‘What is the drug Flakka?’ is a question that everyone has been wondering about from 2014 to 2015 when the news of this drug was on air for the first time.
Flakka is a new synthetic drug that is affecting youngsters. The use of this drug can pose some severe and fatal side effects. Once an individual is addicted to Flakka, they might find it nearly impossible to get rid of their addiction.
But what is the drug Flakka? In this blog, we will see an answer to this question and other topics related to Flakka.
What is the drug Flakka?
Let us understand what is the drug Flakka?
Also known as ‘The Zombie Drug,’ Flakka resembles bath salts. It is also referred to as gravel because of its crystallized texture. For the uninitiated, Flakka is a synthetic drug. Synthetic drugs are the drugs that are made chemically in laboratories. This drug originates from the Khat plant. The Khat plant thrives in some parts of Africa. The natives chewed the leaves of this plant to achieve intoxication.
Unfortunately, people call Flakka a ‘party drug’ because it can induce feelings of increased energy, unnatural strength, and euphoria. This drug often comes in a crystallized form, pink or white, with a potent, distinct, and unpleasant odor.
The effects of Flakka are similar to those of cocaine and methamphetamine (also known as meth). Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States has declared Flakka as a Schedule I drug. Schedule I drugs are the type of drugs that pose a high potential for substance abuse and addiction. It is illegal to buy or sell drugs under the category of Schedule I. These drugs do not serve a medical purpose either.
Now that we have understood the drug Flakka let us explore what is the drug Flakka in terms of comparisons with bath salts.
What is the drug Flakka in terms of comparison with bath salts?
What is the drug Flakka when compared to bath salts?
For those who do not know, bath salts are also a type of synthetic drug. This drug got its name because they were first smuggled into the country disguised as bath salts or Epsom salts. The smugglers deliberately concealed the bath salts to escape getting caught by the authorities.
Bath salts are a mixture of mephedrone and methylone. However, Alpha PVP is the chemical substance used to make Flakka. The only similar thing about these two drugs is that they are highly dangerous. They have a high potential for substance abuse and can be fatal if taken in high doses.
In the next section of this blog, we are going to discuss what is the drug Flakka when compared to other designer or synthetic drugs.
What is the drug Flakka in terms of comparison with other designer drugs?
Flakka has gained notoriety due to the unpredictable and violent behavior that individuals who take this drug showcase. Due to this behavior, the law enforcement communities are alarmed and conscious of such people. Despite the comparison of Flakka with other drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine (also known as meth), Flakka is different from other synthetic or designer drugs.
Firstly, Flakka is way cheaper than other synthetic drugs like cocaine and meth. Due to its affordability, people it is even more accessible to college and high school students, homeless people, and people already struggling with low income and other addictions. The worst part about this drug is that it is more potent than other synthetic drugs, which makes Flakka more dangerous to nasty and fatal side effects.
Additionally, Flakka has a shorter half-life than cocaine, meth, and other designer drugs. Half-life is the amount of time that the human body takes to flush out half of the total dose of a drug taken. Since Flakka has a shorter half-life, its effects on the human brain are intense.
How is Flakka a threat to health and the society?
Now that we have understood ‘What is the drug Flakka?’ it is crucial to know how it threatens an individual’s health and society.
It is no secret that designer drugs can cause immense harm to the physical and mental health of an individual. These drugs can cause serious side effects in the long run. Flakka can damage health by causing hyperthermia when the body’s core temperature increases beyond usual.
Flakka drug can also cause an individual to hallucinate, cause paranoia, aggression, and difficulty breathing. In addition to all this, Flakka can also trigger panic attacks, psychosis, heart strokes, heart attacks, and even death.
In some instances, there have been reports of Flakka causing extreme psychotic episodes in people. In the year 2016, there were news reports of a student from Florida who stabbed a married couple of advanced age. This attack was entirely unprovoked. After stabbing, the student then ate the husband’s face. This incident occurred while the student was under the influence of Flakka.
The entire nation was stunned by this violent incident. Since this incident occurred, Flakka has been nicknamed ‘The Zombie Drug’.
Why is Flakka’s addiction dangerous?
Every year, numerous people visit the emergency departments of hospitals because of complications from synthetic drugs. There have been multiple reports of people showing cannibalistic instincts after taking Flakka. Moreover, people who are under the influence of Flakka also show unnatural strength.
This cannibalistic behavior is because Flakka induces hallucinations and paranoia in people. Due to their hallucinations, they act unpredictably. Since Flakka is a cheap drug, people who sell Flakka also mix it with some expensive drugs like opioids and ecstasy. By combining two drugs, the side effects are even more unpredictable. Mixing two drugs is always lethal.
A recent survey concluded that 1% of teenagers in the United States have tried Flakka out of their own will. The numbers will be much higher if we consider the number of teenagers who unknowingly tried Flakka. Since we know that Flakka is often mixed with other expensive drugs to reduce the overall cost of the drugs, it is evident that many teenagers might have tried Flakka mistakenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where is Flakka sold?
People sell Flakka in a powder or a crystallized form. This type of drug is a street drug, meaning it is sold online or on the streets. It is difficult for law enforcement officials to catch people selling Flakka because they sell this drug in small quantities. The use of Flakka has also been called an epidemic due to the side effects associated with this drug. Many countries have banned the buying and selling of synthetic drugs like Flakka and bath salts.
2. Where did Flakka originate from?
A significant portion of the Flakka drug that is sold online and on the streets comes from China. Unfortunately, China is emerging as an essential contributor to the market of synthetic drugs and bath salts.
3. Can Flakka kill you?
A simple answer to this question is yes, Flakka can potentially kill you. Flakka is a dangerous drug that can cause significant health complications if not immediate death. Flakka can increase mortality rates by inducing heart stroke and heart attack. Apart from causing damage to major organs like the kidneys and liver, Flakka can also cause hallucinations where an individual commits suicide.
4. Does the use of Flakka turn an individual into a Zombie?
No, the use of Flakka does not turn people into zombies. Flakka got nicknamed ‘The Zombie Drug’ because the effects of this drug are unpredictable, and an individual loses their state of mind after taking this drug. An individual can become hallucinatory and delusional while taking Flakka. Due to these hallucinations, an individual may become extremely violent and volatile.
5. How can I identify if someone has used Flakka?
If an individual is under the influence of Flakka, they might show signs like undue agitation and aggression, hallucinations, paranoia, anxiety, delusions, unnatural palpitations, and an increased heart rate.
Conclusion
By now, we are confident that you have found the answer to the question: ‘What is the drug Flakka?’. Flakka is a dangerous substance. It is a potent designer cathinone, and people use it for its euphoric and hallucinatory effects.
One should avoid Flakka like the plague. Flakka can cause intense side effects in the long run. This drug serves no purpose or benefit to anyone in any circumstances. What is worse is that once addicted, it can be almost impossible to get rid of Flakka’s addiction.
Therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy can help with Flakka’s addiction. In this type of therapy, the therapist can assist the patient in finding the underlying cause of their addictions. It is much easier to avoid the triggers that lead to substance abuse and addictions after finding the underlying cause
