PCP - Ginad.org

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MAIN TYPE

PCP, also known as phencyclidine or, colloquially, “angel dust”, is a hallucinogenic drug used recreationally for its dissociative effect. It appears as a white crystalline powder and can be ingested, smoked, inhaled or injected. It can also be dissolved in water or alcohol. When smoked, PCP is often applied to leafy material (mint, parsley, tobacco or cannabis), then lit and inhaled with a pipe.

First synthesized in 1926, it was initially thought that it could be used as an anesthetic in surgery. However, its powerful and long-lasting side effects made it unsuitable for this purpose and it was largely forgotten until the 1950s. Attempts to reintroduce it were first made in 1953 under the brand name “Sernyl”, then in 1967 under the name “Sernylan”, for use as a veterinary anesthetic. But again, its side effects made it unsuitable for this purpose and it was largely replaced by ketamine, before disappearing completely.

However, PSP quickly reappeared as a recreational drug with dissociative and intoxicating effects. Users report feeling a sense of detachment from reality, sometimes accompanied by a feeling of strength and power. Visual and auditory hallucinations are also possible. Numerous cases of amazing feats of strength due to the numbing effects of PCP have been reported among users, with unfortunately sometimes self-destructive acts, such as people pulling out their teeth.

PCP has a relatively low risk of addiction compared to other drugs such as cocaine and heroin, which is due in part to its unpleasant and long-lasting side effects, which often persist for more than a week after use. It can be addictive, however, and although its general use has declined since the 1980s, it remains a street drug, primarily in the United States.

Currently, PCP is not used in medicine or any other field, which means that it is made exclusively by traffickers and amateur chemists, who sometimes mix it with other drugs. For this reason, it often contains impurities that can be more dangerous than the drug itself.

OTHER TYPES

Although PCP has been reported in many countries, it remains most popular in the United States. It has a variety of street names, both for the pure drug and for mixtures made with other substances. These include “angel dust”, “amoeba” and “rocket fuel”. Cigarettes soaked in PCP are called “fry stick”, “sherm stick” or “amp” and the consumption of these cigarettes is referred to as “getting wet”.

Finally, cannabis joints with PCP are called “dust blunts”, “happy sticks” or “dippers”, while the mixture of PCP and MDMA is sometimes nicknamed “Pikachu” and the consumption of this substance “elephant flipping”.

MAIN EFFECTS

The effects of PCP vary depending on the amount taken: at low doses, it intoxicates and numbs the extremities, while with a slightly higher dose, it has a powerful anaesthetic effect and gives a feeling of detachment from reality. Users often experience a blank stare and involuntary rapid eye movement. In high doses, PCP can cause visual and auditory hallucinations. This distortion of reality often leads to irrational and dangerous behavior, sometimes resulting in death.

PCP has a number of adverse effects, especially at high doses: lowered blood pressure and heart rate, nausea and loss of balance. The drug can also cause serious psychological problems, including anxiety, paranoia and schizophrenic symptoms. These symptoms can persist for months after taking the drug. At very high doses, PCP can also cause seizures, coma and even death.

Its anesthetic effect and sense of increased strength have been known to cause unusual physical actions in people under its influence, including violence and self-destruction, such as pulling teeth.

The initial effects of PCP last a few hours before wearing off, but the substance stays in the body for much longer than other drugs (a week or more).

PCP is not considered physiologically addictive, but regular users can quickly become behaviorally dependent, despite the unpleasant side effects.

PRODUCING COUNTRIES

The effects of PCP vary depending on the amount taken: at low doses, it intoxicates and numbs the extremities, while at higher doses, it has a powerful anaesthetic effect and gives a feeling of detachment from reality. Users often experience a blank stare and involuntary rapid eye movement. In high doses, PCP can cause visual and auditory hallucinations. This distortion of reality often leads to irrational and dangerous behavior, sometimes resulting in death.

Its anesthetic effect and sense of increased strength have been known to cause unusual physical actions in people under its influence, including violence and self-destruction, such as pulling teeth.

The initial effects of PCP last a few hours before wearing off, but the substance stays in the body for much longer than other drugs (a week or more).

PCP is not considered physiologically addictive, but regular users can quickly become behaviorally dependent, despite the unpleasant side effects.

FACTS AND STATISTICS

FACTS

PCP was first synthesized in 1926 and patented in the 1950s for potential use as an anesthetic in the medical setting.
However, its unpleasant and long-lasting side effects, including anxiety and hallucinations, made it unsuitable for this use.
It was then reintroduced under a different brand name as a veterinary anesthetic, but again, it was withdrawn due to its side effects.
PCP has therefore not been manufactured commercially since the 1960s, except for research purposes.
However, the drug continues to be illicitly manufactured in clandestine laboratories for distribution and sale for recreational use.
It is often mixed with other drugs such as cannabis and MDMA and users are rarely aware that they have taken PCP. In the case of cannabis cigarettes, PCP is often mistaken for embalming fluid by users.
PCP can be dissolved in water or alcohol, but is more often ingested or inhaled. Injection is possible, but very rare.
The effects of PCP appear within an hour of taking it and last between 6 and 24 hours depending on the dose. Even after the effects have worn off, the drug can remain in the body for up to 8 hours.
One of the possible psychological effects of PCP is a feeling of increased strength, which, combined with the drug’s anesthetic properties, has led to unusual displays of strength by users, such as breaking handcuffs or pulling teeth. The paranoia, anxiety and schizophrenic tendencies associated with PCP can also lead to hostile or self-destructive behaviour and even suicide.

