Bath Salts Abuse Gives Legit Businesses a Dirty Name

President Barack Obama's drug czar warned Americans Tuesday about the growing threat of designer drugs marketed as "bath salts" that are in fact dangerous amphetamine-type stimulants."I am deeply concerned about the distribution, sale and use of synthetic stimulants -- especially those that are marketed as legal substances," said Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy."At a time when drug use in America is increasing, the marketing and sale of these poisons as 'bath salts' is both unacceptable and dangerous."

Despite their ban, the use of "bath salts" is still escalating. And the kinds of neurological effects they bring are disturbing and severe.

Bath Salts have been making headlines the last couple years. From face eating zombies (later blamed on marijuana) to completely hallucinated police raids, the designer drug has prompted reactions on behalf of the DEA and the military alike.

WASHINGTON — People are inventing so many new, legal ways to get high that lawmakers can’t seem to keep up. Over the past two years, the U.S. has seen a surge in the use of synthetic drugs made of legal chemicals that mimic the dangerous effects of cocaine, amphetamines and other illegal stimulants.

I know you?ve probably already read a few articles about bath salts and their??effects (or alleged effects, i.e. zombie cannibalism) so in this one we?re going to get right to the point. ??Bath salts are dangerous for??chiefly??two reasons, and neither have anything to do with addiction or??hallucinations. The first reason is dosage, and the second ...

Image credit: Wikipedia Media coverage of the popular drugs collectively called “Bath Salts” has sparked a nationwide movement to ban the substances from retail stores, where they've been sold legally for years. (I’ve covered the effects of the drugs in a previous post here.) President Barack Obama signed a bill into law earlier this [...]

(cc photo by Greg Hayter)

The number of Americans who used illegal drugs or abused prescription medications rose last year to reach its highest level since 2002, a survey released Thursday showed.Nearly 22 million Americans aged 12 and older used illegal drugs in 2009, a rise of nine percent from 2008, the survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found.