Phencyclidine (PCP), a dissociative anesthetic, was first used medically in the 1950s. Its usage declined during the following decade due to causing severe anxiety, agitation and hallucinations in patients. PCP’s popularity as a recreational drug peaked in the late 1970s, garnering an infamous reputation for causing its users to become aggressive and violent. Often called “angel dust,” PCP still shows up in illicit drug markets today, often sold as ecstasy, MDMA or other popular club drugs.
Sovereign Health understands the destructiveness of addiction, and our detoxification and residential treatment programs provide an ideal, structured environment for PCP treatment. Without such treatment, PCP addiction may result in psychosis and other severe consequences.
PCP Abuse
PCP is usually sold as a bitter, crystalline powder, with colors ranging from dark brown to white depending on purity. The powder can be taken orally or sprinkled on tobacco, marijuana or other herbs and smoked. PCP can be dissolved into water or alcohol as well – some users dip cigarettes containing marijuana or tobacco into liquid containing PCP, a practice often called “wet,” “sherm,” and “loveboat.” The liquid PCP used to dip cigarettes in is often called “embalming fluid.”
PCP’s effects can last a long time. When snorted or smoked, the effects can last for up to six hours. If taken orally, the effects can last up to 24 hours. It’s important to note that PCP’s effects can vary widely. Like other designer drugs, PCP is largely manufactured illegally, and its ingredients can be as unpredictable as the drug’s effects making PCP drug addiction that much more dangerous.
Addiction is a disease that manipulates a person’s sense of reward, motivation, memory and a number of related neurological functions.
