PCP
The dangers of this psychedelic.
History
PCP was originally used in the 1950s as an intravenous anesthetic but its use was subsequently for humans due to side effects including:
- Causing the patients to become agitated
- Delusions
- Causing the patients to become irrational
Today, PCP is used as a mind-altering hallucinogen.
The facts:
- It's a bitter-tasting white powder that is easily dissolved in water and can be dyed various colors.
- PCP can be smoked, snorted, or orally ingested.
- Depending on the amount used, the effects of PCP can last for 4 – 6 hours.
- It's a dissociative drug which means that it mimics the effects of schizophrenia, such as delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, and disordered thinking.
- Because of its solubility, it has potential to be used as a date-rape drug.
Dosage and Its Effects
- Low dosage: feelings of euphoria, relaxation, numbness, feelings of detachment from one's own body, anxiety, confusion, amnesia, illogical speech, blurred vision, blank stare
- Medium dosage: Confusion, agitation, the inability to feel pain (analgesia), fever, "schizophrenic-type" behavior, excessive salivation
- High dosage: Seizures, respiratory failure, coma, fever, stroke, death
Withdrawal symptoms:
- Diarrhea, chills, tremors
Hallucinations
Hallucinations are common after taking PCP, a hallucinogen.
Example of a seizure.
A seizure in a small child. Seizures are effects of high doses of PCP.
Confusion
Confusion, "schizophrenic-type" behavior, anxiety, numbness, and feelings of detachment are all common after taking PCP.
Stats & Statistics
- Data reported on the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse indicated that about 6 million United States residents aged 12 and older have used PCP at least once in their lifetime.
- The same survey also showed that numerous teens and young adults use PCP – 225,000 people aged 12 - 17 and 777,000 people aged 18 - 25 have used it at least once.
- A study of 12th graders was done and showed that those who dropped out were more likely to be users of illicit drugs (such as PCP), alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, etc. than their peers.
- PCP has a high potential for physical and psychological dependence.
- People that have used PCP are also likely to use crack cocaine.
"PCP is not for you and me."
Sources
- http://www.justthinktwice.com/drugs/pcp-phencyclidine
- http://www.justthinktwice.com/how-does-drug-use-affect-your-high-school-grades
- http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/research/job185drugs/phencyclidine.htm
- http://www.drugfree.org/drug-guide/pcp/
- http://www.ginad.org/en/drugs/drugs/306/pcp-
- http://www.drugs.com/illicit/pcp.html
- http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/hallucinogens-lsd-peyote-psilocybin-pcp
- http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/pcp.html
- http://alcoholism.about.com/od/news/gr/nida.htm
- http://alcoholism.about.com/od/lsd/a/pcp.htm
- http://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs4/4440/#What