What Is Flakka And Why Is It So Dangerous?

Flakka is cheap and highly addictive, two factors flakka drug wikipedia that predominantly led to its recent surge. According to one study, users need ten times less the amount of Flakka as they do cocaine in order to get addicted to the drug. Flakka blocks a user’s dopamine and norepinephrine transporter proteins from functioning properly in the brain. This leads to an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and dopamine production, making the brain demand more and more of the drug to register reward. The pharmaceutical name for the designer drug is a-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone – otherwise known as a-PVP or alpha-PVP – a chemical compound originally synthesized in the 1960s.

What are the Mental Effects of Flakka?

Flakka is a dangerous drug that has many bad side effects, mostly including changes in behavior or mood. If you or a loved one are struggling with mental health or substance abuse, we can help. Our addiction specialists have expert knowledge on the latest medications and advanced therapeutic practices to make your transition into recovery as comfortable as possible. Every guest has their own ensuite room and dedicated team of medical professionals to support them every step of the way. We will start with a medically assisted drug detox and continue with a range of supportive measures to guide you on the right path.

Always conduct independent research (e.g. Google, DuckDuckGo, PubMed) to ensure that a combination of two or more substances is safe to consume. Below, we’ll explain flakka, why it can be so dangerous, and how communities can respond with both precaution and compassion.

It is sold as pink or white crystals (“Gravel”) and may be swallowed, snorted, injected, or vaporized in e-cigarettes. The information contained on this website is not intended to be a substitute for, or to be relied upon as, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. According to Hall’s research, alpha-PVP is often purchased online in bulk from locations such as China, typically at $1,500 per kilogram. Doses typically sell on the street for $4 or $5, and because each dose is so tiny, that means dealers can net about $50,000 from their initial investment, as long as they have the networks to distribute the drug.

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If you, or someone you know, is abusing Flakka, it’s important you get help. The clinical team at Delamere can support you through a safe clinical drug detox and have a range of holistic rehab programmes to help you through and out of addiction. Ark Behavioral Health offers 100% confidential substance abuse assessment and treatment placement tailored to your individual needs. Flakka, a street name for the inexpensive and dangerous “designer drug” Alpha-PVP, is one such newcomer. When α-PVP is cooked with other chemicals, such as acetone and amorphous, and allowed to dry it will cause the mixture to crystallize.

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Substituted cathinones are derivatives of the naturally occurring substance cathinone, which is one of the psychoactive principles in khat (Catha edullis). Cathinone is composed of a phenethylamine core with an alkyl group attached to the alpha carbon, and a ketone group attached to the beta carbon. Α-PVP’s structure consists of a cathinone core with a propyl group substituted at the alpha carbon, and a pyrrolidine ring at the amino group. Excess dopamine floods the brain’s reward circuits, triggering intense euphoria. The norepinephrine buildup also drives rapid heart rate and elevated blood pressure, causing dangerous overstimulation.

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Α-PVP is a potent and selective norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI), with a similar potency to MDPV.3 α-PVP does not act as a transporter substrate, i.e. it does not cause neurotransmitter release. It is a more potent inhibitor of DAT and NET than the classical stimulants cocaine and amphetamine. From medically assisted interventions to harm reduction policies, a multi-layered approach can help individuals and communities manage and prevent this dangerous drug. Norepinephrine buildup triggers “fight-or-flight” responses, such as increased heart rate, high blood pressure, and hyper-alertness. Many flakka users become agitated or panicked, sometimes exhibiting violent outbursts. Although the Drug Enforcement Administration has placed a temporary ban on flakka, drug makers can work around this ban, such as by sticking a “not for human consumption” label on the drug, Watterson said.

Flakka, though not as widespread as often portrayed in sensationalized media reports, poses real dangers to users and communities. By staying informed and advocating for empathetic responses, we can help reduce the harm caused by flakka. Florida, especially Broward County, once experienced a spike in flakka-related emergencies. Reports show this synthetic drug traveling to states like Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio. Hall said that there are about three or four hospitalizations a day in Broward County in South Florida, and more on weekends.

