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Little is known about how many people use "bath salts".<ref name=coppola/> In the UK, mephedrone is the fourth most commonly used drug among [[nightclub]] goers after cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine.<ref name=coppola/> Based on reports to the [[American Association of Poison Control Centers]], use of "bath salts" in the US is thought to have increased significantly between 2010 and 2011.<ref name=coppola/> The increase in use is thought to be a result of their widespread availability and sensationalist media coverage.<ref name=prosser>{{cite doi|10.1007/s13181-011-0193-z}}</ref>
Little is known about how many people use "bath salts".<ref name=coppola/> In the UK, mephedrone is the fourth most commonly used drug among [[nightclub]] goers after cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine.<ref name=coppola/> Based on reports to the [[American Association of Poison Control Centers]], use of "bath salts" in the US is thought to have increased significantly between 2010 and 2011.<ref name=coppola/> The increase in use is thought to be a result of their widespread availability and sensationalist media coverage.<ref name=prosser>{{cite doi|10.1007/s13181-011-0193-z}}</ref>


Users range from ages 20-55 with the average being age 28. <ref name="test">[Miller, Michael C. “Ask the Doctor: Bath salts—a new way to get high?” Harvard Mental Health Letter. 2011. Retrieved 18 Aug 2012.], additional text.</ref> Many documented users have also had a history in mental illness. <ref name="test"> “News and Views: ‘Drug abuse’ of a different ‘wave’ length.” Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics. 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.], additional text.</ref>
Users range from ages 20-55 with the average being age 28. <ref name="test">[Miller, Michael C. “Ask the Doctor: Bath salts—a new way to get high?” Harvard Mental Health Letter. 2011. Retrieved 18 Aug 2012.], additional text.</ref>


==Legal status==
==Legal status==

Revision as of 19:53, 25 August 2012

File:Bath salts (drug).jpg
Bath salts

Bath salts[1][2] is the informal "street name" for a family of designer drugs often containing substituted cathinones, which have effects similar to amphetamine and cocaine.[3][4][5] The white crystals resemble legal bathing products like epsom salts, and are called bath salts with the packaging often stating "not for human consumption" in an attempt to avoid the prohibition of drugs.[3]

History

Synthetic cathinones such as mephedrone which are chemically similar to cathinone, naturally found in the plant Catha edulis (khat), were first synthesised in the 1920s.[5] They remained obscure until the first decade of the 21st century, when they were rediscovered by underground chemists and began to be used in designer drugs, as the compounds were legal in many jurisdictions.[5][6] In 2009 and 2010 there was a significant rise in the abuse of synthetic cathinones, initially in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe, and subsequently in the US and Canada. Drugs marketed as "bath salts" first came to the attention of authorities in the US in 2010 after reports were made to US poison centres.[4] In Europe, the drugs were predominantly purchased from drug dealers or from websites, but in the US they were mainly sold in small independent stores such as gas stations and head shops.[4] In the US, this often made them easier to obtain than cigarettes and alcohol.[4]

Hundreds of other designer drugs or "legal highs" have been reported, including artificial chemicals such as synthetic cannabis and semi-synthetic substances such as methylhexaneamine.[7] These drugs are primarily developed to avoid being controlled by laws against illegal drugs, thus giving them the label of designer drugs.[7]

The number of calls to poison centers concerning "bath salts" rose 6,138 in 2011 from 304 in 2010, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. More than 1,000 calls had been made in 2012 by June. [8]

Pharmacology

Pharmacologically, bath salts usually contain a cathinone, typically methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), methylone or mephedrone; however, the chemical composition varies widely[4][9] and products labeled with the same name may also contain derivatives of pyrovalerone or pipradrol. In Europe the main synthetic cathinone is mephedrone, whereas in the US MDPV is more common.[4]

Very little is known about how "bath salts" interact with the brain and how they are metabolised by the body.[5] They are similar to amphetamines in that they cause stimulant effects by increasing the concentration of catecholamines such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine in synapses.[5] They are generally less able to cross the blood brain barrier than amphetamines due to the presence of a beta-keto group which increases the compound's polarity.[5]

