Flakka the zombie drug

Flakka the zombie drug

Flakka the zombie drug has hit Australian shores with potentially devastating effects. It is one of many new psychoactive substances (NPS), which includes other drugs like synthetic cannabis. Manufacturers sell these products based on them being herbal and safe alternatives to illegal drugs. Make no mistake. There is nothing safe or herbal about synthetic drugs. They are highly toxic with unknown long-term side effects. It’s a hallucinogen like magic mushrooms, but it can also have stimulating effect like ice.

What is Flakka?

Flakka is a synthetic street drug that appears to have originated in South Florida. It is more addictive than and as strong as methamphetamine. The effects of flakka produces bizarre, uncontrollable behaviour in its users. This is not a natural drug. It is completely synthetic. It is a designer drug with the pharmaceutical name a-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone (known as a-PVP). This is a chemical compound originally manufactured in the 1960s and referred to as second-generation bath salts. This a stimulant simular to amphetamines and falls into the synthetic cathinone class of drugs. Bath salts are illegal but every time one type is made illegal manufacturers alter the chemical makeup to circumvent the law. The new drug becomes technically legal

Synthetic cathinones are synthetic drugs

Synthetic cathinones are synthetic drugs developed to mimic illegal drugs like LSD, cocaine and ecstasy. Flakka smells rancid and is either a pink or white crystal packaged in a plastic bag. It can be snorted, injected, smoked and even vaped. Flakka simulates cocaine, but reports say it is 10 times stronger and it takes a lot longer for the drug to leave your system. It is a lot cheaper than cocaine. This could be why flakka has become popular

Bath Salt Drugs

These bath salt drugs are extremely dangerous. It can cause your body temperature to rise to 104 degrees and higher. This can lead to muscle breakdown, damage your kidneys and cause kidney failure. It can also raise your blood pressure and cause a heart attack, heart failure, or stroke, and even death.

Effects of flakka

Users feel elation, extremely focused, are highly stimulated, and can be sociable with an increased sex drive. However, this effect wears off quickly so users need to keep taking more to remain high and stave off withdrawal symptoms. This can have a domino effect. The more they take, the more they feel the negative side effects that can result in the user experiencing excited delirium. This is a condition that can cause hallucinations, psychosis, paranoia, hyper stimulation and superhuman strength. Users can experience panic attacks. Feel depressed. Flakka users fine their heart will race and they may feel like committing suicide. It is not hard to get to this point as the effects last such a short time it forces users to take more. Vaping enters straight through the bloodstream so it is the quickest way to feel its effects. Because of this, it can quickly push users into an overdose.

Short-term effects

Using flakka stimulates a flood of dopamine in the brain to give you an intense feeling of elation. The short-term effects include:

• uncontrollable feelings of elation
• increased heart rate which can lead to heart palpitations
• a rise in blood pressure
• being alert
• mood swings and aggressive behaviour.

When the drug starts to leave the body, the side effects will include depression and tiredness. To get rid of this feeling users may need increased doses of flakka to get high. This increases the risk of overdosing and life threatening side effects. The effects are the same as some of the worst side effects of cocaine and crystal meth.

Long-term effects

Because flakka has only been around for a short time, the long-term effects are still being researched. What little is known is that flakka can cause renal failure because of its toxicity to the kidneys. Part of the problem with flakka is it is unknown what long term effects the poisons in the drug has on the brain.

Flakka addictions

Research into its addiction is still being conducted. However, tests done on rodents have demonstrated flakka is as additive as bath salts. When scientists cut the rodents off from the flakka supply, they continually tried to access the drug themselves if they were not given it first. It is for this reason it is thought flakka maybe as addictive as methamphetamine and bath salts.

Why people take it

People turn to synthetic drugs like flakka because it is a cheap alternative to cocaine. So, those with a low income and the homeless can buy a hit online or on the street for as little as $5. Cocaine can cost anywhere from $60 and upward a gram. Regardless of its legal status around the world, manufacturers change the structure of the drug as quickly as legislators legislate against it. There will always be a way to get synthetic drugs to the market. Be wary, taking synthetic drugs a full of toxins that may cause permanent damage you will have to live with for the rest of your life.