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Flakka was banned by the Drug Enforcement Administration in early 2014. Authorities believe Harrouff was high on flakka, a highly addictive designer drug that causes paranoia and psychosis. Flakka, sometimes known as gravel, is closely related to bath salts, a synthetic cathinone that police linked to the infamous face-eating attack in Miami four years ago. The man-made drug that’s manufactured primarily in China entered the states only a few years ago, but didn’t soar in popularity until 2013. The legal status of flakka remains a moving target as authorities try to keep pace with the evolving synthetic drug market.

Flakka has been considered a controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration since 2014. Combinations with the following substances can cause dangerously high serotonin levels. Serotonin syndrome requires immediate medical attention and can be fatal if left untreated. By preventing cells from reabsorbing dopamine and norepinephrine, flakka prolongs the “rush” effect. Manufacturers frequently mix α-PVP with cheap fillers such as caffeine or sugar to alter appearance and maximize profit.

As a relatively new drug, the long-term effects of Flakka haven’t been widely studied but all psychoactive drugs are known to cause cardiovascular problems, respiratory difficulties, kidney and liver damage. If you are struggling with Flakka addiction, it is important to get help from a medical professional who can facilitate a full drug rehab programme. Considered a new psychoactive substance (NPS), Flakka is part of a collection of black-market, lab-made drugs imported to the United States from China. It may be mixed with or sold as other illicit substances ranging from cocaine to ecstasy, LSD, methamphetamine, and more.

When heated up, it gives off a foul-smelling smoke characterized as smelling like dirty socks.
Flakka, being related to amphetamines, causes alertness, hyperactivity, anxiety, profuse sweating, and extreme agitation.
This sensation often results in users returning to the drug to get rid of the negative comedown feeling, jump-starting a cycle of use that can lead to abuse.
It follows that the risks in taking Flakka is considerably more so for people with diagnosed and undiagnosed mental and physical illnesses.
These instances highlight the profound and often alarming effects that flakka can have on behavior and mental state, emphasizing its dangers to both users and the community at large.
Because of this affordability, the drug is appealing to economically vulnerable groups, contributing to pockets of higher usage despite overall modest national prevalence.

Α-PVP is chemically related to prolintane and belongs to a group called the substituted cathinones, which includes compounds like MDPV, hexen, and a-PHP. Despite its street-level reputation as a “zombie drug,” it’s primarily a chemical cousin of other stimulants like amphetamines and “bath salts,” with a high risk of severe side effects. Like most synthetic drugs, the bulk of flakka seems to come from China and is either sold over the Internet or through gas stations or other dealers. A dose can go for $3 to $5, which makes it a cheap alternative to cocaine. Dealers often target young and poor people and also try to enlist homeless people to buy and sell, Hall said.

It will probably take several years to get the data necessary to put a federal ban on flakka, he added. Effective treatment typically includes a combination of medical detoxification, behavioral therapies, and ongoing support to manage cravings and prevent relapse. Researchers have not thoroughly clinically studied the long-term effects of flakka, but renal failure can occur that is irreversible. Despite the DEA’s efforts to ban flakka, the drug is still being manufactured and sold illegally, often through online vendors. The core chemical compound used to make flakka, alpha-PVP, is still legal in many parts of the world. Alpha-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone is a synthetic cathinone that acts as a stimulant similar to amphetamine, the active ingredient in certain ADHD medications.

These are “people who are already disadvantaged in terms of chronic disease and access to health care,” he added. Flakka has gained fame due to its ability to cause erratic and dangerous behavior in users. Popularly known as Flakka, formally known as alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP), the chemical cousin of bath salts has made its way into the hands of drug users nationwide. People who are abusing Flakka will likely display some of these symptoms and their behaviour may seem bizarre or uncontrollable. Known to cause psychosis, agitation and paranoia, Flakka shuts off the part of the brain responsible for rational control and can lead to people believing they have superhuman strength. It is a Schedule 1 drug in the US, which are drugs that are classed as the most dangerous and with the highest risk for abuse and dependence.