GHB is Schedule I in the United States. This means it is illegal to manufacture, buy, possess, or distribute (sell, trade or give) without a DEA license.
Addictive Potential: Medium
Emergency Room Visits Yearly: Unknown
Mandatory Minimum Sentence: Not more than 20 years
Mechanism of Action: Increases the Neurotransmitter GABA(B) and stimulates the GHB receptor
Overview:
Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (4-hydroxybutanoic acid), commonly abbreviated GHB, is a therapeutic drug, an illegal drug in multiple countries, and a naturally occurring substance found in the central nervous system, wine, beef, small citrus fruits and almost all other living creatures in small amounts.
In a medical setting, GHB is used as a general anesthetic, to treat conditions such as insomnia, clinical depression, narcolepsy, and alcoholism, and to improve athletic performance. It is also used illegally under the street names Juice or Liquid Ecstasy, either as an intoxicant, or as a date rape drug. As well, the human body's cells naturally produce GHB. GHB is structurally related to the ketone body beta-hydroxybutyrate. As a drug it is used most commonly in the form of a salt. GHB is also produced as a result of fermentation and is found in small quantities in some beers and wines.
It was placed in Schedule I in March 2000 after widespread recreational use. Uniquely, this drug is also listed in Schedule III for limited uses, under the trademark Xyrem.
At recreational doses, GHB can cause a state of euphoria, increased enjoyment of movement and music, increased libido, increased sociability and intoxication. In general, the doses used recreationally are between 500 mg and 3000 mg, corresponding to approximately 0.5–3 mL of liquid if the concentration is 1 gram / 1 mL (which is not always the case). When used as a recreational drug, GHB may be found as the sodium or potassium salt, which is a white crystalline powder, or as GHB salt dissolved in water to form a clear solution. The effects of GHB can last from 1.5 to 3 hours, or even longer if large doses have been consumed or if it is mixed with alcohol.
Side Effects:
At high doses, GHB may induce nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, agitation, visual disturbances, depressed breathing, amnesia, unconsciousness, convulsions, and death.
GHB tends to cause rapid unconsciousness at doses above 3500 mg. Doses over 7000 mg often cause life-threatening respiratory depression and can induce bradycardia and consequent heart failure.
6 GHB Overdose and Poisoning Stories
Warnings:
Do not use GHB with alcohol or other depressants. The drug interactions can cause an increased risk of negative side effects that may lead to a GHB coma or even death.
GHB has been identified as a date rape drug, much the same way as alcohol and Rohypnol. It has a salty taste, but as it is colorless and odorless, it has been described as "very easy to add to drinks" that mask the flavor. GHB has been used in cases of drug-related sexual assault, usually when the victim is vulnerable due to intoxication with a sedative, generally alcohol and, as such, are less likely to notice a strange taste to his or her drink. However it is difficult to establish how often GHB is used to facilitate rape as it is difficult to detect in a urine sample after a day, and many victims may not recall the rape until some time after this.
GHB can be physically addictive and may result in psychological addiction. Physical dependence develops when GHB is taken on a regular basis (i.e., every 2-4 hours for multiple consecutive days or weeks). Withdrawal effects may include insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, tremors, sweating, loss of appetite, edginess, tachycardia, chest pain and tightness, muscle and bone aches, sensitivity to external stimuli (sound, light, touch), dysphoria, and mental dullness. These side-effects will subside after 2 - 21 days, depending on frequency of usage and the size of the doses used. In particularly severe cases, withdrawal from GHB may cause symptoms similar to acute withdrawal from alcohol or barbiturates (delirium tremens) and can cause convulsions, hallucinations, and sometimes even death if not treated properly.
Videos:
E-books:
The NeuroSoup Trip Guide - The free e-book version of The Neurosoup Trip Guide is now available online. It contains chapters on Choosing the Right Hallucinogen; Set, Setting, and Preparation for a Trip; Tips for Tripsitters; Aspects of the Entheogenic Experience; Working with Difficult Experiences; Integration; and References and Recommended Reading.
