New research finds 'bath salts' in system of 'ecstasy' users
Four out of ten people tested in New York had unknowingly ingested the chemicals
Recent research on ecstasy users has worryingly found 'bath salts' in the samples collected.
Conducted by New York University (NYU), the test included taking hair samples of 48 people who said they had taken ecstasy. Half of the samples tested positive for MDMA, with the other half testing positive for 'bath salts'. But, out of those who said they hadn't knowingly ingested bath salts, four out ten were actually found to have them in their system.
Butylone and methylone were the two most frequently detected chemicals, with one case of 'Flakka', leading to Dr Palamar to say there's a higher risk for ecstasy users nowadays.
"A lot of people laughed when they gave us their hair saying things like 'I don't use bath salts; I'm not a zombie who eats people's faces.' Yet our findings suggest many of these people have been using "bath salts" without realising it.
"Ecstasy wasn't always such a dangerous drug, but it is becoming increasingly risky because it has become so adulterated with new drugs that users and the scientific community alike know very little about. Users need to be aware that what they are taking may not be MDMA."
He also encouraged people to buy test kits online so they can check the purity of what they're taking. Maybe he should have a word with the New South Wales police minister refusing to budge on drug policy.
In 2014, ravers in Ibiza were also being sold 'bath salts', which led to violent outburts, anxiety and hospital admissions.
Check out the full NYU article, 'Detection of 'bath salts' and other novel psychoactive substances in hair samples of ecstasy/MDMA/'Molly' users', here.
[Via: EurekAlert!]
Dave Turner is Mixmag's Digital News Editor, follow him on Twitter here