With the recent revelation in the Miami cannibal case, it was discovered that Rudy Eugene, believed to be under the influence of bath salts, actually did not have any type of synthetic compounds in his body besides marijuana. Despite this finding, Obama has officially signed a federal ban on different types of synthetic drugs.
So what do cannibals and bath salts have to do with us? As college students, we like to experiment. Most commonly, we are known for messing around with alcohol, marijuana, Adderall, mushrooms, cocaine, LSD and ecstasy. Yeah, we heard all of the risks our health teacher taught us in high school but still did it anyway. But the reason college students are so often associated with drug use is because we need energy, confidence and relaxation. Plus, it is supposedly mind altering and cool.
With the introduction to bath salts as a new type of drug, new types of dangers lurk in every package. Even though they are not specifically suggested to be inhaled, snorted, baked, smoked or any other type of way you could possibly imagine taking this drug, bath salts have no dosage recommendation. No one knows what they are getting into and when to stop. This means that the brain can experience excessive amounts of this psychoactive stimulant and hyperthermia will occur. Welcome to “dark hell.”
While the brain is going crazy, you will experience sleep deprivation, which results in escalated stress. Sounds really fun, right? Little is known about the long-term effects of this powerful new substance, but with the new ban on synthetic drugs, opponents are arguing that research on future drugs will be limited.
But forget all those hardcore drugs and let’s look at what college kids are really doing (legally): Hookah. Yeah, that “I’m just smoking air” excuse is not going to work when you look at the serious health risks associated with this increasingly popular activity. You are smoking nicotine and absorbing toxins that may be found in cigarettes like carbon monoxide. Plus, you get to shake hands with all of the possible diseases that may just want to keep holding on like lung, stomach, esophagus and oral cancer.
You don’t have to quit your weekly visits to the Night Owl or Cobra Lounge, but be aware of the risks you may be unknowingly susceptible to. And if you decide for whatever reason to play with bath salts, you will most likely not turn into a cannibal, but you will be facing serious consequences.
In the future, we are sure to see new types of dangerous substances. The new law is prohibiting a variety of compounds that are similar to those that hide under the innocent name of bath salts. Not only are these drugs not to be sold in stores, but also this federal law will be building a barricade against online sales.
Be careful about experimentation, and research whatever you decide to put into your body. The risks are very real. You may only live once, but don’t make it end by irrational decisions made under the influence.