PCP

3 Pages 869 Words

Throughout the past week I have been researching a hallucinogen most commonly known as PCP. PCP, or phencyclidine, was developed in the 1950’s as an intravenous anesthetic. Then in the 1960’s PCP became commercially available for use as a veterinary anesthetic under the name of Sernylan. In 1965 the use of PCP was discontinued because of numerous negative effects it had on the patients. Now PCP is illegally manufactured in laboratories and sold under street names such as “angel dust,” “ozone,” “wack,” and “rocket fuel.” When mixed with marijuana PCP can be recognized as “killer joints” or ”crystal supergrass.” The variety in street names and combinations reflect PCP’s range of violent and bizarre effects.

PCP is not easily classified and should be considered separately from hallucinogenic drugs. The manufacture of PCP is a two-stage reaction. First, PCP is created by reacting piperdine, cyanide, and anicyclohexanone. This product is then reacted with phenyl magnesium bromide to form the final product. The chemicals needed to manufacture PCP are available, inexpensive, and little chemical knowledge or laboratory equipment is needed for the process.

PCP is a white crystallized powder that is readily soluble in water or alcohol, and has a distinctive bitter chemical taste. It can also be mixed easily with dyes and turns up on the illicit drug market in a variety of tablets, capsules, and colored powders.

PCP is best taken orally, intranasally, or IV because it is well absorbed. It is then stored in fat and brain tissue. Occasionally PCP is injected or ingested; it is most frequently sprinkled on smoking material, parsley, such as mint leaves, tobacco or marijuana, then combusted, and inhaled.

The effect PCP has on you can be varied as its appearance. As far as short term effects go you can experience flashbacks. Generally you hallucinate which further leads to diseases. Also wh...