‘Bath salts’ is the informal street name for a family of designer drugs that often contain substituted cathinones, which have effects similar to amphetamine and cocaine.
The white crystals resemble legal bathing products such as Epsom salts, and the packaging often states ‘not for human consumption’ in an attempt to avoid the prohibition of drugs. Chemically, they have nothing to do with actual bath salts.
Pharmacology
In 2009 and 2010 there was a significant rise in the abuse of synthetic cathinones, first in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe, and then in the US and Canada. Drugs marketed as ‘bath salts’ first came to the attention of US authorities in 2010, after reports to US poison centres.
Very little is known about how ‘bath salts’ interact with the brain and how the body metabolises them. They are similar to amphetamines in that they cause stimulant effects by increasing the concentration of monoamines, such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, in synapses.
Usage
Bath salts can be swallowed, snorted, smoked or injected. Swallowing and snorting are the most common. They are active at doses between 3 mg and 5 mg, and the average dose is between 5 mg and 20 mg.
The risk of overdose is high, because packets often contain 500 mg and suggest users take 50 mg.
Side effects
Users of bath salts have reported headache, heart palpitations, nausea and cold fingers. Hallucinations, agitation and paranoia have also been reported, and news media have reported associations with violent behaviour and an increased tolerance for pain.
Visible symptoms are similar to those of a stimulant overdose, including dilated pupils, involuntary muscle movement, a rapid heartbeat and high blood pressure.
Detection
Bath salts cannot be detected using the onsite drug detection test kits currently available in Australia. As with all drugs, detecting the metabolites, rather than the parent compound, is critical. At present the only reliable way to detect synthetic cathinones is liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Synthetic cathinones are easily available in Australia and are being used. People under the influence of bath salts are a hazard to themselves and their workmates.
Source: Safe Work Laboratories.