Bath Salts and the Emerging Public Health Threat: A Review of Fatal Overdoses Involving Synthetic Cathinones in Palm Beach County, Florida

Location: Grand Ballroom A-D OMNI - Synthetic cathinones, sometimes referred to as bath salts, are an emerging threat to public health, as overdose deaths linked to these novel psychostimulants have increased in recent years. Synthetic cathinones are chemically manufactured stimulants designed to mimic other illicit drugs such as cocaine and amphetamine-type stimulants like methamphetamines and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Synthetic cathinone toxicity is associated with the sympathomimetic toxidrome, which includes a wide range of psychological, behavioral, and physical adverse effects including hallucinations, psychosis, seizures, cardiac arrest, and death.

In Palm Beach County, Florida, deaths involving synthetic cathinones have increased dramatically. Preliminary data shows that deaths increased 1,800% from three in 2021 to 57 in 2023. Despite the rise in deaths in Florida and across the United States, little is known about the population affected by this potent psychostimulant.

Presenters from the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County will review the increasing incidence of overdose deaths involving synthetic cathinones (both alone and in combination with other drugs) from 2021 to 2023. They will discuss trends, characteristics, substance use history, social determinants, and circumstances surrounding these deaths. They will also discuss barriers in conducting overdose surveillance relating to novel substances including synthetic cathinones. Increasing the foundational understanding of the population affected by this emerging public health threat can better guide prevention efforts.