Clinical experience with and analytical confirmation of “bath salts” and “legal highs” (synthetic cathinones) in the United States

We report the emergence of a new group of substances of abuse in the USA, known as bath salts, with quantitative results in 18 patients. State and federal authorities used timely information from poison centers on the bath salt outbreak during investigations to help track the extent of use and the effects occurring from these new drugs. Close collaboration between state authorities and poison centers enhanced a rapid response, including legislation.