It is considered to be like synthetic marijuana or even a type of legal fake cocaine but unlike pot and coke, it won't land you behind bars.
Bath salts are sold locally and are sold under names such as Ivory Wave, Vanilla Sky, Charge Plus, Sextacy, and can be snorted like cocaine.
"We don't know what amounts of chemicals are in there,” said Jose Garza, tobacco specialist for the Rio Grande Council. “Whoever is using this is taking a big risk in having something happen."
Garza said the trend has not taken off in the Rio Grande Valley but he expects it will soon.
He said people might be curios, but they need to realize the harm bath salts can cause to a person’s body.
"You're just playing Russian Roulette with your mind, body, and your life,” said Garza.
It was just last month that Joey Baldwin, of Sante Fe, New Mexico allegedly killed himself after taking bath salts.
His father, Joey Baldwin, now wants the product banned.
Baldwin said his son became paranoid, started to hallucinate, and eventually killed himself. Joey blamed ‘bath salts’ for his death in his suicide letter.
One man who knows all too well about the effects drugs can have on people—is ‘Juan’ a narcotics investigator with San Juan police.
"In order to get their high...they're willing to any lengths and try whatever is out there," said ‘Juan.’
He said this new drug has him worried because it is legal and the side effects can be deadly.
"We don't know what their perception of us is--toward other human life,” Juan said. “We don't know how they're viewing us or other people. Hallucinations can take them to another world."
Juan said the main attraction people have with bath salts is that it is an easy high with little detection.
That is until something goes terribly wrong.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT