Other Dangerous Drugs

Other dangerous drugs include club drugs, hallucinogens, inhalants, steroids, and diverted pharmaceuticals. Club drugs are synthetic drugs such as MDMA, Rohypnol, GHB, LSD, and ketamine. Club drugs are used most frequently by teenagers and young adults at nightclubs and rave parties. The abuse of these drugs, along with the abuse of other hallucinogens, inhalants, and steroids, is a growing problem. The diversion and abuse of pharmaceuticals also pose a particular concern for law enforcement authorities and healthcare professionals.

Club Drugs

MDMA. Also known as ecstasy, E, X, XTC, and Adam, MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic psychoactive drug with amphetamine-like and hallucinogenic properties. The effects of MDMA usually last from 4 to 6 hours, although they vary by individual. Use of the drug may cause psychological problems similar to those associated with methamphetamine and cocaine abuse including confusion, depression, sleeplessness, anxiety, and paranoia. Physical reactions include increased heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure, as well as nausea and cramping.

MDMA is becoming increasingly popular in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, especially among teenagers and young adults. MDMA also is readily available in western and northwestern Oklahoma City nightclubs. In the Tulsa area MDMA is distributed in the form of gel caps. It is also sold in tablet, capsule, or powdered form and usually is taken orally. In Oklahoma City in the second quarter of FY2002, MDMA sold for $10 to $40 per tablet, according to DEA.

In April 2001 the Governor of Oklahoma approved Senate Bill 441 making MDMA a Schedule I drug. The law establishes a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for possession of MDMA. Prior to the enactment of this law, MDMA was classified as a designer drug. Laws governing designer drugs are complex, and penalties vary according to the type and quantity of the drug possessed. According to a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, the new law makes it clear that  MDMA is illegal and ensures that the penalties are clearly defined.

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Rohypnol. Also called roofies, rophies, Roche, and the forget-me-pill, Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines (Valium, Halcion, Xanax, and Versed). Rohypnol is not approved for prescription use in the United States; however, it is sold legally in Latin America and Europe as a treatment for insomnia and as a preanesthetic medication. In Oklahoma it is abused primarily by young adults at raves and nightclubs. According to DEA, Rohypnol sold for $3 to $5 per dose in Oklahoma City in the first quarter of FY2002. Rohypnol produces sedative-hypnotic effects including muscle relaxation and inhibits an individual's ability to recall events that occurred while under the influence of the drug. Rohypnol abuse may also cause physiological and psychological dependence.

Rohypnol is odorless, tasteless, and colorless and dissolves quickly in liquid. One milligram can impair or incapacitate a user for 8 to 12 hours. Because of these characteristics, it has been used to facilitate sexual assaults. In 1998 the manufacturer changed the formula, adding blue dye and making it more difficult to dissolve so that intended victims of sexual assault could more easily detect the drug in a drink. These changes would be discernible in a transparent container; however, they may not be detectable in an opaque or metal container.

The use of Rohypnol in sexual assaults has been reported in Oklahoma. In March 2000 a jury imposed sentences totaling 25 years on a man convicted of three sex crimes. This case was the first in Tulsa County and the first in the state of Oklahoma to admit scientific evidence regarding the use of Rohypnol in a sexual assault.

GHB and Analogs. GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) and its analogs are abused for their euphoric, sedative, and anabolic effects. GHB analogs include GBL, BD, GVL, and GHV, which have chemical structures that closely resemble GHB. Also known as liquid ecstasy, scoop, grievous bodily harm, and Georgia homeboy, GHB and its analogs are central nervous system depressants and can induce coma and cause insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and sweating. Teenagers and young adults attending rave parties may take GHB or its analogs to lessen the "crash" associated with coming down from other drugs.

GHB Analogs

GHB, along with its analogs, has become a significant problem, particularly on college campuses. Because GHB is odorless and colorless, it is virtually undetectable when mixed in beverages. GHB and its analogs are quickly eliminated from the body and may be difficult to detect in overdose patients or victims of sexual assault. GHB often is referred to as a date rape drug and has been used to facilitate sexual assaults. When even small amounts of GHB or its analogs are mixed with alcohol, the intended victim loses consciousness for several hours. GHB is available in Oklahoma and has been associated with at least one sexual assault. In August 2001 an Oklahoma City man was arrested for allegedly raping a woman after giving her a drink laced with GHB. According to the Assistant District Attorney for Tulsa County, this is the first known sexual assault case in Oklahoma involving GHB.

