You don’t have to gaze upon very many sets of eyes on the Venice Beach boardwalk to find a set that are clearly under the influence of some kind of narcotic. Many LAPD Officers are also trained “DRE’s” or “Drug Recognition Experts”, but the new highly addictive designer drug with the street name of “Bath Salts” is difficult to detect other than in the behavior of those under the influence of the drug. The stimulant produces euphoria and a “keen sense of alertness” similar to cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines.
“Bath Salts” are a synthetic stimulant that comes in the form of a white or tan powder which is usually snorted, as the drug loses potency when mixed with liquid. Chemically the drug is known as MDPV, or methylenedioxypyrovalerone. Newer pyrovalerone derivatives are being made by illegal street chemists. The worst thing about them is that there is no way to test someone to see if they have taken the drug, apparently the only way to know if someone is under the influence is if they tell you they have taken bath salts.
The side effects include very intense feelings of:
- Extreme Agitation
- Extreme Paranoia
- Mental Instability
- Suicidal Actions
- Hallucinations
- Psychosis
- Panic attacks
- Insomnia for days
- Combativeness
- Kidney Pain / Failure
- Excessive Heart Rate
- Impaired Perception of Reality
An additional challenge is that there is are highly publicized reports of suicidal tendencies from people using the “bath salts” drug well after the effects have worn off. In addition to heightened states of suicidal feelings, people under the influence are also extremely combative with those in close proximity.
And, of course, you can find this drug on the Venice Beach boardwalk. Recent reports of arrests include accounts of violent and bizarre behavior. Just this past week a woman did over $1000 in damage to the interior of a taxi cab in Venice while under the influence of an unknown substance. This designer drug is so new that there is no Federal Law prohibiting its sale. On September 7, 2011, the DEA took advantage of its emergency scheduling authority to ban Mephedrone (4-MMC), MDPV, and Methylone (M1). The substances will be illegal to possess and sell for 12 months until the DEA and Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) determines if these substances should be permanently banned.
Several States have banned the sale and use of the drugs independently of the DEA and any Federal ruling. New York had a nationally publicized bust on the drug in a large sting operation.
The hope is that the City Attorney enforces various municipal codes that are already on the books regarding the sale and display of smoking paraphernalia within close distance of a “park”, as these are the outlets near which these drugs are most readily available. A small step, but anything to curtail the accessibility of these drugs along the boardwalk will help. The effects of these drugs on individuals that are homeless and already show signs of violence and erratic behavior just complicate issues for LAPD who have to assume a high level of unpredictable behavior as they try to enforce a safe environment along the boardwalk.
MSNBC Story about Bath Salts emergency DEA ban.
