RCMP warn about use of 'bath salts' in province

A new and dangerous street drug making headlines in North America is available in Newfoundland and Labrador, according to the RCMP.

It goes by an innocuous name "bath salts" but its effects are far from benign.

Sgt. Steve Conohan, the RCMPs co-ordinator of drugs and organized crime awareness, says bath salts first showed up in this province two years ago.

Conahan says police are hearing some bad things about its effects on people.

"I'm defintely worried, and it's definitely a cause for concern," he told CBC News.

Conahan says the RCMP has been working closely with the RNC on the issue.

"We've stepped up our awareness efforts throughout the province to try to bring a level of understanding both in the front line officers, but in the members of the general public as well."

Conohan says what's scary about a lot of the synthetic drugs being created is that they are all white powder, and it's hard to differentiate between them.

In Miami, a man high on the drug literally chewed the face off another man before police shot and killed him.