by Melanie Halcomb

Created on: January 20, 2009

Gamma hydroxybutyrate - GHB

According to Kansas State's Research Department, Gamma hydroxybutyrate, more commonly known as GHB "is a powerful, rapidly acting central nervous system depressant." KU reports that this drug was produced in the 1920s initially and was later looked at as a possible agent for anesthesia in the 1960s. It is known for a fact that GHB is naturally produced in the body but the function of this chemical in the body is not clear.

GHB was sold as a performance-enhancing drug for body builders until 1990 when it was banned by the FDA. Some European countries still use it in conjunction with other anesthesias. However, GHB is abused for because it produces states of euphoria and hallucinogenic states, and is alleged to stimulate growth muscle. In March 2000, GHB became a Schedule I Controlled SUbstance.

Nonetheless, KU reports, in the United States, GHB is produced in homemade laboratories and the quality and purity of the substance is not guaranteed. Furthermore, the effects of the drug are less predictible and more difficult to diagnose, according to Kansas University. GHB can be manufactured with inexpensive ingredients with most ingredients available on the internet.

Effects

GHB is usually taken orally. Sold in powder form, it easily dissolves in liquids or it can be sold as a pure liquid in vials or small bottles. In liquid form, GHB is odorless, tasteless, clear in color and is almost undetectable when mixed in any drink making it similiar to the popular rape drug, Rohypnol. The usual dose of GHB is one to five grams and usually takes effect between 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the quality of the drug. The effects of the drug can last up to six hours.

According to Kansas University, "side effects associated with GHB may include nausea, vomiting, delusions, depression, vertigo, hallucinations, seizures, respiratory distress, loss of consciousness, slowed heart rate, lowered blood pressure, amnesia and coma. GHB can become addictive with sustained use."

According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network, GHB emergency department mentions have increased from 56 in 1994 to 3,340 in 2001.

Drug-facilitated rape

"Drug-facilitated rape is defined as sexual assault made easier by the offender's use of an anesthetic-type drug that renders the victim physically incapacitated or helpless and unable to consent to sexual activity )Kansas University). It doesn't matter if the victim is given the drug with or without his/her knowledge, the person becomes a victim because s/he becomes unable to conscious consent to sexual acts because of the paralyzing effects.

"According to National Drug Intelligence Center, GHB has surpassed Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) as the most common substance used in drug-facilitated sexual assaults. GHB can mentally and physically paralyze an individual, and these effects are intensified when the drug is combined with alcohol (Kansas University).

Because victims may not remember the assault until days afterwards, they may not seek help, so it is difficult to guess at the number of these drug-induced incidences of sexual assaults. Additionally, the drug GHB is only detectable in a person's system for a short period of time and if immediate help is not sought, it may be too late to detect the drug in the victim's system.

Street terms for GHB include:

* Cherry Meth
* Liquid X
* Fantasy
* Organic quaalude
* GBH
* Salty water
* Georgia home boy
* Scoop
* Great hormones at bedtime
* Sleep-500
* Grievous bodily harm
* Soap
* Liquid E
* Somatomaz
* Liquid Ecstasy
* Vita-G

- Information provided by Kansas University (http://www.k-state.edu/media/webzine/Didyouhearyes/ GHBfacts.html)

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