PCP

PCP is an anaesthetic which has hallucinatory properties. The side effects will vary by dosage but can include numbness, intoxication, dreamlike states, distorted senses, euphoria or depression.

Due to the hallucinogenic properties of PCP some users have reported various unpleasant psychological effects with symptoms mimicking schizophrenia. These include paranoia, depersonalisation, disordered thinking, and extreme anxiety. The negative effects of the drug can be amplified if a user is already depressed or unstable.

In its purest form PCP is a white crystal powder that can be dissolved in both water and alcohol, although contaminants from makeshift manufacturing have caused the colour to look brown. It can also be found in a liquid form which is usually sprayed onto a leafy surface and smoked. PCP is taken by smoking, injecting, snorting and swallowing.

PCP was patented in the 1950’s as a surgical anesthetic but was later withdrawn due to its adverse side effects. It became widely used in the US in the 1970s as an illegal street drug and remains more prevalent in the US than in Europe.

PCP can be unknowingly consumed because it is often used as an additive to other drugs and can be found in cannabis, LSD, or methamphetamine.

Concateno can offer a test for PCP in oral fluid, hair and urine.

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