Sometimes the effects of flakka can linger for weeks after it has been ingested. The cathinones also inhibit the reuptake of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in the central nervous system. This inhibition causes an increase in the hormones that elevate mood.
Street Drugs: Know the Facts and Risks
Overdose is a possibility with the use of this substance, and due to its manufacturing process and administration, the exact dosage used is hard to measure. Benzodiazepines may be used to calm the individual, and antipsychotics such as olanzapine might help alleviate symptoms of drug-induced psychosis. But no medications have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat alpha-PVP abuse. If someone exhibits bizarre or harmful behaviors resulting from flakka use, call 911 immediately.
Some say the name could be a variation of the Spanish slang word “la flaca” which means “skinny girl”. Some say the term is random and quite fittingly describes what a person suboxone mixed with alcohol high on this drug feels. A popular street name for A-PVP is “gravel” as the pink and white crystals look like those placed in fish aquariums. 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.
Many of the metabolites can form sulfates or, more frequently, glucuronides, or other conjugates as Phase II metabolites. Eleven metabolites of α-PVP were detected in rats, as well as in drug abusers’ urine samples. Kolesnikova and coworkers characterized the behavioral effects of α-PVP in adult zebrafish following acute (1, 5, 25, and 50 mg/L for 20 min) and chronic (1, 5, and 10 mg/L for seven days) treatments [43]. Overall, acute exposure to α-PVP evoked psychostimulant (but not anxiolytic-like) effects in this novel zebrafish tank test, with characteristic and stereotypic ‘side-to-side’ bottom swimming at 5, 25, and 50 substance abuse group activities mg/L. The signal peaks for α-PVP in the brain were consistent with the systemic concentrations of the drug that were given. Collectively, these findings support zebrafish sensitivity to α-PVP and show some parallels with its effects in mammals.
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It can be smoked in a joint or e-cigarette, injected or compressed into capsules and swallowed. To find another treatment program, browse the top-rated addiction treatment facilities in each state by visiting our homepage, or by viewing the SAMHSA Treatment Services Locator. The helpline at AddictionResource.net is available 24/7 to discuss the treatment needs of yourself or a loved one. This helpline is answered by Legacy Healing Center, an addiction treatment provider with treatment facilities in California, Florida, Ohio, and New Jersey. People who use flakka may demonstrate bizarre behavior that can be scary both to the person using it and those around them.
As flakka is a new drug, there is still a lot to learn about the treatment of the substance. Little information is known about flakka outside what is reported from users. Synthetic drugs are illicitly created to produce substances that differ slightly from legal drugs. Recently, the abuse of synthetic drugs has re-emerged as a significant worldwide issue.
Flakka Effects
This combination can be dangerous, as the increased energy and psychoactive effects can cause harm to the individual or others. Although alpha-PVP use in that area has largely subsided, the dangerous drug continues to harm people in other regions of the United States. People addicted to the stimulant should seek treatmentimmediately. The drug has a stimulant-like effect but can cause paranoia, hallucinations, and can lead to violence or self-harm. It’s been linked to deaths due to heart attack, suicide, and kidney damage or kidney failure.
Phase II metabolic steps include glucuronidation [57] (Figure 3). Nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge regarding if these metabolites are pharmacologically functional. First, 1-phenyl1-pentanone is formed from the reaction of valeronitrile with phenylmagnesium bromide, with sheila shilati a subsequent acidic workup. It is then brominated to create the corresponding α-bromo ketone.
Withdrawal is a physical or psychological reaction to the lack of a drug in a person’s system, following a period of regular or heavy drug use. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), flakka can cause a condition known as “excited delirium”. Users also report severe anxiety, paranoia, and hallucinations. The effects start within about 20 minutes and last as long as 6 hours. Similar to LSD, mushrooms can cause hallucinations, an altered perception of time, and an inability to tell the difference between what’s real and what’s not.
According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), Flakka drug use is surging in Florida. Our writers and reviewers are experienced professionals in medicine, addiction treatment, and healthcare. AddictionResource fact-checks all the information before publishing and uses only credible and trusted sources when citing any medical data. These two drugs share a lot in common but are easy to differentiate. They are both synthetic drugs belonging to a class known as cathinones. They also have a relatively similar effect on the individuals who use them, though with some differences.
- We cannot guarantee payment or verification eligibility as conveyed by your health insurance provider will be accurate and complete.
- Behavioral therapy can treat addiction to synthetic cathinones like flakka.
- When Shima et al. [37] analyzed 19 urine samples from α-PVP abusers, a decrease in the ketone set and oxidation of the pyrrolidine ring were the principal metabolic paths impacted.
- There have been about 540 various drugs categorized as novel psychoactive substances since 2014 [1].
- When you use street or club drugs, you’re taking a lot of risks.
Nelson et al. [53] studied the stereoselective effects of α-PVP, and the results showed that the adverse effects of racemic α-PVP were mediated primarily by the S isomer. Addiction Resource is an educational platform for sharing and disseminating information about addiction and substance abuse recovery centers. Addiction Resource is not a healthcare provider, nor does it claim to offer sound medical advice to anyone.
In small doses, it can have effects similar to prescription stimulants like Adderall, such as increased focus and an energy boost. Flakka, also known as gravel or “poor man’s cocaine”, is a stimulant that comes in the form of white or pinkish crystals. Little is known about the health effects of salvia, though animal studies show it may have an impact on learning and memory. The Drug Enforcement Administration doesn’t consider salvia an illegal drug, but several states have passed laws to regulate its use.
This makes it a substance rather popular for use among younger people and having status as a designer drug just worsens this. When vaporized, alpha-PVP quickly enters the bloodstream, and its effects are felt more rapidly. However, this method of administration makes overdose more likely. It can cause compulsive drug-seeking behavior even when people know the health, social and legal consequences of their actions. People who become addicted to flakka, or who use it regularly, may experience withdrawal symptoms if they try to stop using it.
6. Clinical Course and Health Risks
Emergency services should always be immediately contacted in case of a suspected overdose. It can be dangerous to attempt deescalation without assistance. Using this substance comes with some unwanted effects which can be harmful to the user’s health. The stimulant can even produce psychological problems in those with no history of mental illness. A 2016 study published in the journal Case Reports in Psychiatry indicatedthat a teen girl with no past psychiatric diagnosis experienced psychotic episodes after taking flakka. Flakka resembles white or pink gravel, salt or grains of sand.
