The Dangers of Flakka and Flakka Addiction
The Dangers of Flakka and Flakka Addiction
The Dangers Of Flakka And Flakka Addiction
It seems that every year new designer drugs hit the underground market, resulting in addiction and the loss of life. One of the newest drugs to be hitting the news is a drug known as Alpha-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone (Alpha-PDP) and going by the street name of Flakka or gravel. The drug itself has actually been around for some time but recently has become a popular recreational drug in Florida and other southern states. While little is known about this drug, what is known suggests that this can be one of one of the addictive and destructive drugs yet to make itself known.
Availability
One of the reasons why Flakka is increasing in popularity especially in poorer economic communities is its widespread availability. Alpha-PDP has not yet been banned making this drug legal to purchase. The majority of this drug comes from China and be purchased from gas stations and over the Internet for as little as $5.00. Those buying it can take Flakka through a variety of methods including vaporizing through e-cigarettes and other sources, snorting, smoking, and even eating it. A high from a very small dose can last 1 to several hours.
What Flakka Looks Like
Flakka is a grainy crystalline powder that looks a bit like aquarium gravel (thus the nickname gravel). It is normally slightly grayish in color and some claim it has a foul odor, but when vaporized the high hits the system incredibly fast. Other methods of taking the drug are somewhat slower, but the high is no less potent.
What A Flakka High is Like
People on a Flakka high feel stronger and faster and a person on the drug does appear to exhibit unusual strength as it has been reported that it took up five officers to subdue one average size man high on the drug. The drug also causes hallucinations and several cases have been reported of people on Flakka being excessively violent.
In many people, Flakka tends to raise the body temperature alarming high with temperatures of 105 degrees Fahrenheit being reported. There have also been several incidents in Florida where people high on Flakka rip off their clothes (which may be due to their rising body temperature and an unconscious attempt to cool off.)
There also appears to be an increase among those high on Flakka to be violent towards others as well as higher incidents of suicides and a number of heart attacks after taking the drug. People taking Flakka can suffer from permanent neurological effects and kidney damage and failure.
Flakka Addiction
Although there have been many studies done on Flakka Addiction yet, one telling study done with laboratory rats strongly indicates that Flakka is more addicting than Meth and is far more dangerous to the person taking it and society at large.
Flakka Overdose
The scientist has determined that it is difficult to control the exact dose of Flakka a person takes in and therefore overdoses of this drug can be extremely commonplace and that without immediate treatment this drug can easily lead to death and serious permanent conditions such as having to live with dialysis for the rest of your life.
What’s Being Done to Protect the Public and Users
Right now the first step in protecting users of Flakka and the Public from this drug is to ban this substance and to educate people quickly on the dire effects of this drug. While these steps won’t prevent the use of Flakka it will slow down its availability which will help prevent some people from trying the drug in the first place.
The next step once the substance is banned is targeted those selling this drug before it has a chance to spread any further than the states that are now in.
Treating those already addicted to this drug may prove to be someone more difficult due to the long-term physical and neurological damage that using this drug even for short period may cause.