Physical Health

It's more than the gym. Whether you're taking your first yoga class, choosing healthier foods or deciding to quit smoking, physical health is an important part of gay men's lives. This section provides resources, articles and information about how you can live a longer, healthier life. We also have listings for our Professional Volunteers who specialize in physical health.

A Warning About Bath Salts

Posted by HIM on Thursday June 21st, 2012

Health agencies are beginning to warn the people about a new threat to the public - BathSalts.

No they're not the ones you can go pick up from the nearby Bed, Bath and Beyond. "Bath Salts" is the street name for a new drug which refers to the synthetic drug's appearance. They are amphetamine-type stimulants that are unregulated by law their contents and strength will vary from batch to batch increasing the risk of overdose and side-effects.

Some of the negatvie side-effects that have been reported are hallucinations, paranoia, chest pain, blurry vision and increased body temperature. Additionally, it can cause the user to become agitated and combative which in rare cases has lead to disturbing violence.

While reported cases of bath salt use is limited, cases are on the rise. To find out more about side-effects and prevalence, check out this bulletin from the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use.