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PCP: Effects of Deadly Angel Dust Addiction

By: Christy Berger What is PCP, exactly? While developed during the 50’s to be used as anesthesia, phencyclidine, or PCP, has never made it to the market for human use. Due to the erratic side effects, it was deemed illegal. Now going by such street names as angel dust, rocket fuel, and wack, PCP is sold as an illicit substance, and a very dangerous one at that.

Effects of PCP

People who use PCP experience different sensations. Most commonly, users experience a disassociation of time and space from where and when they are at the current moment. While high on PCP, a person may feel weightless, euphoric or even experience hallucinations. Many times, abusers of this drug suddenly feel paranoid due to disturbing hallucinations.

While people use PCP to get high, they often do not expect the severe side effects that can come along with it. For instance, a bad reaction to angel dust could include seizures, violent aggressiveness and even death.

PCP Abuse

PCP can be used in many ways, including swallowing the drug in pill or capsule form, or drinking a liquid. The PCP drug can also be taken through injection or by snorting it in powder form. PCP is also combined with other drugs to create even more dangerous substances, one of which is called “killer weed” which is a marijuana joint laced with PCP. The process of adding PCP to another drug is called “dusting.”

Signs of PCP Abuse

While many of the effects of PCP are only noticeable to the user of the illicit substance, there are many indications that can make someone high on PCP fairly obvious, such as slurred speech, involuntary movement of the eyes, dizziness, amnesia and many of the symptoms of schizophrenia. In fact, some people who experience adverse reactions to PCP can become psychotic to the point where their symptoms are identical to those of schizophrenia.

How to Test For PCP Abuse

Drug testing can be used to detect the abuse of PCP. While many people are opposed to drug testing because they feel it imposes upon individual rights, the fact of the matter is that drug abuse causes major problems in American society. Whether it be in the workplace or on the home front, PCP drug abuse can wreck lives, destroy companies and even kill. To prevent these atrocities from happening, PCP drug tests can be used to answer your questions about “are they or aren’t they?” and take the first step in the right direction toward rehabilitation.
Employers especially need to consider PCP drug testing. Drug use in the workplace creates an unsafe environment for both employer and employee. Accidents are more likely to happen, more sick days are taken and the costs to the company are innumerable. By creating a drug testing program to detect illicit substances such as PCP, the workplace can be a much safer place, and will live up to its full potential.

PCP use is cause for concern the family as well. If you suspect drug abuse in your home, especially that of angel dust, purchasing a drug testing kit may be the best option for you. That lingering suspicion of whether or not your child is using can be troublesome. Testing your teen for PCP now, can help ease your worries and set them on the right track for life—one without the interference of drugs.