Other Dangerous Drugs

National Drug Intelligence Center
South Carolina Drug Threat Assessment Update
June 2002

Other dangerous drugs (ODDs)--including the stimulant MDMA, the depressants GHB and ketamine, the hallucinogen LSD, and diverted pharmaceuticals--are a low but increasing threat to some areas of South Carolina. Teenagers and young adults distribute and abuse many ODDs at nightclubs, raves, and on college campuses, and rates of abuse for many ODDs appear to be increasing.

MDMA

MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) availability and abuse are most prevalent in cities and areas frequented by tourists along the Atlantic Coast. Most of the MDMA available in South Carolina is produced outside the United States, typically in laboratories in the Netherlands and Belgium. The MDMA usually is transported to the United States via package delivery services and by couriers aboard commercial aircraft to distribution centers such as Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Caucasian local independent dealers are the primary MDMA transporters and distributors in South Carolina. These independent dealers commonly travel to Atlanta, Charlotte, New York City, Washington, D.C., and cities in Florida to purchase MDMA and transport it back to South Carolina via private vehicles. They also ship the drug into the state via package delivery services. According to the DEA Columbia District Office, MDMA sold for $15 to $30 per tablet in May 2002. MDMA primarily is distributed and abused at nightclubs, raves, and on college campuses.

MDMA, also known as ecstasy, Adam, XTC, E, and X, is a stimulant and low-level hallucinogen. Sometimes called the hug drug, MDMA purportedly helps abusers to be more "in touch" with others and "opens channels of communication." However, abuse of the drug can cause psychological problems similar to those associated with methamphetamine and cocaine abuse including confusion, depression, sleeplessness, anxiety, and paranoia. The physical effects can include muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, blurred vision, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. MDMA abuse can also cause a marked increase in body temperature leading to muscle breakdown, kidney failure, cardiovascular system failure, stroke, or seizure as reported in some fatal cases. Research suggests that MDMA abuse may result in long-term and sometimes permanent damage to parts of the brain that are critical to thought and memory.

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GHB

GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) is distributed and abused primarily in cities and areas frequented by tourists along the Atlantic Coast. Caucasian local independent dealers are the dominant distributors of GHB in the state. The drug typically is abused by teenagers and young adults at nightclubs, raves, and on college campuses. The DEA Columbia District Office reported that GHB sold for $20 per tablet in May 2002.

GHB, also known as liquid ecstasy, Georgia homeboy, grievous bodily harm, liquid X, and goop, is a central nervous system depressant that was banned for human consumption by the Food and Drug Administration in 1990. It is odorless, tasteless, and virtually undetectable if added to a drink. An individual can lose consciousness within 20 minutes of ingesting GHB and often has no memory of events following ingestion. It is difficult to trace because it usually is eliminated from the body within 12 hours. Because of these properties, GHB has been used to commit drug-facilitated sexual assault.

Ketamine

Ketamine, also known as K, special K, vitamin K, and cat valium, is an anesthetic that has hallucinogenic properties when taken in high doses. It is available on a limited basis in South Carolina and is primarily abused by Caucasian teenagers and young adults at nightclubs, raves, and on college campuses. It is diverted from legitimate sources such as veterinary clinics and is available as a powder, liquid, or pill. As a powder, ketamine is smoked or snorted, and as a liquid it is injected or mixed into drinks. Caucasian local independent dealers are the primary distributors of ketamine in the state. According to DEA, a vial of ketamine sold for approximately $80 in South Carolina in 2001.

LSD

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is available in South Carolina, and law enforcement officials report that its availability and abuse are increasing among teenagers and young adults. LSD, also known as acid, boomer, and yellow sunshine, is a hallucinogen that induces abnormalities in sensory perceptions. It is available as a powder or liquid and often is applied to blotter paper and candy or disguised as breath freshener drops. Caucasian local independent dealers are the primary transporters, distributors, and abusers of LSD in South Carolina. These dealers transport LSD into and throughout the state in private vehicles or via package delivery services. LSD usually is distributed and abused at nightclubs, raves, and on college campuses. According to DEA, a dose of LSD sold for $7 in South Carolina in 2001.

Diverted Pharmaceuticals

The diversion and abuse of pharmaceuticals--such as hydromorphone hydrochloride (Dilaudid), clonazepam (Klonopin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), alprazolam (Xanax), and oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan)--pose an increasing threat to South Carolina. Pharmaceuticals are commonly diverted using forged, stolen, or altered prescriptions as well as by doctor shopping--visiting numerous physicians to obtain drugs in excess of what should be legitimately prescribed--and through theft from pharmacies, nursing homes, and private residences.

According to public health officials in the state, OxyContin increasingly is abused in South Carolina. From January 1 to May 22, 2002, there were 181 OxyContin-related treatment admissions to publicly funded facilities, more than the total number of admissions in the previous year. In FY2001 there were 177 OxyContin-related treatment admissions in the state, a dramatic increase from a single admission in FY2000. Diverted pharmaceuticals are primarily distributed by Caucasian criminal groups and local independent dealers. Caucasians of varying ages are the principal abusers of diverted pharmaceuticals.

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