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Thursday, 18 July 2019 15:25

The latest trend in getting high: Bug spray

Written by Dr. Daliah Wachs
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Multiple states are reporting an alarming increase in people overdosing on…..bug spray.

Bug spray, such as RAID contain pyrethroids, man-made versions of pyrethrin, a compound made by flowers to repel insects. The compound acts as a neurotoxin, overly exciting the nervous system leading to paralysis and death of the critter that gets exposed.

But humans are spraying the insecticide on their marijuana, tobacco, or spice before smoking it, in an attempt to increase the high. These bug spray-laced drugs, called KD, could cause serious illness.

In December, a Tennessee man went on a violent bender and was arrested after he smoked a mixture of  methamphetamine and bug spray to make “wasp“.

“Hot Shots” are even crazier.  The DenverChannel.com reports one takes a screen, sprays bug spray on it, hooks up a battery charger to  heat it, and once the solution crystallizes, melts it and injects the liquid into their veins.

Health officials are warning using any of the above drug mixtures can produce various symptoms including:

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • headache
  • dizziness
  • fatigue
  • aggression
  • tremors
  • seizures
  • respiratory failure
  • cardiac arrest
  • coma
  • death

Because of the ubiquity of bug spray, anyone, including a child, can become exposed to toxic doses using it by itself or mixing it with other chemicals and drugs.

As a kid we used to collect bugs and play with them.  Now kids are getting high on bug spray.  What could possibly be next……

 

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Daliah Wachs is a guest contributor to GCN news, her views and opinions, medical or otherwise, are her own. Doctor Wachs is an MD,  FAAFP and a Board Certified Family Physician.  The Dr. Daliah Show , is nationally syndicated M-F from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm and Saturday from Noon-1:00 pm (all central times) at GCN.