Signs and Symptoms of Club Drug Abuse:

The term "club drugs" is a vague term that refers to the designer drugs that are becoming more frequent in the school system, night clubs, college campuses, and all-night, underground parties called Raves. Because most of these drugs are odorless, flavorless, and colorless, these drugs can be impossible to detect. Included in this category are Ecstasy(MDMA), Special K (Ketamine), GHB, Ruffies (Rohypnol), Clarity, and LSD. Because of underground "street labs" and "cooking kitchens", the drug sources, pharmacological agents, and chemicals used to manufacture these drugs it is difficult to determine the toxicity, consequences, and symptoms that may occur with each "batch". However, common to most of these "club drugs", physical effects include damage to the serotonin-containing neurons in the brain, along with a variety of behavioral and cognitive consequences, and memory loss.

Ecstasy (MDMA) is similar to the stimulant Amphetamine and the hallucinogen Mescaline. Effects last from 3-6 hours. Confusion, depression, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and paranoia have been reported even weeks after the drug is taken. Also, MDMA may cause increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure. MDMA can lead to dehydration, hypertension, heart and/or kidney failure. In high doses, decreased body temperature causes muscle breakdown, kidney and cardiovascular failure, and possible death. MDMA use has resulted in heart attacks, strokes, seizures, and fatalities. [Back To Top]

Ecstasy (MDMA)

GHB (Gamma-hydroxybutyrate) can be a clear liquid, white powder, or in capsule form. Overdosing on GHB (also called the date rape drug) can occur easily due to the inconsistency in manufactures (street labs and home "cooking" kitchens). GHB directly attacks the central nervous system, sedating the body. GHB use may cause drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, headache, loss of consciousness, impaired breathing, coma, and possible death. [Back To Top]

Special K (Ketamine) in its injectable form is an anesthetic that was developed for use in veterinarian medicine. When in its liquid or powdered form, Ketamine, is commonly used in combination with marijuana or tobacco products. Ketamine use may cause amnesia, impaired motor functions, high blood pressure, depression, and fatal respiratory problems. At the very least, Ketamine use will cause impaired attention, decreased concentration, and memory loss. [Back To Top]

Ruffies (Rohypnol) is a benzodiazepine (such as Valium, Halcyon, Xanax) which is about 10 times more potent than Valium. Rohypnol is flavorless and odorless. Users crush the pills and snort the powder, sprinkle it on marijuana and smoke it, dissolve it in a drink or inject it. Because it is virtually undetecable in beverages it has been used to commit sexual assault, giving it the reputation of the "date rape" drug. The sedative and toxic effects can impair the user for up to 12 hours. Rohypnol use may cause profound amnesia and confusion. (Rohypnol is sometimes referred to as the forget-me-not drug). Adverse side effects include decreased blood pressure, visual disturbances, confusion, amnesia, liver/kidney damage, and possible death. [Back To Top]

Information obtained from Foundation for a Drug-Free World