Bath salts, The DANGEROUS and Newest Drug Fad

                                

                                   

                There are two types of bath salts. The type we are most familiar with are the water-soluble beads that we use in our bath water for a better bathing experience.  Many people thought this was the substance that was being abused, but it actually isn’t. The other type of bath salt is actually a slang term for a group of new drugs that are sold as tablets, capsules, or powder. Although they are two completely different things, the term “bath salts” is used so that drug dealers can skirt the law enforcement. The decision to use this name came about because they look like bath salts in the sense that they are white, granular or powdery.

                These “bath salts” are stimulants that mimic cocaine, methamphetamine and ecstasy. They can be taken orally, through inhalation, or by injection. Injecting bath salts can create a type of flesh eating virus, which after some time, will more than likely lead to death. Because of the ingredients they are composed of, these drugs are extremely addictive. Not only are they addictive, but they can trigger intense cravings for things you wouldn’t find appealing if you were sober. The craziest craving that we have heard of on the news is the intense desire for human flesh. Not only can this drug cause absurd cravings, it can cause paranoia, extremely high temperatures, increased heart rate, hallucinations and even death.   

                The hallucinations and cravings are what we’ve heard most about. People eating other people has been all over the news in the past few months, and many people saw this as some sort of big, zombie joke.  But it’s not; this is very serious and can cause a lot of damage to the consumers and people around them. The effects can last up to 8 hours, and there's no telling how much damage can be done within that time.  

                Bath salts are no joke. They can cause harm to not only you, but those around you. It is vital for parents and caregivers to help inform their children and teenagers of how fatal this drug can be. Get informed, and spread the word!

Hookah, the "safe" drug?

                                                                                   Hardly.                         

Hookah has a reputation for being the “safe” and “healthy” form of smoking. You don’t get high off of it like you do with marijuana, and you aren’t inhaling tar like you are with cigarettes. So it’s totally safe, right? WRONG.

Hookah is dangerous in so many ways. The actual hookah consists of a glass base, a metal pipe, a hose, a bowl and a mouth piece. Inside of it there is crude cut tobacco, nicotine, aluminum foil and smokeless coal. Sounds “safe” to inhale, right? Not even close. Inhaling ingredients such as smokeless coal and tobacco is very dangerous. Your mouth, throat and stomach could all suffer from such ingredients being inhaled.  Hookah can also sometimes have drugs such as weed or “marijuana” in them, which can cause various problems in certain people.

Let’s say you can look past all of the ingredients. Well then, we’ll focus on some other aspects.

      Hookahs are a social “drug.” People pass the hookah around and each take a “hit” off of the same mouth piece. Not only is this disgusting, it is completely unsanitary. Smoking also puts stress on your lungs, as does any form of smoking. Putting this much stress on your lungs makes them more susceptible to infections.

 

                         To sum it up in just a few words, this “safe” drug isn’t so safe after all.