STATISTICS

PCP has not been manufactured on a commercial scale for about 50 years, except for research purposes.
In the 1970s and 1980s, there were more than 30 PCP analogues, particularly in the United States. These products were essentially manufactured to circumvent drug laws by slightly modifying the chemical compound.
In the United States, studies in the 1980s showed that 13% of high school students had tried PCP. That number had dropped to 3% by 1990.
In 2008, a study showed that 6.6 million Americans over the age of 12 had tried PCP, or 2.7% of the adult population.
99,000 of these individuals admitted to using PCP in the previous year, compared to 137,000 in 2007.
However, according to another study, this number increased in 2009 to 122,000 individuals.
In the United States, an estimated 37,266 emergency room visits in 2008 were related to PCP use. This is an increase from 2007, when the figure was 28035 visits.
Between 2002 and 2006, only 39 PCP labs were dismantled, and the annual number declined year over year between 2003 and 2007.
32 of the 39 dismantled labs were located in California, 17 of which were in Los Angeles.
In 2009, 4,540 PCP samples were turned over to crime labs by U.S. drug enforcement agencies. This is an increase from 2007 and 2008, when the numbers were 3893 and 4527 respectively.

SIGNS OF ADDICTION

There is little research on the physiological dependence risk of PCP, but it is thought to be highly addictive psychologically and users may gradually develop a tolerance to its effects.

Under the influence of the drug, symptoms include facial flushing, numbness and dissociation from reality. They may be accompanied by blank stares, loss of balance and involuntary eye movements. Users may also experience shallow breathing and sweating.

Repeated or high dose use can cause serious psychological problems. PCP users will experience anxiety, paranoia and schizophrenic symptoms. They may also have an unrealistic perception of their strength which, combined with irrational drug-related tendencies, can make them violent towards themselves and others and even lead to suicide attempts. Long-term use of PCP can lead to amnesia, depression, weight loss and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms are likely to persist for a year or more after stopping the drug. In addition, in adolescents, PCP use can affect growth hormones.

PCP users will exhibit compulsive behaviors in search of their next fix. This usually manifests itself in money problems or even theft or other crimes. Because users tend to get “high” for a few days with little sleep, persistent fatigue can be a sign of PCP addiction.

TREATMENTS

PCP addiction can be very serious. Therefore, before starting treatment, the addicted person should first consult with his or her doctor in order to give him or her the best chance to stop and avoid relapse. Because PCP can cause significant psychological damage, the addict must be closely monitored to ensure that he or she does not harm himself or herself or others. The drug can cause anxiety, paranoia, thought disorders, irrational behaviour and schizophrenic symptoms, which can drive users to suicide.

On the other hand, a doctor can treat the effects of the drug and its withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea and dizziness. PCP has not yet been scientifically proven to be chemically addictive. However, it is known to be highly addictive psychologically. Therefore, the most effective strategy is simply to stop taking the drug, but it is best to seek professional help to ensure that you have the best chance of success.

Since this type of addiction is habitual, the priority is to avoid any behavior or situation that is normally accompanied by PCP use. This of course means stopping hanging out with other addicts, which will limit access to the drug.

Treatment for PCP addiction is a long process, longer than for many other drugs, since the substance remains in the body for at least a week after taking it.

Psychological effects, including memory loss, thought disorders and depression, can last for up to a year after stopping the drug. Given the relative durability of these effects, it may be appropriate for an addict to enter a detoxification center to better manage the symptoms. The center may also offer therapy or counselling to help the person live drug-free.

The addict may have turned to PCP to escape deeper emotional problems, in which case failure to address these underlying causes may increase the risk of relapse. Factors such as depression, job loss, traumatic life events or money problems can all contribute to an addiction, so it is important to first find out what drove the person to use. Indeed, it can be very easy for a former addict to take a new dose and return to their destructive behaviors.

REFERENCES

Wikipédia:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phencyclidine

NIDA:www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/pcpphencyclidine

The Partnership à l’adresse DrugFree.org:www.drugfree.org/drug-guide/pcp

Drugs.com:www.drugs.com/pcp.html

Drug Enforcement Administration – Office of Diversion Control (ministère de la Justice américain):www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs_concern/pcp.htm

CESAR:www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/pcp.pdf

NDIC:www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs25/25921/odds.htm

Addictions.org:addictions.org/pcp.htm