Ottawa to outlaw deadly ‘ bath salts’

Street drug contains stimulants linked to psychotic episodes, violent behaviour

The federal government has announced plans to ban a street drug known as “bath salts,” which have been linked to psychotic episodes and potentially violent behaviour.

The drug recently made headlines in Miami when a man — believed to have been high on bath salts — chewed off the flesh of a homeless man’s face before being shot dead by police.

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said Tuesday that MDPV, a key ingredient in bath salts, will be added to Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in the same category as heroin and cocaine. It is expected to become officially illegal in the fall.

The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse issued a nationwide drug alert last week concerning bath salts.

The alert said the drug is generally sold on the Internet or in shops that specialize in drug paraphernalia.

While the drug may resemble salts sold in bath and beauty stores, it is prepared in illicit labs and contains amphetamine- type stimulants, the alert said.

“Individuals under the influence of these substances report hallucinations, paranoia, chest pain and blurry vision, and appear agitated and combative,” the alert said.

While the drug’s presence in Canada appears to be concentrated in the Maritime provinces, media reports in recent days have suggested that the drug has spread to other provinces as well.

The drug is known by a variety of street names, including ivory wave, vanilla sky, pure ivory, cloud nine, whack, Bolivian bath and purple wave.