PHENCYCLIDINE

 

 

            PCP was introduced in the 1950s as an animal anesthetic.  Use of PCP in humans was discontinued because it was discovered that patients often became agitated, delusional, and irrational during recovery from its effects.  However, within a few years, PCP was sold as an adulterant and substitute for hallucinogens such as LSD, mescaline, and THC.  It has become a significant drug of abuse due to its powerful psychological and behavioral effects.  Habitual users of other hallucinogens generally disliked the harsh effects of PCP.  In the 1970s, PCP became popular among teenagers under such street names as angel dust and hog.  PCP abuse persisted during the 1980s and 1990s, and it is still a serious public health predicament. 

 

Description of PCP

 

            PCP is a white crystalline powder that dissolves easily in water or alcohol.  The drug has a unique bitter chemical taste.  PCP can be mixed with dyes and is sold on the illicit drug market in tablet, capsule, and colored powder form.  It is used by snorting, smoking, or ingesting.  It can also be taken intravenously, vaginally and rectally.  For smoking, PCP is usually applied to leafy material such as marijuana. 

 

            PCP is addictive, meaning that its use often results in psychological dependence, craving, and obsessive PCP seeking conduct.  After using the drug one time, many people will not knowingly use it again.  Yet others get addicted and use it on a regular basis.  Other frequent users describe feelings of strength, power, invulnerability, as well as numbing effect on the mind, as reasons for continuing use of PCP. 

 

Health Hazards Associated with PCP Use      

 

PCP has profound effects on mood, sense of realty, thinking, and time perception. Users report euphoric or depressed moods, bizarre perceptual experiences, and dreamlike states.  Negative aspects of PCP ingestion include anxiety, confusion, disorientation, irritability, paranoid states, and dangerously violent behavior.  Belligerence and hostility can remain long after the drug is no longer measurable in the blood.  Chronic users may also experience depression or a schizophrenic-like state that can be caused by the acute effects of respiratory depression and disturbed heart function. 

 

Similar to amphetamines, regular use of PCP can cause debilitating physical problems, such as constipation and weight loss.  It can also be dangerous if taken during pregnancy.  Case studies have shown that such use may lead to premature birth or underweight and undersized babies.  However, the drug does not appear to cause permanent damage to the user’s cells or internal organs. 

 

Effects of Low to Moderate Doses of PCP

 

            The common effects of low to moderate doses of PCP include:                       

 

·        Slight increase in breathing rate

·        Rise blood pressure and pulse rate

·        Shallow respiration

·        Flushing

·        Profuse sweating

·        Generalized numbness of extremities

·        Loss of muscular coordination

·        Symptoms similar to alcohol intoxication

·        Interference with growth and development hormones in adolescents

 

Effects of High Doses of PCP

 

            The common effects of high doses of PCP are:

 

·        Drop in blood pressure and pulse rate

·        Drop in respiration

·        Nausea and vomiting

·        Blurred vision

·        Flicking up and down of eyes

·        Drooling

·        Loss of balance

·        Dizziness

·        Seizures

·        Coma

·        Death (usually from accidental injury or suicide)

·        Schizophrenic-like symptoms

·        Speech difficulties

·        Pregnancy complications

 

Long-Term Effects of PCP Use

 

            Long-term users of PCP can experience the following:

 

·        Memory loss

·        Thinking difficulties

·        Depression

·        Weight loss

·        Mood disorders

·        Psychosis

·        Accidental overdose due to interactions with alcohol or other drugs

 

Medical Treatment

 

Many PCP users are treated in emergency rooms because of PCP’s unpleasant psychological effects or as a result of overdoses.  In a hospital setting, they frequently become violent or suicidal, posing a danger to themselves and others.  They should be kept in a quiet setting where they can be observed at all times.   

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