Author: Alex Thompson

Phencyclidine Wikipedia

It is typically sold as a loose white powder that can be snorted or mixed into a liquid. It is also used in pill form and sometimes people sprinkle it on leafy substances, like mint or marijuana, to smoke. As a hallucinogen, PCP or angel dust can cause a person to see distorted images and affects their coordination and speech. High doses can cause violent outbursts, vomiting, drooling, or even seizures.

The delusions of increased physical capabilities are fairly common among angel dust addicts. This may let some users feel powerful in response to a past that leaves them feeling helpless. However, PCP soon found a home on the streets due to its powerful dissociative effects and ability to cause hallucinations.

Memory loss can occur while a person is on the drug, or it can extend to encompass additional memories. Paranoia and anxiety can combine to create a powerful isolating effect in those coming down from a PCP high. Along with the physical dependency the drug creates, that isolation can contribute to addiction. So, how can someone recognize angel dust when looking at various pills, powders and other unidentified substances?

Phencyclidine

This category includes narcotics that have a high potential for abuse or physical or psychological dependence. So if you use, buy, or sell the drug, you might face fines and jail time. Besides angel dust, other commonly used street names for the drug include ozone, rocket fuel, amp, animal tranquilizer, hog, shermans, wack, crystal, and embalming fluid. If it’s mixed with cannabis, you might hear it called killer joints, fry, lovelies, wets, or waters. It is now a Schedule II controlled substance in the U.S., because it carries a high potential for abuse and may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. A person may be imprisoned for making, distributing, possessing, and using it.

Phencyclidine was originally developed in the 1950s as an intravenous anesthetic. However, its medical use was stopped in 1967 after doctors realized it had serious neurotoxic side effects. In its place, doctors developed ketamine, which is chemically similar to PCP. PCP is well known for its primary action on the NMDA receptor, an ionotropic glutamate receptor.[47][44] As such, PCP is a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist. But phencyclidine is still available as a street drug throughout the country. HPPD causes you to experience flashbacks and hallucinations for a long time after substance use.

PCP is a synthetic drug made from a combination of chemicals, including potassium cyanide, bromobenzene, ether, and hydrochloric acid. If you do decide to use PCP, there are several steps you can take to keep yourself safe. There are also many options available for support if you are concerned about your substance use. According to one 2007 review, these symptoms often begin around 8 hours after discontinuation and may last several weeks or months, depending on the duration and frequency of PCP use.

In general, PCP can be detected in the blood for up to 24 hours. In saliva, it’s 1-10 days, while for urine, it’s up to a month. PCP is used in several ways, including swallowing pills or tablets, injecting the drug, inhaling, smoking, vaporizing, or snorting. This is when someone feels the effects of PCP, days, weeks, or even months after last using it.

The combo can cause your breathing to become dangerously slow and lead to respiratory arrest or coma. If PCP is smoked, snorted, or injected, you typically begin to feel the effects within 2 to 5 minutes. If you’re unable to resist PCP, talk to your doctor about treatment options such as in-patient recovery. Users of PCP are often brought to emergency rooms because of the drug’s severe psychological effects and violent or suicidal behaviors. Interrupting these receptors allows the brain to disconnect from normal sensory experiences, or “reality.” In higher doses, however, it may also excite these receptors.

How Long Does Alcohol Withdrawal Last?

The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. As with any recreational drug that may be injected, the risk for HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases from shared needles is a possibility. PCP is available in a variety of tablets, capsules, and colored powders, which are either smoked, taken orally or by the intranasal route (“snorted”). People may experience a marked increase in impulsivity and aggression, leading to risky decisions and potential harm to themselves or others.

1. It is sold on the street as a white powder that is easily dissolved in liquid.
2. With PCP use, even asymptomatic patients should be monitored for at least six hours before being released.
3. A moderate amount of PCP often causes users to feel detached, distant, and estranged from their surroundings.
4. PCP pills can range in color from white to dark brown and may have various production stamps, all from illicit sources.
5. The drug can induce irregular heart rhythms and potentially lead to a heart attack, especially when taken in high doses.
6. Today, angel dust is an illegal schedule II controlled substance.

Oral ingestion (swallowing) lasts much longer because the drug is slowly processed through the digestive system before being released into the body. PCP is similar to other hallucinogens like LSD (acid) and ketamine, which change your perception of the world around you. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a freelance writer and author who has written extensively on all things health and lifestyle for more than a decade.

On the street, it’s often cut with other substances to increase profits. For the best additional recovery, do not stop your treatment program early. Focus on new activities that can replace your previous association with angel dust. You may want to stop seeing people who are still using angel dust as this could trigger a relapse. Taking care of your body by eating healthy food and exercising regularly can help you heal from the dangerous effects of angel dust. If you or a loved one are struggling with PCP (phencyclidine) abuse or addiction, there is hope.

What Is Angel Dust? Side Effects, Use, and Risks

The behavior of a person using PCP can be dangerous to themselves and to others. It is important for the person to seek help, or for their loved ones to intervene, if possible. Ingesting PCP with other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, such as alcohol or prescription tranquilizers, can lead to coma. A larger dose will have the opposite effect, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. An individual may use PCP because it produces euphoria, psychedelic effects, and a sense of calm. The effects of PCP vary, depending upon the amount of active drug taken and how it is taken.

Also, look for liquid forms of PCP that someone might use to dip a cigarette. Liquid for dipping is an increasingly popular method of getting high with angel dust. Although PCP users don’t suddenly gain extra strength, they may still be able to punch through plate glass.

Where did PCP come from?

It’s often sold in conjunction with other illicit drugs to create a more powerful high and add an addictive element. Along with causing hallucinations, angel dust can block pain, other emotions, and memory loss. It can also cause body numbness, increased heart rate, and mood problems. Mixing phencyclidine with central nervous system depressants (alcohol, opioids, or benzodiazepines), increases the risk of overdose. It’s part of the hallucinogen class—a group of drugs people abuse because they produce euphoria, hallucinations, and disconnection from reality. It may interfere with several other substances and repeated use can cause tolerance and several long-term side effects.

Sudden discontinuation of PCP can cause physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. Combining PCP with other substances, including prescription, over-the-counter (OTC), and other recreational substances, raises the risk of serious effects and overdose. At a lower dose, PCP makes you feel euphoric, floaty, and disconnected from your body and surroundings. As you increase the dose, the effects get more intense, leading to hallucinations and erratic behavior. It’s become a common club drug in the last couple of decades and produces effects similar to other dissociative substances, like special K.