PCP (Phencyclidine)

What It Is: A drug that was developed in the 1950s as an intravenous anesthetic used for surgery.  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.  It is a white crystalline powder that is readily soluble in water or alcohol.  It has a distinctive bitter chemical taste.  Slang/street names include Angel Dust, ozone, wack, rocket fuel, etc…

Type of Drug: Hallucinogenic and Depressant Drug

Method of Use: Snorted, smoked, or eaten

What It Does: The effects of the drug vary, but users have cited feelings of strength, power, invulnerability and a numbing effect on the mind as reasons for their continued PCP use.  At low to moderate doses, physiological effects of PCP include a slight increase in breathing rate and a more pronounced rise in blood pressure and pulse rate.  Respiration becomes shallow, and flushing and profuse sweating occur.  Generalized numbness of the extremities and loss of muscular coordination also may occur.  Psychological effects include distinct changes in body awareness, similar to those associated with alcohol intoxication. Many PCP users are brought to emergency rooms because of PCP’s unpleasant psychological effects or because of overdoses. Because the drug blocks pain receptors, violent PCP episodes may result in self-inflicted injuries.  In a hospital or detention setting, users are known to become violent or suicidal, and are very dangerous to themselves and to others.

Health Risks: 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 of PCP, there is a drop in blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiration.  This may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, flicking up and down of the eyes, drooling, loss of balance, and dizziness.  High doses of PCP can also cause seizures, coma, and death (though death more often results from accidental injury or suicide during PCP intoxication).  Psychological effects at high doses include delusions and hallucinations.  PCP can cause effects that mimic the full range of symptoms of schizophrenia, such as delusions, paranoia, disordered thinking, and a sensation of distance from one’s environment.  People who use this drug for long periods of time report memory loss, difficulties with speech and thinking, depression, and weight loss.  Mood disorders also have been reported.  (WARNING: PCP has sedative effects, and interactions with other central nervous system depressants, such as alcohol and benzodiazephines, can lead to coma or accidental overdose).

Legal Status: Illegal in the United States

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