Synthetic Cannabinoid and Synthetic Cocaine Use during Pregnancy in a Soldier

Synthetic cannabinoid (spice) and synthetic cocaine (bath salts) are relatively new designer drugs of abuse. To date, there have been few reports in the medical literature documenting their use during pregnancy. A 22 year-old gravid woman at 32 weeks gestation presented with suicidal ideation and agitation that required restraints and admission to the psychiatric ward. The woman had a long history of illicit drug use as well as both spice and bath salt use during early pregnancy. She was briefly admitted to the psychiatric ward and subsequently had an uneventful delivery and postpartum course. Acute spice and bath salt intoxication is frequently encountered in Emergency Departments and providers need to be aware of the serious health threats of these designer drugs to mothers and their fetuses. Central Cabán et al. (2013) Email: [email protected] J Subst Abuse Alcohol 1(1): 1002 (2013) 2/4 bath salts range from 5-10mg for the more lipophilic MDPV and 100mg-250mg for mephedrone. Bath salts are reported to cause euphoria, empathic mood, sexual stimulation, mental focus, and increased energy. Users may develop cardiac and circulatory disturbances, agitation, delirium, paranoia and psychosis. There have been anecdotal cases in which users have attempted to inflict injury on themselves or others. We currently do not know how long the agitation and delirium or how long these substances remain in the body We report a case of a pregnant soldier that habitually used synthetic cannabinoid (spice) and synthetic cocaine (bath salts) as well as cannabis and tobacco throughout her pregnancy and her pregnancy outcome.