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Two more deaths suspected to be linked to “bath salts” were under investigation Friday at the Montgomery County Coroner’s office, bringing the potential total to five area fatalities related to the dangerous designer drug that is legal in Ohio, officials said.
The two cases under investigation appear to be hallucination-related deaths, said Dr. Kent Harshbarger, deputy coroner. One of the deaths was a hanging while apparently intoxicated with bath salts, he said.
Some users can become violent while hallucinating, and “in that violent struggle cause harm to themselves that leads to death,” Harshbarger said.
The Dayton Daily News on Friday reported the three confirmed deaths related to bath salts, a dangerous stimulant with hallucinogenic properties that is sold over the counter at area head shops, convenience stores and gas stations. Two were fatalities while driving, and one is a direct overdose.
Harshbarger declined to identify the confirmed victims, but said the deaths occurred in “outlying communities.”
The Miami Valley Regional Crime Laboratory also has confirmed six additional bath salts-related cases for OVI and other offenses.
The bath salts trend is so new that when asked by the Dayton Daily News for statewide totals of deaths related to the drug, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office said they were unable to provide them because they were unaware of anyone tracking it.
The Miami Valley Hospital emergency department has seen about one bath salts case a day since the second week of April, according to hospital officials.
The synthetic stimulants marketed as “concentrated bath salts” are sold in powder form under such names as “Ivory Wave” and “Vanilla Sky.”
“It has nothing to do with the actual soaking-in-the-tub kind of bath salts,” Harshbarger said.
Bath salts can cause hallucinations, paranoia, rapid heart rates and seizures, according to the Central Ohio Poison Center in Columbus.
Harshbarger said bath salts represent a severe threat to the community.
“Since it is sold over the counter I think the perception is it’s available, it’s safe,” he said. “It is absolutely not, and there are actions being taken to make this an illegal compound.”
State Rep. Clayton Luckie, D-Dayton, has proposed legislation to make six chemical derivatives found in bath salts a Schedule I controlled substance. Drugs on this level drugs are considered the most dangerous, have a high risk of addiction and no medical use. Included in this category are LSD, marijuana, heroin, and ecstasy.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine supports the legislative measure to classify bath salts as an illegal substance, said spokesman Dan Tierney. Luckie’s legislation has been added to the current state budget bill, Tierney said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2419 or dlarsen@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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