GHB - Alaska Delaire

GHB is a drug with a notorious reputation! While it is seen in the news as a scary substance used in date rapes, it is in fact used much more often by people willing to take it for the strange effects it has on the body. Some people find these effects enjoyable, and the drug has nothing on alcohol, the number one drug used in date rape scenarios!

The high of GHB, or Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid, can cause euphoria,

heightened energy, sexual arousal, drunkenness, oneness with one’s environment, and general pleasure, but it has a sharp dose response curve and even a little bit can put a person over the edge to overdosing (1). Deep coma, vomiting, seizures, disorientation, aggression, and/or various other symptoms characterize overdosing (2). Unfortunately, medical personnel do not have many tools to counteract GHB overdose because of the unique symptoms it causes (2), so the best way to avoid health risks is to not take GHB unless under the care of a family doctor or pharmacist…. which brings us to our next point that yes, GHB is used by many people legally for medical reasons. It comes in tablets from the pharmacy and is prescribed to people who suffer from narcolepsy, a biological problem where the brain cannot regulate sleep patterns properly and is characterized by sleep disruption at night and strong sleepiness during the day, as well as cataplexy, muscle weakness akin to sleep paralysis (3).

The drug is also known as ‘G’, and ‘liquid ecstasy’ on the street (1). It often comes in a clear solution when found illegally, and it is bound to sodium in the prescribed form as well as illegally to make it easier to administer. GHB is especially dangerous because its effects are easily compounded when alcohol or other drugs are in a user’s system or too much is taken, and users can easily forget they have taken it, make poor decisions while on the drug, or may be dosed by another person in drinks already containing alcohol (1).

Photo credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/AbuGnost_anabolic_steroids_GHB_poppers_080810_48.jpg (labeled for reuse)

References:

1: GHB. (n.d.). Retrieved March 12, 2014, from http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/ghb/

2:   Mason, P. E., & Kerns, W. P. II. (2008). Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB) Intoxication. Academic Emergency Medicine, 9, 730-739. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1197/aemj.9.7.730/pdf

3: What is Xyrem? (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2014, from http://www.xyrem.com/