• Meet Our Team
  • Advertise on SCDN
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Contact Us
Tuesday, September 30
Scioto County Daily News
  • Login
  • Register
Subscribe For $1/week
  • Public Safety
    ppd-315

    Chicken Coop Clash on Summit Street Ends With Gun Threat 

    Grandview Avenue Chaos: Woman Crashes, Spits at Officers, and Lands in Jail 

    Broad Daylight Gun Drama on Gay Street: Van Break-In, $50 Dispute, and a Chase 

    Creeper in Kroger: Woman Reports Being Followed and Touched in Local Store 

    Elder Safety

    Portsmouth Police Step Up to Check on Seniors in Need  

    Good Kids CPS

    Portsmouth Police Back Up CPS Workers During a Tough Weekend of Calls 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 09/29/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    pigs

    When Pigs Fly the Coop: Deputies Called to Hog Wild Property Dispute 

    Lawrence County

    Body Discovered in Wheelersburg: Township Trustee Called to Fulfill Sad Duty

    Historic McKinney Church Deserved a Sermon—Got a Springer Show Instead 

    Tracy Park 2

    Naked Man in Tracy Park Headlines Another Rough Day in Portsmouth’s Homeless Crisis

    Man’s Paranoid Call Leads to Arrest, Hospitalization in Scioto County 

    Gary Holsinger

    Assault in Minford Ends in Arrest at Pizza Shop 

    Wild Week in New Boston: Drugs, Gazebos, Go-Karts & a Buckeye Bandit 

    Missing Woman Found Dead Amid String of Southern Ohio Cases 

    Two Wheelersburg Trespassing Cases Highlight Dangers of Ignoring Warnings 

    Gun Found In Hotel Room

    Snapchat Gun Threat: Mom Says Teen Feud Has Gone Too Far 

    Beanie Baby Blamed in Bizarre Portsmouth Theft Report 

    Troubled Bad Youth Kids

    Door-Kicking, Spray Paint, and Ten-Year-Old Suspects: Portsmouth Police Investigate

    police investigation

    Out of Jail in the Morning, Accused of Waving Gun by Afternoon 

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics
    Davis Commish

    No Updates, Just an Empty Seat: Powell and Smith Say Davis Drama is Out of Their Hands

    weird strange absurd

    Parking, Murals, and an Indicted Commissioner: Sparks Fly at Portsmouth City Manager’s Conference 

    Bryan Davis Due Back In Court October 21 

    Sean Dunne Next Mayor of Portsmouth?

    Dunne: “It’s Time for Portsmouth to Speak Up” on Davis Resignation 

    confused woman

    Portsmouth Council Weighs Asking Davis to Resign 

    Turning Point USA

    Student Democrats Deny Role in Petition to Ban Turning Point USA at SSU 

    Turning Point USA

    Portsmouth Politics Escalate: SSU Students Petition to Ban Turning Point USA

    Recorder Gary Jenkins

    Scioto County Recorder’s Office Increases Fees 

    Scottie Powell

    Commissioner Powell Responds to Conflict of Interest Questions 

    FOP Endorses Malone, Neff in Portsmouth City Election 

    Bryan Davis

    Where’s Bryan Davis? GOP Says Step Down — Court Says Suspended

    SCDN File Photo

    Where’s Bryan Davis? After Two Missed Meetings, GOP Says It’s Time to Step Down 

    This bench is a different bench located near Jim Dandy's

    Exclusive: The Bench Is Back — But the Political Drama Isn’t Over 

    crisis question

    Where’s Bryan Davis? Commissioners, Citizens Ask the Same Question 

    Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis

    Bryan Davis Arraignment Set, New Judge Assigned 

    Bryan Davis

    Why Commissioner Davis Staying in Office Raises Big Problems 

    Scottie Powell

    Powell Calls on Commissioner Davis to Resign 

    Scioto County Bryan Davis Scandal

    🗓 Timeline of a Scandal: How Scioto County’s Economic Development Crisis Unfolded 

    Bryan Davis

    Commissioner Bryan Davis and Wife Indicted in Scioto Scandal 

    Joey Sandlin

    Joey Sandlin Announces Inauguration Ceremony  

  • Feel Good
    A man sitting in a vehicle is handing over an ID card to a female police officer standing by his window.

    Tips for Staying Calm During Police Encounters

    Cyn Mackley

    Cyn Mackley Channels Haunted Appalachia

    A group of friends stand around a table, smiling, laughing, and drinking. There are plates of food on the table.

    Creative Ways To Host Outdoor Events This Summer

    A family of two parents and a young boy and girl are playing laser tag with vests and laser blasters in an arena.

