Drug Alert from the Office of the Chief Medical Health Officer-'Bath Salts'

Bath Salts

People may be using a drug called “Bath Salts” in Vancouver

‘Bath Salts’ are not salts that go in your bath. It is the street name for some synthetic amphetamine-type stimulants that come in the form of white or yellowish powder.

They are not regulated and are often sold as ‘legal highs’, but this does not make them safe.

Some of the negative effects reported:

• Infections from injecting them
• hallucinations with agitation and paranoia
• chest pain
• overheating
• a variety of other negative mental and physical effects

Bath Salts are not regulated in any way. Different batches or brands have very different contents and strength. Not knowing what is in your drugs or how strong they are can lead to overdose.

Compulsive re-dosing (fiending) is common and risks of negative mental and physical effects increase at high doses and with repeated use.

The CCENDU Alert on an emerging drug called ‘Bath Salts’ is now available online.

A printable electronic copy can be found at http://ccsa.ca/Eng/Priorities/Research/CCENDU/Pages/CCENDU-Drug-Alerts.aspx