The California Poison Control System has only received one call on ‘bath salts.’
Parents urged to safeguard children
Still, this issue isn’t going to fade away anytime soon. People can easily buy these ‘bath salts’ at any age. They are available on the Internet for about $20. Parents should be especially cautious and monitor their children’s spending closely, especially if there have been any reports of ‘bath salts’ usage in the area, if the kids talk about the latest cool and cheap way to get high, or parents notice unusual behavior that could indicate drug use.
Poison control centers across the country are ready to answer questions about ‘bath salts’ or any other product that could pose harm to users. Contact the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.

Article credit to website: 
http://www.everythingaddiction.com/drugs-addiction/stimulants/bath-salts-growing-drug-abuse-problem/
Some great information on this site, help for those suffering from addictions also.

Leslie