    What Activities To Offer at a Family Fun Center

    Shawnee State University SSU

    Shawnee State University Joins New Athletic Conference, Adds Football to Lineup 

    BREAKING: Commissioners Make Shocking Decision—Halloween to Remain on Halloween 

    Escape to the Hills: A Summer Reading List Set in Appalachia 

    Scioto County Champs: Lady Trojans and Word Wizards Bring Home the Gold 

    “I Held Those Keys Tight” — One Man’s Harrowing Journey from Addiction to Hope 

    Three girls in quinceañera dresses stand beside one another. The one in middle has a gold dress while the other two wear pink.

    Tips for Selecting the Color of a Quinceañera Dress

    The Day the Streak Ended: Lakers’ 1987 Record Broken

    An angler standing at the edge of a lake just after sunset with three fishing rods resting on the ground next to him.

    Night Fishing: Who Is It for and How Do You Start?

    good cops

    Cops Rescue Lost Man 

    good cops

    Kid Misses Bus, Deputy to the Rescue 

    A group of people stands outside with their arms in the air. They hold their hands together, making a pyramid shape.

    Hidden Gems: Community Strategies for Mental Wellness

    good cops

    Man Says He’s Trapped in Armory 

    Good Samaritan 2

    Good Neighbor and Officer to the Rescue 

    Portsmouth Flood Wall Stars

    Meet the New Flood Wall Stars! 

    A bearded man is sitting on the floor and comforting his dog in a wheelchair. The dog has his ears pinned back.

    Training Tips To Help Your Dog Get Used to Their Wheelchair

    U.S. housing market

    Tips for Making Your New House Feel Like a Home

  • Obituaries

    Patricia Salmons Smith 78 of McDermott

    Billy Ray White

    Billy Ray White, 66 of Portsmouth

    Leatha S. Queen

    Leatha S. Queen, 67 of Rosemount

    Timothy Eugene Coldiron

    Timothy Eugene Coldiron, 55 of Wheelersburg

    Penny Sue (Scaggs) Henthorn

    Penny Sue Henthorn

    Eric Vaughn “Bubba” Kratzer II

    Eric Vaughn “Bubba” Kratzer II, 35, of Otway

    Richard L. Phillips

    Richard L. Phillips, 88 of McDermott

    Barbara Williams

    Diana Marie Clark, 43 of Lucasville

    The Reverend Donald Henry Moeser” 90 of Powellsville,

    Barbara Williams

    Diana Marie Clark, 43 of Lucasville

    Cheryl Lynne Porter

    Cheryl Lynne Porter, aged 67 of Sciotoville

    Angela Flores-Kelly

    Angela Flores-Kelly, 57 of Blue Creek

    Bobby Nelson Sparks

    Bobby Nelson Sparks, 76 of West Portsmouth

    Ralph Arelious Fordyce of Charleston

    Alice Ann Newman

    Alice Ann Newman, 81 of Rarden

    Gary Ray Pyles,

    Randall Eugene Herdman 66, of New Boston

    Anna Elizabeth McClintic

    Anna Elizabeth McClintic, 92 of Wheelersburg

    Barbara Williams

    Betty Ruth Childers, 98 of Lucasville,

    Paul R. Humphrey, 87 of Wheelersburg

    Robert Lee Barbee

    Robert Lee Barbee, 83, of Waverly

  • More News
    • All News
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Education
    • Economy
    • Food & Drinks
    • Local Business
    • National
    • Opinion
    • Regional
    • Strange But True
    • Trending
No Result
View All Result
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result

Flakka, “Bath Salts” Have Returned To Portsmouth

Ross Madison by Ross Madison
5 years ago
in Public Safety
Flakka, "Bath Salts" Have Returned To Portsmouth
ShareTweetEmail

Flakka, “Bath Salts” Have Returned To Portsmouth

Flakka, an extremely potent synthetic drug, has been on the rise since the middle of last year. The substance causes extreme psychological, behavioral, and physiological changes in users, putting them at risk for seizures, organ failure, and even death.

A Portsmouth resident told SCDN exclusively today,” I nearly shot a guy this morning in our front yard. I spotted the symptoms from videos I’d seen.” Our source went on to say, “I had “The Judge” (a pistol that takes shotgun shells) directly on him. He didn’t give 2 sh#ts.”

RELATED POSTS

Grandview Avenue Chaos: Woman Crashes, Spits at Officers, and Lands in Jail 

Broad Daylight Gun Drama on Gay Street: Van Break-In, $50 Dispute, and a Chase 

Portsmouth Police Back Up CPS Workers During a Tough Weekend of Calls 

The Drug Enforcement Administration says Flakka is a Schedule I drug, a classification reserved for drugs that are highly addictive and have no legitimate medical use. Flakka’s chemical makeup is designed to put users in a state of “excited delirium,”. Flakka is also known as “bath salts,” “monkey spice,” and “galax,” according to the DEA.


