WPTV – West Palm Beach By: Michelle Quesada

Two dangerous new drugs are gaining a foothold in your neighborhoods.

Drug rehab experts say users are putting butane hash oil, known on the streets as Budder, in their vaporizers. This drug along with another new type of bath salt called Flakka, are becoming dangerously popular.

Just a week ago, Leroy Strothers, 33, was on the roof of a Lake Worth apartment building armed and hallucinating.

“I was walking home from the store and the next thing you know I heard a boom and the guy over there said that ain’t a firework, that’s a gunshot,” said Kristy Benton who lives across the street from where the SWAT call-out took place.

Benton says she tries to stay vigilant, but had no idea Strothers told police he was on a drug called Flakka.

“If see anything suspicious I’ll go and tell somebody, lately I haven’t. I’ve never even heard of that drug that guy was on,” said Benton.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is still waiting on toxicology reports to determine exactly what substance Strothers may have been using.

The new drug, Flakka, is like a bath salt. Robert Park with Origins Behavioral Healthcare says 10 to 15 percent of new drug rehab patients are users.

“People are staying up for days at a time sometimes, their heart-rate increases, and often they can go into sleep deprived psychosis or it can trigger a mental health, if someone’s predisposed for a mental health disorder it could trigger that,” said Park.

Similar side effects can be caused by butane hash oil, also known as BHO or Budder.

“A lot of people are using this butane hash oil in their vaporizers,” added Park.

Park says it’s pure THC from marijuana mixed with other harmful chemicals. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office has seen an increase in cases; most recently, on Wednesday night when a man suffered severe burns while making BHO, police say.

“It’s a new fad. It gets you higher longer, it’s easily made in the home. These things get traction unfortunately,” added Park.

Park says the recovery process for anyone addicted to Flakka or butane hash oil can take months. The immediate side effects are alarming, but park says what’s scarier is that no one really knows the long-term side effects.

If you or anyone you know suffers from drug abuse, you should seek help immediately.

See Article & Video Here: http://www.wptv.com/news/region-c-palm-beach-county/drug-rehab-center-sees-more-cases-of-new-designer-drugs-flakka-and-budder-becoming-more-popular?autoplay=true