The term “bath salts” refers to a family of designer recreational drugs that contain one or more synthetic chemicals related to cathinone – a stimulant found in the khat plant, with effects similar to amphetamine.
The name “bath salts” and the ubiquitous, intentionally misleading warning that these products are “not for human consumption” arose from efforts by the illicit manufacturers and sellers to sidestep drug laws.
Bath salts have been called a variant of cocaine, methamphetamine, or ecstasy (MDMA)–as their stimulant features are quite similar in nature. Additionally, like cocaine, bath salts are frequently crystalline in appearance, and can be purchased on the street. They can be injected, snorted, or taken as tablets.