Brand names

Bath salts are sold under a variety of brand or street names, including: Aura, Black Rob, Bliss, Blizzard, Bloom, Blue Silk, Charge+, Cloud 9, Drone, Hurricane Charlie, Ivory Wave, Lovey Dovey, Lunar Wave, Maddie, MCAT, Meow Meow, Monkey Dust, MTV, Ocean Snow, Peeve, Purple Wave, PV, Red Dove, Scarface, Sextasy, Snow Leopard, Stardust, Super Coke, Vanilla Sky, White Lightning, White Rush and Zoom.[2][3][10][11]

Ivory Wave

Main article: Ivory Wave

Samples of Ivory Wave have been reported to contain the substituted cathinone derivative MDPV and the local anaesthetic lidocaine.[12]

Usage

Bath salts can be swallowed, snorted, smoked, or injected.[13] Swallowing and snorting are the most common routes of administration.[5] Bath salts are active at doses of between 3 mg and 5 mg, with the average dose being between 5 mg and 20 mg.[14] The risk of overdose is high, however, since the packets often contain 500 mg and suggest users use 50 mg.[15]

Health issues

Users of bath salts have reported experiencing symptoms including headache, heart palpitations, nausea, and cold fingers.[16] Hallucinations, paranoia, and panic attacks have also been reported,[16] and news media have reported associations with violent behaviour,[17] heart attack, kidney failure, liver failure, suicide, and an increased tolerance for pain.[3]

Visual symptoms similar to those of stimulant overdoes include dilated pupils, involuntary muscle movement, rapid heartbeat and high blood pressure. [11] Many documented users have also had a history in mental illness. [11]

Detection

Bath salts cannot be smelled by detection dogs[3] and will not be found in typical urinalysis,[18] although they can be detected in urine and hair analyses using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.[19][20] Distributors can camouflage the drug as everyday substances like fertilizer or insect repellent.[3][21]

Prevalence

Little is known about how many people use "bath salts".[5] In the UK, mephedrone is the fourth most commonly used drug among nightclub goers after cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine.[5] Based on reports to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, use of "bath salts" in the US is thought to have increased significantly between 2010 and 2011.[5] The increase in use is thought to be a result of their widespread availability and sensationalist media coverage.[9]

Users range from ages 20-55 with the average being age 28. [11]

Legal status

Further information: Mephedrone § Legal status, Methylenedioxypyrovalerone § Legality, and Methylone § Legal_status

The drug policy of Canada is that during the fall of 2012, methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) will be categorised as a schedule I substance under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, placing it in the same category as heroin and cocaine.[3] Mephedrone and methylone are already illegal in Canada.[3]

In the United Kingdom, all substituted cathinones were made illegal in April 2010,[22][23] under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, but other designer drugs such as naphyrone appeared soon after[24] and some products described as legal contained illegal compounds.[25] To avoid being controlled by the Medicines Act, designer drugs such as mephedrone have been described as "bath salts", or other misnomers such as "plant food" despite the compounds having no history of being used for these purposes.[26][27][16]

The Federal drug policy of the United States reflects the fact that "bath salts" are illegal in at least forty-one states, with pending legislation in others.[28] Prior to the compounds being made illegal, mephedrone, methylone and MDPV had all been marketed as bath salts.[29] Combined with labelling that they are "not for human consumption", these descriptions are an attempt to skirt the Federal Analog Act, which forbids drugs that are substantially similar to already classified drugs to be sold for human use.[29][30][31] In July 2012, President Barack Obama signed a bill that amended the Federal drug policy of the United States to ban "bath salts".[32] New York State banned the sale and distribution of the drug on on May 23, 2011.[33][unreliable source?]

