Columbia, SC (WLTX) - A dangerous synthetic drug that is reeking havoc in Kentucky and Florida has made its way to the Midlands, according to Richland County deputies.
The drug is known as "flakka," and experts say it's a cousin to bath salts. The drug's makers have just altered the chemical makeup a bit, making it more potent than cocaine and other drugs.
"It's important for people to know that it can go by a lot of different names," Allison Atkins with Lexington/Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council (LRADAC). Some of those, in addition to flakka, are gravel and magic. The drug comes in a rock or crystal form and it can be ground down and snorted, smoked, or injected.
Jill MIchaels with Poison Control says it's dangerous and can be deadly, saying that people on the drug, "can have psychosis, paranoia, they can try to hurt themselves."
It also causes hallucinations. One Florida man was hallucinating he was being chased by cars when he tried to kick in the doors of the police department.
According to a USA Today report, the euphoria it causes lasts longer than crack cocaine, from one to several hours, and it has a more intense stimulant effect than methamphetamine.
Michaels says that means the user will have an, "increased heart rate and blood pressure which can effect your heart, cause a stroke, which can cause renal failure."
Flakka also causes the body temperature to rise, which is why some users strip down and run around naked, feeling as if their skin is on fire.
Atkins suggests parents keep tabs on what their kids are doing on the online. "It's cheap and you can find it on the internet," Atkins says. "So when people hear about it being in other areas, or something they want to try it, they can also easily access it like people in those other states, which is why it's important to get that information out there to parents who can be on the lookout for their child."
Atkins says it's also important to know your kids' friends. "Like with any other drugs, parents should be aware of who their children are around, what type of activities they are engaging in, certainly if their behavior changes, and if they are aware of what different drugs can cause different behaviors, and be on the look out for that," she says.
If you suspect someone you know is on the drug, you should get them to the emergency room. If you would like more information on Flakka, you can contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
