Bath Salts: Dangerous Drug Focus Of PSA

"Bath Salts: It's not a fad; it's a nightmare."

That's the slogan of a new public service announcement released by the Navy at the end of December. According to the Navy's website, this synthetic drug is a growing problem, but not just for service members.  This drug has made its way into KELOLAND.

"We've seen a significant problem across our state," Director of Prairie View Prevention Services, Inc. Darcy Jensen said.

Jensen says this illegal drug is very addictive and the cases continue to rise.

"We've seen more on the west river side of our state than the east river side, but it certainly doesn't mean there is not a problem across the state because we have seen bath salts," Jensen said.

White ivory, Snow, Scare Face, Cloud, Arctic; there are several names for bath salts, but they all have the same reaction. Jensen says the response to this drug is like a mixture of methamphetamine and cocaine and she says, long after the "high" is gone, the drug can cause long-lasting paranoia.

"It's not going to be an hour or two someone is going to be feeling 'high,' or having a really bad time.  It might be for multiple days," Jensen said.

Jensen says someone under the influence of bath salts can become violent.

"Sometimes that belief of the hallucinations of what they think they are hearing or seeing is not real and just to keep them safe, they need to have law enforcement involved," Jensen said.

This drug is dangerous and can cause permanent damaging effects.

According to National Poison Control, in 2012, they received 10 calls for bath salts, but back in 2010, poison control says they did not received any calls concerning bath salts.

Prairie View Prevention says if you or a loved one needs help with this very addictive drug, contact a prevention agency and they can help seek a treatment provider in your area.