See also

References

  1. ^ DEA: Chemicals Used in "Bath Salts” Now Under Federal Control and Regulation
  2. ^ a b DEA Drug Fact Sheet
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Black, Matthew (25 June 2012). "What are 'bath salts'? A look at Canada's newest illegal drug". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.3109/15563650.2011.590812, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.3109/15563650.2011.590812 instead.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1016/j.toxlet.2012.03.009, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1016/j.toxlet.2012.03.009 instead.
  6. ^ Morris, H. (5 April 2010). "Hamilton's Pharmacopeia. Mephedrone: the phantom menace". Vice Magazine. Retrieved 2010-07-04.
  7. ^ a b McElrath K, O'Neill C (2011). "Experiences with mephedrone pre- and post-legislative controls: perceptions of safety and sources of supply". Int. J. Drug Policy. 22 (2): 120–7. doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2010.11.001. PMID 21242082. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)(subscription required)
  8. ^ Kevin Dolak (June 5, 2012). "'Bath Salts': Use of Dangerous Drug Increasing Across U.S." abc News. Retrieved 7/22/2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  9. ^ a b Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1007/s13181-011-0193-z, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1007/s13181-011-0193-z instead.
  10. ^ Street Names and Brand Names for Bath Salts
  11. ^ a b c d [Miller, Michael C. “Ask the Doctor: Bath salts—a new way to get high?” Harvard Mental Health Letter. 2011. Retrieved 18 Aug 2012.], additional text. Cite error: The named reference "test" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  12. ^ Kavanagh, P.; McNamara, S.; Angelov, D.; McDermott, S.; Mullan, D.; Ryder, S. (March 2010). "The Characterization of 'Legal Highs' Available from Head Shops in Dublin" (PDF). The Drug Treatment Centre Board. Retrieved 2011-02-17.
  13. ^ "Europol–EMCDDA Joint Report on a new psychoactive substance: 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone)" (PDF). European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. 27 May 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
  14. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1056/NEJMc1107097, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1056/NEJMc1107097 instead.
  15. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1056/NEJMc1107097, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1056/NEJMc1107097 instead.
  16. ^ a b c Reed, Jim (13 January 2010). "Clubbers are 'turning to new legal high mephedrone'". BBC News. Retrieved 2010-07-04.
  17. ^ Dolak, Kevin (June 5, 2012). "'Bath Salts': Use of Dangerous Drug Increasing Across U.S." ABC News. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  18. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2012.02.003, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1016/j.jsat.2012.02.003 instead.
  19. ^ R. Baselt, Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man, 9th edition, Biomedical Publications, Seal Beach, CA, 2011, pp. 992–993. http://www.biomedicalpublications.com/mephedrone.pdf
  20. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1002/dta.1338, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1002/dta.1338 instead.
  21. ^ 'Bath salts,' synthetic drugs targeted in Schneiderman lawsuits
  22. ^ "BBC – Democracy Live – MPs move to ban mephedrone". BBC News. 7 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  23. ^ "The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2010 No. 1144". Office of Public Sector Information. 16 April 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-02-10. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  24. ^ "NRG-1 'legal high' drug is banned". BBC News. 12 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  25. ^ Brandt SD, Sumnall HR, Measham F, Cole J (2010). "Second generation mephedrone. The confusing case of NRG-1". BMJ. 341: c3564. doi:10.1136/bmj.c3564. PMID 20605894.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ "Consideration of the cathinones" (PDF). Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. 31 March 2010. p. 25. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  27. ^ "Police warning over 'bubble' drug". BBC News. 20 November 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-27.
  28. ^ National Conference of State Legislatures
  29. ^ a b Abby Goodnough and Katie Zezima (2011-07-16). "An Alarming New Stimulant, Legal in Many States". New York Times. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
  30. ^ Victoria Cumbow (2011-02-06). "Synthetic form of cocaine and methamphetamine being packaged as bath salts". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  31. ^ "Reports: Miami 'zombie' attacker may have been using 'bath salts'". CNN. May 29th, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ Obama Signs Federal Ban on ‘Bath Salt’ Drugs
  33. ^ http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2011/05/nys-health-commissioner-bans-bath-salts-sales
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