by Dr. Adam Seigers, Medical Health Contributor
Bath salts may sound like something seemingly harmless, though these amphetamine-like street drugs carry the risk of overdose, hallucinations and death.
Delivered as a powder which can be snorted, ingested, or injected, these drugs go by the trade names of blizzard, blue silk, charge plus, ivory snow, ivory wave, ocean burst, pure ivory, purple wave, snow leopard, stardust, vanilla sky, white dove, white night and white lightning.
Since bath salts are synthetically engineered often times in a home or amateur laboratory their chemical content is never absolutely known.As with cocaine and other drugs, the possibility of intentional contamination with delusional contents exists.
Side effects of these drugs are similar to other stimulant medications including rapid heartbeat, agitation, extreme paranoia, and chest pain.
The long term use of bath
salts has not been well studied.
Intense cravings and emotional liability similar to cocaine have been observed resulting in cycles of crashing, cravings, and highs.
Also like cocaine, and contrary to popular belief, these substances do show up on drug testing. Two chemicals mephedrone and methylenedioxpyrovalerone (MDPV) can be easily tested for on drug screening profiles.
For more information please contact your primary care provider.
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Dr. Adam Seigers is a physician with Faxton St. Luke’s Adirondack Community Physicians (ACP) Boonville Medical Offices on Rt. 12.
