It wasn’t too long ago that the “bath salts” craze was at an epidemic level, particularly here in North Central West Virginia. The synthetic drug that had law enforcement in Bridgeport, Harrison County and across the state and nation facing a substance that created more than just erratic behavior seemed to be creating a situation out of control by its users.

 

Then, as new laws were put on the books regarding the sale of the “bath salts” and a massive raid was done in Harrison County and Clarksburg’s Rosebud Plaza inside the business “Hot Stuff and Cool Things” back in 2012, things finally turned. Slowly, but surely, the term “bath salts” faded and the epidemic for the time being became further down on the radar.

 

While that may be good news, the bad news is that just like the elimination of drug dealers by way of the legal system results in fresh drug dealing faces, the removal of bath salts doesn’t mean the end of synthetic drugs. In fact, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia William Ihlenfeld said that part of the process of fighting existing drugs is watching for the arrival of new ones.

 

“There’s always a new threat that we have to be on the lookout for. We try to, as much as possible, stay on top of the threat. Not only in northern West Virginia, not only across the state, but regionally and nationally,” Ihlenfeld said recently. “We’re talking to our counterparts in other parts of the country to see what they’re experiencing.”

 

If one travels south, chances are good they may read about a new drug called Flakka. Flakka is a synthetic or designer drug and can be combined with other drugs such as marijuana. Not surprisingly, chemicals in Flakka are similar to those in bath salts.

 

The side effects aren’t exactly what you want to see. They are listed as bizarre and uncontrollable behavior and one report said it can create “murderous rage.”

 

The good news is that it’s not in West Virginia as of yet. However, Ihlenfeld’s office is very much aware of it. A recent statement from his office on the drug is as follows:

 

“Flakka has emerged as a threat in Florida and other parts of the southern United States.  It’s a synthetic cathinone chemically similar to bath salts and is dangerous because it can cause hyper stimulation, paranoia, and hallucinations that can lead to violent aggression and self-injury,” the statement said. “Deaths by suicide and heart attack have been linked to this substance.  It can be eaten, injected, snorted, or smoked.  Our law enforcement officers are aware of Flakka, but fortunately it has not become a problem in Northern West Virginia.  We remain committed to educating young people about the dangers of these and other illicit drugs.”

 

Ihlenfeld said knowing about Flakka or talking about it isn’t an invitation for dealers to bring it here. He said drugs typically move from area to area and it’s best to have knowledge and a head start on a potential problem as opposed to being caught flat footed.

 

“What people will tell you in law enforcement, is that when we experience a problem it usually has happened someplace else. Normally it’s coming up or coming down. If we know about it in advance, we can do some predictive analytics and be ready for it and be in better position to respond to it,” said Ihlenfeld. “You have to know what’s happening elsewhere if you want to be effective in addressing the problem in your community. We know that drugs are going to come in here. The better prepared we are, the better we’ll do in responding to it and pushing back against it.”

 

Ihlenfeld said there are new synthetic drugs constantly finding their way into the mix of drugs law enforcement face and communities deal with daily. The worst part is the problem with those type of synthetic, or designer, drugs is that the problem is growing.

 

“We’re seeing an uptick in overdose death from synthetic drugs. The threat is always changing,” the U.S. Attorney said.

 

While Ihlenfeld said law enforcement throughout the state, as well as his office and other U.S. Attorneys, are keeping an eye on Flakka and other new drugs, they know they have their hands full with the current drugs proliferated throughout the Mountain State.

 

“I would still say today our greatest threat is heroin. Now we’re seeing heroin cut with fentanyl. And we’re seeing pure fentanyl. We’re seeing more crystal methamphetamine than we ever have before,” said Ihlenfeld. “It used to be a big deal to seize a couple of ounces of it from a bad guy. Now, we’re seeing pounds of it.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo, courtesy of the DEA, is of the substance Flakka, while U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld, foreground, and Bridgeport Police Chief John Walker are shown below.