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PCP
 PCP,
or phencyclidine, is a dissociative anesthetic that was developed in the 1950s
as a surgical anesthetic. Its sedative and anesthetic effects are trance-like,
and patients experience a feeling of being "out of body" and detached
from their environment. Use of PCP in humans was discontinued in 1965, because
it was found that patients often became agitated, delusional, and irrational
while recovering from its anesthetic effects.
PCP
is a white crystalline powder that is readily soluble in water or alcohol. It
has a distinctive bitter chemical taste.
PCP turns up on the illicit drug market in a variety of tablets, capsules, and
colored powders. It is normally used in one of three ways -- snorted, smoked, or
eaten. When it is smoked, PCP is often applied to a leafy material such as mint,
parsley, oregano, tobacco or marijuana. Many people who use PCP may do it
unknowingly because PCP is often used as an additive and can be found in
marijuana, LSD, or methamphetamine.
p At
low to moderate doses, PCP can cause distinct changes in body awareness, similar
to those associated with alcohol intoxication. Other effects can include shallow
breathing, flushing, profuse sweating, generalized numbness of the extremities
and poor muscular coordination. Use of PCP among adolescents may interfere with
hormones related to normal growth and development as well as with the learning
process.
At high doses, PCP can cause hallucinations as well as seizures, coma, and death
(though death more often results from accidental injury or suicide during PCP
intoxication). Other effects that can occur at high doses are nausea, vomiting,
blurred vision, flicking up and down of the eyes, drooling, loss of balance, and
dizziness. High doses can also cause effects similar to symptoms of
schizophrenia, such as delusions, paranoia, disordered thinking, a sensation of
distance from one's environment, and catatonia. Speech is often sparse and
garbled.
PCP has sedative effects, and interactions with other central nervous system
depressants, such as alcohol and benzodiazepines, can lead to coma or accidental
overdose.
Many PCP users are brought to emergency rooms because of PCP's unpleasant
psychological effects or because of overdoses. In a hospital or detention
setting, they often become violent or suicidal, and are very dangerous to
themselves and to others. They should be kept in a calm setting and should not
be left alone.
Formaldehyde (the chemical used in embalming, not in PCP): Short-term exposure
to formaldehyde can be fatal; however, the odor threshold is low enough that
irritation of the eyes and mucous membranes will occur before these levels are
achieved.
PCP
is addicting; that is, its use often leads to psychological dependence, craving,
and compulsive PCP-seeking behavior.
People who use PCP for long periods report memory loss, difficulties with speech
and thinking, depression, and weight loss. These symptoms can persist up to a
year after cessation of PCP use. Mood disorders also have been reported.
Formaldehyde (the chemical used in embalming, not in PCP): Long-term exposure to
low levels of formaldehyde may cause respiratory difficulty, eczema, and
sensitization. Formaldehyde is classified as a human carcinogen and has been
linked to nasal and lung cancer, and with possible links to brain cancer and
leukemia.
Also
known as: Angel Dust, Embalming Fluid, Killer Weed, Rocket Fuel, Supergrass
USA
Federal classification - Schedule II
Great
Britain - Class A
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