Patterns of Use, Acute Subjective Experiences, and Motivations for Using Synthetic Cathinones ("Bath Salts") in Recreational Users

• Published in: Journal of psychoactive drugs 2016-10, Vol.48 (5), p.336-343
• Main Authors: Ashrafioun, Lisham, Bonadio, Francis A., Baik, Kyoung Deok, Bradbury, Stacey L., Carhart, Victoria L., Cross, Nicole A., Davis, Alan K., Feuille, Margaret, Harper, Anna R., Lackey, Jennifer H., Lang, Brent, Lauritsen, Kirstin J., Leith, Jaclyn, Osborn, Lawrence A., Rosenberg, Harold, Stock, Jacob, Zaturenskaya, Mariya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute subjective effects; Adolescent; Adult; Alkaloids - administration & dosage; Alkaloids - adverse effects; Alkaloids - pharmacology; bath salts; Behavioral psychology; Central Nervous System Stimulants - administration & dosage; Central Nervous System Stimulants - adverse effects; Central Nervous System Stimulants - pharmacology; Designer Drugs - administration & dosage; Designer Drugs - adverse effects; Designer Drugs - pharmacology; Drug abuse; drug use; Female; Humans; Internet; Male; Motivation; Psychotropic drugs; Street Drugs - adverse effects; Street Drugs - pharmacology; Substance-Related Disorders - complications; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; synthetic cathinones; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0279-1072; 2159-9777
• DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2016.1229875

Given the variety and potential toxicity of synthetic cathinones, clinicians and educators would benefit from information about patterns of and motivations for use, frequency of psychosocial consequences, and experience of acute subjective effects. We administered a comprehensive, web-based survey to 104 recreational users of synthetic cathinones. Sixty percent of respondents consumed synthetic cathinones once or more per month, usually snorting or swallowing these drugs, typically at home, usually with others, customarily during the evening and nighttime hours, and often in combination with another drug such as alcohol or marijuana. Acute subjective effects attributed to synthetic cathinones were similar to those of other psychostimulants, including increased energy, rapid heartbeat, racing thoughts, difficulty sleeping, euphoria, decreased appetite, open-mindedness, and increased sex drive. Reported reasons for using synthetic cathinones included its stimulating effects, curiosity, substitution for another drug, and being at a party/music event. Respondents had experienced an average of six negative consequences of using synthetic cathinones during the previous year (e.g., tolerance, neglecting responsibilities, personality change). In combination with previously published investigations, these findings increase our understanding of the reported rationales and outcomes of recreational use of synthetic cathinones.