Designer Drug Flakka Gives Addicts Superhuman Strength and Florida Authorities Nightmares

Flakka, a new drug also dubbed $ 5 insanity, is giving enforcement authorities in Florida the heebies jeebies.

The drug is synthesized from cathinone, the same chemical used to make bath salts. Officials describe the drug as foul smelling and more potent than crystal meth. Usage has sharply increased since 2010, with authorities noting 670 occurrences last year. The drug can be injected, ingested or snorted.

Experts say the drug's high lasts for couple of hours when users experience delirium-causing hyperthermia and can exhibit insanity symptoms. The drug can also give users an adrenaline-like strength, making it difficult to restrain them should they become a public threat.

In the recent past, a man was caught trying to break down the door to a police station, while another was found howling, naked, on a rooftop.

"We're starting to see a rash of cases of a syndrome referred to as excited delirium. This is where the body goes into hyperthermia, generally a temperature of 105 degrees. The individual becomes psychotic, they often rip off their clothes and run out into the street violently and have an adrenaline-like strength and police are called and it takes four or five officers to restrain them. Then once they are restrained, if they don't receive immediate medical attention they can die," Nova Southeastern University's epidemiologist Jim Hall reportedly said.

Law enforcers admit they don't know where Flakka is made or who is making it. Available for under $ 10 for hit, authorities have said it is more dangerous than anything around.