#1
“Bath Salts” Were Involved
in over 20,000 Drug-Related
Emergency Department
Visits in 2011
"Bath salts," a group of illicit drugs containing synthetic cathinones, have been linked to a significant number of emergency department (ED) visits according to a new federal report.
Issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) report shows that these drugs were linked to 22,904 ED visits in 2011.
The report shows that in 2011, there were nearly 2.5 million ED visits involving drug misuse or abuse and that of the ED visits involving bath salts, 67% involved the use of another drug.
Only 33% of bath salts–related ED visits involved bath salts alone; 15% of visits involved the combined use of bath salts with marijuana or synthetic forms of marijuana, and 52% involved the use of other drugs.
"Although bath salts drugs are sometimes claimed to be 'legal highs' or are promoted with labels to mask their real purpose, they can be extremely dangerous when used," Elinore McCance-Katz, MD, PhD, SAMHSA's chief medical officer, said in a statement.
"Bath salts drugs can cause heart problems, high blood pressure, seizures, addiction, suicidal thoughts, psychosis and, in some cases, death ― especially when combined with the use of other drugs," she added.
The full report can be found here
in over 20,000 Drug-Related
Emergency Department
Visits in 2011
"Bath salts," a group of illicit drugs containing synthetic cathinones, have been linked to a significant number of emergency department (ED) visits according to a new federal report.
Issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) report shows that these drugs were linked to 22,904 ED visits in 2011.
The report shows that in 2011, there were nearly 2.5 million ED visits involving drug misuse or abuse and that of the ED visits involving bath salts, 67% involved the use of another drug.
Only 33% of bath salts–related ED visits involved bath salts alone; 15% of visits involved the combined use of bath salts with marijuana or synthetic forms of marijuana, and 52% involved the use of other drugs.
"Although bath salts drugs are sometimes claimed to be 'legal highs' or are promoted with labels to mask their real purpose, they can be extremely dangerous when used," Elinore McCance-Katz, MD, PhD, SAMHSA's chief medical officer, said in a statement.
"Bath salts drugs can cause heart problems, high blood pressure, seizures, addiction, suicidal thoughts, psychosis and, in some cases, death ― especially when combined with the use of other drugs," she added.
The full report can be found here
