NCJ Number
224072
Date Published
July 2010
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Informational facts are presented on the club drugs: GHB (Gamma hydroxybutyrate), Ketamine and Rohypnol.
Abstract
Club drugs are a pharmacologically heterogeneous group of psychoactive compounds that tend to be abused by teens and young adults at nightclubs, bars, raves, or trance scenes. Three club drugs which are the focus of this fact sheet are: Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), Rohypnol, and Ketamine. GHB is a central nervous system depressant used in the treatment of narcolepsy, a sleep disorder. Rohypnol began appearing in the United States in the early 1990s. It is a benzodiazepine, similar to Valium or Xanax, and is not approved for medical use in the United States. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used mostly in veterinary practice. This fact sheet offers an overview of the drugs' effects on the brain, as well as other associated medical consequences, such as coma, seizure, impaired motor function, and fatal respiratory problems and treatment options. The fact sheet concludes with national statistics obtained from the Monitoring the Future survey on widespread club drug abuse among adolescents. Notes, references