These aren’t the bath salts you put in the tub.
Called one of the most dangerous new drugs in the country, the use of “bath salts” has risen in the last year, with many states banning the stimulant. Bath salts contain a number of synthetic ingredients, similar to methamphetamine and synthetic marijuana, such as spice, which has also been widely banned in recent years. Bath salts, however, have been known to cause psychotic reactions in people who use the recreational drug.
The stimulant comes in powder and crystal form and is typically injected, snorted or smoked. In Arizona, the drug remains legal to buy, but not for long.
On Sept. 7, the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a one-year ban on three of the ingredients commonly found in bath salts. DEA investigators plan to analyze the substance during that one-year ban.
In Sedona, bath salts have been attributed to a number of incidents resulting in police and emergency medical services involvement. According to Sedona Police Department Sgt. Lucas Wilcoxson with the Yavapai County Narcotics Task Force, use of bath salts is on the rise.
“It’s actually increased quite a bit. A lot of people used it as a supplement for methamphetamine, just a quick high because they considered it legal,” Wilcoxson said. “A lot more people were using it because they figured it was more of a legal substance. It is very popular right now.”
Upon talking to those who once took meth but switched to bath salts, Wilcoxson said the latter proved too much to handle.
“The difference between methamphetamine and bath salts that we’re getting from them is there is extreme anger, uncontrollable physical anxiety, with some hallucinations. Some of the meth users stopped using it and went back to meth,” Wilcoxson said. “It actually increases the heart rate, shuts pain, can cause some nose bleeding, nausea and vomiting, but there are a lot of issues that come with it like the extreme anger.”
Until the ban takes effect near the end of the month, bath salts remain legal, which leaves police officers powerless to control the substance.
“At the moment, there’s nothing we can do if you’re physically on it, but if you’re driving there can be impairment issues, which can turn into a DUI investigation,” Wilcoxson said.
Merilee Fowler, executive director for MATForce of the Yavapai County Substance Abuse Coalition, called the upcoming one-year ban “awesome news.”
“We definitely have been hearing from law enforcement, from the medical community, from emergency rooms, schools and lots of people in the community that the use in the community is increasing in Yavapai County,” Fowler said. “It’s a horrible drug that has caused a lot of complications for people that decide to abuse it.”
Fowler said legislators are also investigating a state ban on the product.
“That’s a good thing because, with the DEA ban, it’s only one year, and it would be good if it became a permanent thing,” Fowler said.
