Author: Alex Thompson

A Trip on Bath Salts Is Cheaper Than Meth or Cocaine But Much More Dangerous Substance Use and Addiction Medicine JAMA

It usually comes in plastic bags or foil labeled as bath salts, glass cleaner, or even plant food. Bath salts are sometimes used as a cheap substitute for stimulants like cocaine. Research shows that one common synthetic cathinone, called 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), is 10 times stronger than cocaine.

1. If a person experiences any of these effects after taking bath salts or is with someone who does, they should seek immediate medical attention.
2. Be sure to use a bowl or container with an airtight lid to store your remaining shower scrub.
3. Information provided by NIDA is not a substitute for professional medical care or legal consultation.
4. The U.S. government passed the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act (SDAPA) in July 2012.
5. They are often sold on the street as cheap substitutes for other stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine.
6. When the hot water and steam hit the bath salts, they’ll dissolve — creating a personal aromatherapy sauna just for you.

Additionally, Frieling says you should talk to your healthcare provider prior to trying a sea salt bath if you have a skin condition such as psoriasis, acne, or atopic dermatitis. If you use a sea salt bath and have an allergic reaction like a rash or hives, or you have a skin infection, Palep says to avoid using sea salts in your bath. You should also avoid taking a sea salt bath if you have an open wound. If you’re looking for a way to relieve stress, ease achy muscles, and treat irritated skin, you may want to consider taking a sea salt bath. In a foot bath or a large basin, sprinkle 1/4 to 1/2 cup bath salts into warm water. Soak your feet and relax, allowing the bath salts to gently soften your skin.

What is sea salt?

Adding 3 or 4 drops to your salt bath can provide additional relief of inflammation and irritation. Bath salts can be used to relieve skin inflammation and irritation caused by eczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis, and athlete’s foot. The National Eczema Association recommends adding 1 cup of table salt to your bath during a flare-up to help prevent stinging when bathing.

It’s important to talk with your healthcare provider before you begin using essential oils and be sure to research the quality of a brand’s products. You can also jazz up your bath salts or plain Epsom salts with essential oils, flower petals, and baking soda to create an even more luxurious experience. These drugs may cause a person to feel euphoria and alertness when ingested. However, they can also cause serious side effects, such as psychosis or death. Certain synthetic cathinones are used in medications to treat specific conditions. Others, such as the ones found in bath salts, are illegal in the U.S.

Adding essential oils, such as lavender or peppermint, can offer additional aromatherapy benefits, such as relaxation and improved mood. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Data sources include Micromedex (updated 3 Mar 2024), Cerner Multum™ (updated 4 Mar 2024), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2024) and others. Because bath salts are so potent, high doses of sedatives may be necessary to prevent users from harming themselves and others.

Where Does the Name Bath Salts Come From?

“They say, ‘This is the worst high I’ve ever had in my life, but the cravings are so bad I keep going back and taking it,’” said Ryan. Promoted as providing a “legal high” that can escape detection in drug tests, bath salts are intended to mimic the hallucinogenic and euphoric highs of methamphetamine or cocaine. At lower doses, they’ve also been marketed as a substitute for methylphenidate (Ritalin) to sharpen mental concentration and as an aphrodisiac. Adding to the attraction is the cheap price; a 200-mg package of bath salts—which may be 3 hits—sells for as little as $15 to $20. “Board-certified dermatologists are recommending sea salt baths for patients with psoriasis, eczema, and other dry skin conditions,” explains Dr. Sapna Palep, a board-certified dermatologist at Spring Street Dermatology. Like other manufactured drugs, bath salts may contain additional unknown substances.

The fine powder in small packets doesn’t even resemble the large crystals intended for a soak in the tub. The drug merely borrows the name of an innocuous product so it can be sold openly. Sea salt is typically not processed or minimally processed since it comes directly through the evaporation of seawater, according to the American Heart Association.

How to use bath salts for baths, soaks, and more

Real-time information from every poison center in the country “allows us to identify outbreaks and quickly learn the symptoms and how to manage” a new designer drug, he says. The drugs’ packaging often states “not for human consumption” in an attempt to circumvent drug prohibition laws.[6] Additionally, they may be mislabeled as plant food, powdered cleaner, and other such products. If you want a truly luxurious soak, why not add bath salts the next time you run a bath? You can purchase or make bath salts with your favorite type of salt. Leave the bath salts as they are or mix in colors or essential oils for fragrance.

This act listed mephedrone, methylone, and MDPV as Schedule I controlled substances. This is the most restrictive category of controlled substances. Risks from using them include liver failure, mental illness, and even death. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Is There Treatment for Addiction to Bath Salts?

Their effects are similar to the effects of amphetamine and ecstasy (MDMA). The minerals in a detox bath are believed to help remove toxins from the body to improve your health, relieve stress, treat constipation, and assist with weight loss. Bath salts can be ingested orally, snorted, smoked, plugged or injected. Bath salts can be detrimental to human health and can potentially cause erratic behavior, hallucinations, and delusions.[16] This is often due to their wakefulness-promoting effect, leading to insomnia. It’s especially important if the condition is severe or chronic.

Khat is used in East Africa and southern Arabia for its stimulant properties. Bath salts are among a group called new psychoactive substances. They give you a “high” that affects how you see others and the world around you.

Other NIDA Sites

Since table salt is used in recipes and on food, it undergoes processing to give it a fine texture. When this happens, you lose the minerals that are present in sea salt. Sea salt baths are known for their therapeutic and healing properties, as well as their ability to ease stress and boost your overall health. Synthetic cathinones are similar to certain substances found in the khat plant.

“MDPV produces psychoactive effects with as little as 3 to 5 mg, but packages of bath salts promote alarmingly high doses of 50 mg and above,” says Goldberger. The emergency and referral resources listed above are available to individuals located in the United States and are not operated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). NIDA is a biomedical research organization and does not provide personalized medical advice, treatment, counseling, or legal consultation. Information provided by NIDA is not a substitute for professional medical care or legal consultation. Try mixing in a teaspoon to your bath salts before adding them to your bath or making them into a scrub.