GHB can be made from the easily obtainable analogs GBL (a solvent commonly used as a paint stripper) and BD (a chemical used in the production of plastics and adhesives). GBL, which is converted into GHB upon ingestion, is a legal substance sold over the counter as a dietary supplement and is touted as a muscle-building supplement or as a means of enhancing sexual experiences. On January 21, 1999, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about food supplement products that contain GBL and requested that manufacturers recall all products containing the additive. Despite the recall, GBL is sold illegally in both powdered and liquid forms at gyms, fitness centers, and some disreputable health food stores.

Although it is unlawful to produce or distribute GHB in the United States, recipes and do-it-yourself kits are available on several Internet sites. According to anecdotal reporting, several individuals in the Oklahoma City area have purchased multigallon quantities of GBL over the Internet and received these shipments via package delivery services.

According to DEA, in the first quarter of FY2002, GHB sold for $10 to $20 per dose in Oklahoma City. 

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 LSD. Commonly known as acid, boomers, and yellow sunshine, LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is a hallucinogen that induces abnormalities in sensory perceptions. It is sold on the street in tablet, capsule, and liquid forms. LSD, which usually is taken orally, is odorless and colorless with a slightly bitter taste. The effects of LSD often depend on the amount taken and the user's personality and expectations. The user typically feels the first effects of the drug within 30 to 90 minutes of ingestion. Large doses produce delusions and visual hallucinations. The physical effects include dilated pupils, higher body temperature, increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, dry mouth, and tremors. Some fatalities have resulted from LSD use.

LSD is increasingly popular as a club drug. It is also available on college campuses and in high schools in Oklahoma. The Comanche County Sheriff's Department notes that LSD is available in its jurisdiction, and the Broken Arrow Police Department reports a slight increase in LSD seizures in that city. Enid law enforcement officials report that LSD is available in liquid form and has been sold at raves in breath freshener bottles.

Prices for a single dose of LSD vary within the state. In Oklahoma City a single dose of LSD sold for $5 to $7 in the first quarter of FY2002, according to DEA. In Tulsa a single dose sold for $1 to $10. In Enid liquid LSD sold for $5 to $10 per drop--a drop is considered a single dose. DEA reports that the potency of LSD samples ranges from 20 to 80 micrograms of LSD per dose.

Ketamine. Also known as special K, vitamin K, or kit-kat, ketamine is a chemical derivative of PCP developed primarily as a veterinary anesthetic. Ketamine is gaining in popularity in Oklahoma as a club drug. Typically, abusers of ketamine are students and young adults. Ketamine can be used in its pharmaceutical liquid form or dried by evaporation or in a microwave oven to produce a white powder. Ketamine has an unpleasant taste in either form, but as a liquid it has little or no smell and looks like water. Ketamine can be injected, smoked, swallowed, snorted, or mixed in drinks. It is available in liquid, powder, or pill form and as a powder often is snorted or smoked with marijuana or tobacco products.

Ketamine produces a hallucinogenic effect similar to LSD. The effects of ketamine are similar to those of PCP or LSD but much less intense and of shorter duration, lasting an hour or less. A small dose of ketamine acts as a mild sedative, while a larger dose can cause delirium, amnesia, impaired motor function, high blood pressure, depression, and potentially fatal respiratory problems. Low-dose intoxication from ketamine results in impaired attention, learning ability, and memory.

There have been a number of ketamine seizures in Oklahoma. Oklahoma authorities reported two seizures of ketamine in February and March 2000. In February 2000 law enforcement authorities in Oklahoma City seized a shipment of 154 bottles of ketamine, which had an estimated street value of $30,000. In March 2000 the Central Oklahoma Metro Interdiction Team seized 150 bottles of the drug. 

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Diverted Pharmaceuticals

Diverted pharmaceuticals are available throughout most parts of Oklahoma. Of the 10 law enforcement agencies in Oklahoma that responded to the NDIC National Drug Threat Survey 2001, 6 reported that diverted pharmaceuticals are available within their jurisdictions. The most commonly diverted prescription drugs in Oklahoma are Lortab, Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, and Tylox. Pharmacies in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa areas have reported thefts of OxyContin and Lortab.

Other diverted pharmaceuticals include Valium and Xanax. These drugs sometimes are seized during methamphetamine investigations. Methamphetamine abusers commonly use Valium and Xanax to mitigate the negative effects of methamphetamine.

