| Phencyclidine
(PCP)
Street terms for
phencyclidine: PCP, Angel Dust, Supergrass, Killer Weed, Embalming Fluid,
Rocket Fuel i, wack, ozone ii
What does phencyclidine
look like?
In its pure form,
PCP is a white crystalline powder that readily dissolves in water; however,
most PCP on the street contains a number of contaminates causing the color
to range from tan to brown, with a consistency ranging from powder to
a gummy mass.
PCP is most commonly
sold as a powder or liquid.
PCP may also come
in tablet or capsule form.iii
How is phencyclidine
used?
PCP may be snorted,
smoked, injected, or swallowed.iv
PCP is most commonly
sold as a powder or liquid, and applied to a leafy material such as oregano,
parsley, mint, or marijuana and then smoked. v
What are some consequences
of phencyclidine use?
Numbness, slurred
speech, loss of coordination, rapid and involuntary eye movements
Auditory hallucinations,
image distortion, severe mood disorders, amnesia,
In some users PCP
use may result in acute anxiety, a feeling of impending doom, paranoia,
violent hostility, and in some it may produce a psychoses indistinguishable
from schizophrenia.
PCP use is associated
with a number of risks and many believe it to be one of the most dangerous
drugs of abuse. vi
How does phencyclidine
get to the United States?
Originally designed
as a human anesthetic and later produced only as a veterinary anesthetic,
PCP is no longer produced or used for legitimate purposes.
Today, virtually
all PCP encountered in the U.S. is produced in clandestine laboratories.
vii
PCP production
is centered in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. viii
i
"Drugs of Abuse," Drug Enforcement Administration, 1997
ii "District of Columbia Drug Threat Assessment,"
National Drug Intelligence Center, January 2002
iii"Drugs of Abuse," Drug Enforcement Administration,
1997
iv"District of Columbia Drug Threat Assessment,"
National Drug Intelligence Center, January 2002
v "Drugs of Abuse," Drug Enforcement Administration,
1997
vi "Drugs of Abuse," Drug Enforcement Administration,
1997
vii "Drugs of Abuse," Drug Enforcement Administration,
1997
viii Drug Descriptions, Drug Enforcement Administration,
www.dea.gov
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