what is flakka drug wikipedia

The chemical name for this is α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone, which is sometimes shortened to α-PVP. Flakka is known to spike your body temperature up to 104 degrees, if not higher. An extremely high body temperature can have dire consequences – it can lead to kidney damage or kidney failure, and even death.

Treatment Options for Flakka Addiction

However, unlike other stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamines, there is a psychoactive component to α-PVP. Flakka is a synthetic street drug with the chemical name alpha PVP (Pyrolinopentiophenome), which triggers a hyperstimulation state, and a high likened to that of cocaine. Its street name is derived from a Spanish slang ‘la flaca,’ which means a beautiful woman. It is a synthetic cathinone made from a cathinone chemical, which is found in the Khat plant.

Cognitive effects

Flakka usage is on the steady rise, especially with the poor, NBC reported. There were no reported flakka cases in 2010, but 670 in 2014, according to the U.S. It’s illegal, dirt cheap—as low as $5 a dose—and easy to find and do. A typical dose is just 0.003 ounces (0.1 grams), but „just a little bit more will trigger very severe adverse effects,” Hall told Live Science. „Even a mild overdose can cause heart-related problems, or agitation, or severe aggression and psychosis.” Some say the name could be a variation of the Spanish slang word “la flaca” which means “skinny girl”.

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what is flakka drug wikipedia

Because one can buy Flakka for as little as three dollars a dose, the target market is typically young, poor people looking for an easy high. While it can be purchased online, it’s unclear if the designer drug has made its way into Canada yet. Health Canada says that cathinone is in the Controlled what is flakka drug wikipedia Drugs and Substances Act and therefore illegal. In another incident, a Palm Beach resident stood from a rooftop, waving a gun. He was naked and shouting that he was hallucinating, according to the Broward Palm Beach New Times.

what is flakka drug wikipedia

Why the low cost means young people are at risk.Since flakka’s cheap, it’s a popular drug among college students, as well as low-income people and the homeless population. The designer drug is typically sold online or in the streets for $3 to $5 a hit, whereas a gram of cocaine in the states can cost anywhere from $62 to $80 on average. Many young adults can’t afford to drop that kind of cash, said Cidambi. Flakka also doesn’t carry the stigma cocaine does – at least that’s what some of Cidambi’s college-aged patients told her. Some young addicts believe flakka is just “not as bad as cocaine,” she said. As a psychostimulant, flakka drug use tends to make the user feel symptoms related to increased activity of the central nervous system.

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  • Flakka is a synthetic cathinone drug chemically similar to bath salts, whose effects mirror that of the stimulant cocaine.
  • You may have seen the headlines or heard national warnings to protect your children from this new substance.
  • This was part of an effort to curb the abuse of synthetic drugs, which were becoming increasingly popular and causing significant health issues.
  • Similar chemically to MDVP, more commonly known as bath salts, Flakka is currently classified as a Schedule I drug.
  • A treatment center will attempt to verify your health insurance benefits and/or necessary authorizations on your behalf.
  • The stabbing occurred last week, and Gordon is suspected to have been high on flakka, also called gravel — a dangerous designer drug that’s cropped up in parts of the United States.

Broward County told Health Day the drug has been tied to 10 deaths. There are as many as 20 “excited delirium” cases per day in local emergency rooms there. Some people deal with heart problems, muscle breakdown or even kidney failure. The NIH says its been linked to deaths by suicide and heart attack.

  • The first step in treating Flakka addiction is often drug detox treatment.
  • During the 5-10-day detox regimen, personalized attention is given to the individuals 24/7.
  • Some bath salts may be more potent than Flakka, others less, and there is really no way of telling beforehand.
  • Some say the term is random and quite fittingly describes what a person high on this drug feels.
  • This is likely due to the government ban on manufacturers in China, and the government ban on the sale and use in the United States.

Rescue crews and emergency department staff need to give sedatives to these patients to calm them and make them safe. Various instances of „Man on Flakka” have been captured in videos on news channels and social media platforms such as YouTube. These instances highlight the profound and often alarming effects that flakka can have on behavior and mental state, emphasizing its dangers to both users and the community at large. Addiction Resource is an educational platform for sharing and disseminating information about addiction and substance abuse recovery centers.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. Additionally, Flakka hinders the reuptake of this neurotransmitter by the brain cells, producing an intense feeling of euphoria. As with all substance abuse, those experiencing addiction to flakka should screen for co-occurring mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety. Recently, the abuse of synthetic drugs has re-emerged as a significant worldwide issue. Another serious, potentially lingering side effect of flakka is the effect on kidneys. The drug can cause muscles to break down, as a result of hyperthermia, taking a toll on kidneys.

Flakka, the colloquial name for α-pyrrolidopentadione (a-PVP), is a synthetic cathinone drug. Sometimes referred to as “gravel” for its gravel-like appearance, it is commonly referred to as the Flakka drug. Flakka simulates the combined effects of methamphetamine and cocaine. Because it is 10x more potent than cocaine, is cheap and accessible online, this drug has become very popular to college-age adults.

Narcolepsy and Attention Deficit Disorder are treated using these stimulants. Users are not always poor, however, and sellers are not always ill-intentioned, or even aware, of the dangers of Flakka abuse. Professionals believe that the Flakka trend will turn over to children and teenagers next, who will begin using their five-dollar allowances to pay for a dose (or two) of the drug. “Vaporizing, which sends the drug very quickly into the bloodstream, may make it particularly easy to overdose,” it warns.