The drug is commonly found in a powder form, often labeled “gravel.” Flakka can be snorted or smoked. Some “labs” have found a way to manufacture it into pills. Flakka, in small doses, can cause euphoria, paranoia, and a heightened sense of arousal. However, in larger doses, the drug can cause intense mental breakdowns, cardiovascular collapse, and even death.

Synthetic drugs like Flakka, with a chemical composition that is unique and undetectable by traditional drug testing equipment, are more dangerous than the vast majority of illegal street drugs because they produce massive hallucinations and extreme sensitivity to touch or to sight. They are made in some countries with legally restricted chemicals that can produce effects that vary from mild to nearly deadly.

Flakka, "Bath Salts" Have Returned To Portsmouth

Why This and Why Now?

Please Support This Local Business

In short, the dealers believe that the drug is unable to be “sniffed out” by K-9 officers. According to The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI),

Traditional target odors for narcotic detection canines typically include marijuana, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and any other substance required to meet the training objectives. The concern for canines and the method in which the drugs are introduced for training purposes has brought about the need for safe alternatives that still yield positive results. However, synthetic cathinones (bath salts) are not included as one of these substances for narcotic detection canines.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse says, synthetic cathinones are marketed as cheap substitutes for other stimulants such as amphetamines and cocaine.

People can buy synthetic cathinones online and in drug paraphernalia stores under a variety of brand names, which include:

  • Bliss
  • Cloud Nine
  • Lunar Wave
  • Vanilla Sky
  • White Lightning

Synthetic cathinones can produce effects that include:

    • paranoia—extreme and unreasonable distrust of others
    • hallucinations—experiencing sensations and images that seem real but are not
    • increased friendliness
    • increased sex drive
    • panic attacks
    • excited delirium—extreme agitation and violent behavior


The National Institute on Drug abuse concludes by stating: The worst outcomes are associated with snorting or needle injection.

Out of Fad then, the Comeback

The Community Anti-Drug Coalition (CADCA) reports the origins of these drugs first appeared in Texas and Ohio. By 2014, it had spread throughout the country with hundreds of videos uploaded to Youtube. Once people saw graphic examples of people eating themselves and the most bizarre behavior seen by the masses regarding a single type of drug, the demand, and use of the drug diminished.

We have reported on major drug arrests, including “Meth Distribution Through Scioto County Busted“, “K-9 Sniffs Out Drugs At State Park“, ” Meth Mom Cops Plea In Drug Ring“, and (almost countless) more.

Like lizards and spiders, when you cut something off, it grows back. The distributors have made some “business decisions” and Scioto County is the latest casualty of that effect.

Because they are difficult to detect, police often have to rely on information from the public to assist them in containing the outbreaks. Please spread the word that synthetic drugs can be dangerous and deadly and that they are now arriving into the homes of teens, adults, and children in Portsmouth and Scioto County.

To summarize, the distributors want to decrease their chances of getting caught. At the expense of vulnerable addicts, they are substituting bad drugs for worse drugs. The distributors and dealers are safer. The users, their families, law enforcement, first responders, and the public are more at risk.

Flakka, “Bath Salts” Have Returned To Portsmouth
Tags: drugsFamilyFeaturedPortsmouth OhioScioto County
Please Support This Local Business

TRENDING NOW

Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

Busted! 09/16/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

September 16, 2025
Michelle E. Workman

Michelle E. Workman, 30, of Wheelersburg

September 16, 2025
Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

Busted! 09/15/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

September 15, 2025
Overdose Death

Another Life Lost: Fatal Overdose 

September 15, 2025
George Cassidy

George Cassidy, 81 of Portsmouth

September 16, 2025

ABOUT US

We are a grassroots team of local journalists on a mission to give our community up-to-the-second news and events for Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Western West Virginia. We believe progress inspires change and we believe our reporting has become the front-lines of Portsmouth, Ohio's comeback.

CATEGORIES

  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Casino
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • Food & Drink
  • Local Business
  • National
  • Obituaries
  • Ohio
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Public Safety
  • Regional
  • Strange But True
  • Video

AREAS SERVED

  • Portsmouth
  • Wheelersburg
  • Minford
  • Waverly
  • Friendship
  • Ironton
  • West Union
  • Piketon
  • Coal Grove
  • South Point
  • Vanceburg
  • Grayson
  • South Shore
  • Greenup
  • Raceland
  • Ashland

SITE SEARCH

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.