BATH SALTS PROVING TO BE NEW LOCAL DRUG TREND

LORAIN COUNTY - Bath salts, sold over the counter but with the
potential to become hallucinogens, are beginning to be a problem in
2the area, according to the Lorain County Sheriff's Office.

"Basically, what this stuff does is give you the effects of
methamphetamine and LSD at the same time," said Detective Gregg
Mehling of the Lorain County Drug Task Force.

Mehling said the bath salts can be purchased online or in stores. The
danger involves the effect of the bath salts, which are typically
snorted, but can also be smoked or injected, he said. In addition to
hallucinations, bath salts also speed up the heart rate and
respiration of users.

The task force had been researching bath salts after hearing of
incidents in other cities including Medina and Mansfield. In the past
two weeks, the sheriff's office has had three incidents, including one
at the jail on July 6 where a man told corrections officers he was on
bath salts and had to be taken to EMH Elyria Medical Center.

"We hadn't really seen any until the last couple of weeks," said
Mehling. "One of the guys came in and was acting very irrational. We
had to take him to EMH."

Lt. Jack Hammond said jail medical staff were unable to treat the man
because of the side effects, so he was sent to the emergency room. The
man could not be charged because the bath salts are legal.

"People on these bath salts have an elevated risk of cardiac arrest no
matter the age," he said.

He added the jail medical administrator was unfamiliar with the side
effects and contacted a hospital in Mansfield for more
information.

According to Mansfield police Sgt. Joy Stortz, the administrator had
the right idea. Stortz, whose department also works with METRICH drug
unit, said her department has been seeing people high on bath salts
since January.

"We started seeing it, but at the beginning we didn't know what was
going on," she said, adding usage is regularly increasing. "I had a
(Richland County) jail employee say they were seeing about eight
people a day using bath salts."

One of the biggest problems with continued use of the bath salts is
not only health concerns, but also their addiction level is on par
with heroin or methamphetamine, she said. Recently, Stortz had a
caller say their 24-year-old daughter, who is a nursing student, was
so addicted she was stealing from the family to get money to buy bath
salts.

Mansfield police have not yet had a death due to bath salts, but
Stortz said there have been instances where a situation could have
escalated badly due to the combination paranoia and increased
aggression attributed to the use.

On June 21, the Mansfield council passed a city ordinance making it
illegal to sell, possess or consume them bath salts.

"Other surrounding cities have come on board with it, but people can
still buy it on the Internet or other cities," she said.

Stortz credited the work of Mansfield Police Department Crime Lab
chemist Tony Tambasco with helping to bring awareness and said he is
currently working with the Ohio Attorney General's Office to put a
state ban in place.

Mehling said the packaging for the bath salts reads "not for human
consumption" and there are no ingredients listed, which he said should
convince users of their danger.

"You don't know what you're putting in your body," he said. "As
strongly as I can, I would suggest you not use them."

He warns parents concerned their children could be using the drugs to
be on the lookout for any kind of bizarre behavior. He said the salts
typically are packaged in small bags or small canisters similar to lip
balm and have names including Lady Bubble, Pure Ivory, and White Horse.

For more information or to report abuse, Mehling said to call his
office at 329-3853.