Bloggers and news sites everywhere are telling us that Armageddon is imminent. What we thought were just teasers for post apocalyptic books and movies could actually be grounded in an authentic, widespread panic that is already sweeping the nation. Ever since news of the Miami face eater broke, searches for the term “Zombie apocalypse” are at crazy proportions on Google and all the other search engines. Clearly, the prospect has of an undead takeover has invaded our collective psyche.

While most people thought the world would play itself out via nuclear annihilation or a natural disaster, this week’s bizarre incident in Miami has directed a whole lot of attention to the threat of a zombie apocalypse. In a horrific attack that rocked the nation, a naked Rudy Eugene, 31, aka the Miami Zombie, cannibalized the face of Ronald Poppo, 65, leaving only his goatee intact. The Miami Zombie did not stop eating even after being shot—in fact, it took six gunshots in total to finish this demented cannibal off. Clearly, the double tap rule from Zombieland didn’t quite cut it.

Police are attributing the zombie’s supernatural strength, psychosis and nudity to the use of “Bath Salts,” which is also being touted as the “new LSD.” This man-made, synthetic drug has turned many abusers into violent, raving maniacs with a propensity to get naked. Made from amphetamine-like chemicals (tweak), this powdery substance causes a unique combination of effects on the brain. It comes in a small packet and can be inhaled, swallowed or injected. A 50-milligram packet will set you back between $25 and $50. It’s been said to blend the narliest effects of meth, coke, PCP, LSD and Ecstasy—a sort of 2012 Jeffrey.

Since Bath Salts arrived on the scene in 2009, there have been thousands of emergency room visits and strange incidents involving violent attacks, supernatural strength, hallucinations and death. Bath Salts give users an extended rush of adrenaline, which is why they have increased strength, and they experience something similar to “cocaine psychosis” when they’re high on it, resulting in paranoia, extreme agitation, and apparently, strange cravings for flesh. A doctor arrested in Florida was nearly impossible to restrain and spat buckets of blood at police officers. A guido in Hackensack apparently stabbed himself repeatedly, then proceeded to throw bits of his own skin and intestines at police officers trying to subdue him. He was impervious to two cans of pepper spray and it took an entire SWAT team to overpower him.

While we may have all though the idea of a zombie apocalypse was a joke, a bath salt drug epidemic could be the modern day plague. Crack was an epidemic in the 80s, so who’s to say that this isn’t ours? Instead of crack babies—you guessed it, baby zombies! While post apocalyptic books like The Zombie Survival Guide offer an array of tongue-in-cheek solutions to zombie attacks, it looks like we may actually need to take this game seriously.

Photo source: zerohedge.com