Kids are so smart / dumb these days. Who would have thought it?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Poison control centers across the country sent out an alert recently as calls about kids high on a toxic substance marketed as bath salts are keeping emergency workers busy.

Officials said the problem has reached the metro area.

In November, KCTV5 bought Ivory Wave bath salts at a local gas station. It was one of 12 brands that recently brought a warning from poison control centers.

Friends of Jarrod Moodey of Cameron, Mo., blamed his death on addiction to bath salts. Police who investigated the case said bath salts are hard to battle because they are legal.

"The only thing that is keeping this legal now is the fact that a law has not been passed naming these specific chemicals as controlled chemicals," said John Connors of the St. Joseph Police Department.

A witness said a University of Kansas senior was fatally struck by a car earlier this week outside of Salina. Police officers are waiting for a toxicology report, but they said a container filled with bath salts was found on the student.

Toxicologists said the effects of bath salts -- used inappropriately despite their warning labels -- when smoked or taken orally is the same as cocaine or meth.

"It's dangerous stuff," said Callie Graham, who works at the Kansas City Community Center helping people with addictions. "It's sad. A certain amount of people have to die before we can catch up with the laws."

Graham said she has concerns that bath salt abuse could grow, and parents need to start the dialogue with their kids about the dangers.

The poison control centers have had no calls from Kansas, but they report 10 in Missouri. Nationwide the number is much higher, which they said is the reason why they put out the warning.

morning_glory wrote:who suddenly decides, 'lets try bath salts'

morning_glory wrote:yeaH i suppose, science was never my strong point.
but how was iron discovered as a metal