Ritalin also is being diverted. According to authorities in Broken Arrow, the diversion and abuse of Ritalin and other pharmaceuticals are emerging threats. In February 2001, police in Broken Arrow arrested a 15-year-old student for selling Ritalin tablets that had been prescribed for him. Teens crush the Ritalin tablets, which are prescribed for hyperactivity, and snort the powder like cocaine. It produces a high similar to methamphetamine.

Pharmaceutical drugs have been involved in a number of deaths in Oklahoma. According to DAWN mortality data, narcotic analgesics (excluding heroin/morphine)--OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, Darvocet, Fentanyl, and others--were a factor in 78 of the 196 drug-related deaths in Oklahoma County in 2000. Of those 78 deaths, 13 were drug-induced (overdose) deaths in which narcotic analgesics were the only substances detected. Benzodiazepines (Valium and Xanax) were a factor (not necessarily the cause of death) in 27 drug-related deaths, and antidepressants were a factor in 23 drug-related deaths.

Other

PCP. The hallucinogen PCP (phencyclidine) originally was used as an intravenous anesthetic in humans; however, this use was discontinued in 1965 because patients became agitated, delusional, and irrational while recovering from the drug's effects. PCP is produced illegally in laboratories and is sold on the street as angel dust, ozone, wack, and rocket fuel. PCP is addictive; its use often leads to psychological dependence, craving, and compulsive PCP-seeking behavior. Users cite feelings of strength, power, invulnerability, and a numbing effect on the mind. At low to moderate doses, physiological effects include a slight increase in respiration and a pronounced rise in blood pressure and pulse rate. Respiration becomes shallow, flushing and profuse sweating occur, and generalized numbness of the extremities and lack of muscle coordination also may occur. PCP use by adolescents may interfere with hormones related to normal growth and development and the learning process. Long-term abusers may suffer memory loss, difficulties with speech and thinking, depression, and weight loss. 

PCP is available throughout the state of Oklahoma. According to the Tulsa County Sheriff's Department, PCP is transported into Oklahoma from California. PCP users in the Tulsa area are increasingly using "fry," marijuana or tobacco cigarettes dipped in embalming fluid laced with PCP. The Tulsa County Sheriff's Department reports that cigarettes with brown paper wrapping often are used because the PCP stains are less noticeable. Funeral home owners in the area have reported thefts of embalming fluid. High school and college students are the primary abusers of PCP. It is also commonly available at raves and may be used in combination with other club drugs. Prices for a single dose of PCP vary within the state. According to DEA, in the first quarter of FY2002, the wholesale price of PCP in Tulsa was $600 to $900 per ounce, and the retail price was $25 to $50 per dose. In Oklahoma City retail quantities sold for $10 to $15 per dose. 

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 DXM. Developed as a cough suppressant that would be less addictive and have fewer side effects than the narcotic codeine, DXM (dextromethorphan) is a legal substance found in many over-the-counter cough syrups. When used in the doses recommended on cough syrup and tablet packaging, it is a very effective cough suppressant. In high doses it acts as a dissociative anesthetic like ketamine or PCP. High doses cause the user to feel "spacey" and may result in loss of motor control and even immobility. It also can produce auditory and visual hallucinations and can sometimes cause nausea and itchy skin. At high doses, DXM also is a central nervous system depressant. 

Abuse of DXM is an emerging problem among teenagers and young adults in Oklahoma. Young people are attracted to DXM because it is available over the counter and is inexpensive. It often is used as an alternative to MDMA. Intoxication results from swallowing large doses of cough syrup, known as robodosing or robotripping, or taking handfuls of cough suppressant pills, sometimes called skittles because they resemble the popular fruit candy. Users also extract the DXM from cough syrup and drink it or convert it to powder and place it in capsules. Since the drug is available without a prescription, it is easy to obtain. It is known by the street names robo, skittles, vitamin D, dex, and tussin. Individuals who use DXM to get high are sometimes called dexers or syrup heads.

Inhalants. According to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the abuse of inhalants is a significant problem among young people in the state. Twelve percent of high school students surveyed during the 1999-2000 school year reported abusing inhalants during their lifetime.

Steroids. According to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, in the 1999-2000 school year 4.7 percent of Oklahoma high school students surveyed reported using steroids without a doctor's approval at least once during their lifetime. Ninth grade respondents reported the highest use with 6.8 percent reporting that they had used steroids at least once without doctor approval, and 3.6 percent of twelfth grade students indicated that they had used steroids during their lifetime. Steroid use among twelfth graders is likely lower as a result of students that have dropped out of school.

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