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.”
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.
Why This and Why Now?
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:
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- 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.