In some parts of the country, it is also called “gravel” because of its white crystal chunks that have been compared to aquarium gravel. Given its high risk of addiction and serious health implications, individuals who have engaged in Flakka use are strongly encouraged to seek professional treatment to navigate the path to recovery safely. These symptoms highlight the profound impact Flakka can have on an individual’s life. Recognizing these signs is the first step toward seeking help and treatment for Flakka addiction, which is essential for recovery and returning to a healthier life. The severe potential outcomes of flakka use underscore the urgency for those affected to seek immediate assistance. If you or someone close is battling with addiction to flakka, reaching out for help is a vital step towards recovery.
Overdose with bath salts
“Even a mild overdose can cause heart-related problems, or agitation, or severe aggression and psychosis.” If these behaviors remind you of the ones that made headlines a few years ago with the appearance of drugs called “bath salts” — it isn’t a coincidence. Flakka is a designer drug that can be snorted, smoked, injected or swallowed. It may also be combined with other, softer drugs such as marijuana. Another serious, potentially lingering side effect of flakka is the effect on kidneys. The drug can cause muscles to break down, as a result of hyperthermia, taking a toll on kidneys.
- This caused people most at risk, poor desperate drug addicts and homeless people, to use it instead of more expensive drugs like cocaine or methamphetamines.
- It is banned in Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom, Turkey, Norway and the Czech Republic.
- A typical dose is just 0.003 ounces (0.1 grams), but “just a little bit more will trigger very severe adverse effects,” Hall told Live Science.
- It is distinct from other synthetic cathinones, including those found in bath salts.
At high doses, flakka may also cause the body to reach high temperatures (bath salts have been linked with what does flakka smell like the same symptom). This excessive temperature can lead to severe physical complications like kidney damage and muscle breakdown. Flakka is the most recent synthetic compound that has alarmed the public health sector.
It alters your mood and makes you feel closer and more connected to others. Bath salts contain manmade stimulants called cathinones, which are similar to amphetamines. When you use street or club drugs, you’re taking a lot of risks. The drugs are dangerous, and usually there’s no way to know how strong they are or what else may be in them. It’s even more unsafe to use them along with other substances like alcohol and marijuana.
The danger of Flakka addiction is significant due to its cheap price, availability, and the intense high that users experience. Yes, Flakka is highly addictive and it is crucial to receive professional help for a Flakka addiction. Synthetic cathinones, in general, are addictive, and the longer an individual uses Flakka, the higher their tolerance level becomes, leading to compulsive cravings. Users also report severe anxiety, paranoia, and hallucinations. Compounds in Spice act on the same parts in the brain as THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
What Type of Drug is Flakka?
Currently in New Mexico, Delaware, Oklahoma, and Virginia alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone (Flakka) is a Schedule I drug. Yet another incident saw a man impale himself on a spiked fence while under the influence of Flakka. Lizzo’s weight loss journey is ‘slow’ and ‘methodical’—and took her from body positivity to body neutrality. A California man who went missing 25 years ago has been found at a hospital after his sister saw his picture in a news article, authorities said.
Visual Effects
“Elsewhere in the country flakka is actually quite a popular drug. It’s often sold under the street name gravel because of its crystal, small, lumped-up appearance that looks like grainy pebbles or gravel in an aquarium.” Recognizing the signs of Flakka use is crucial for providing timely support and intervention. Flakka, a potent synthetic stimulant similar to bath salts, carries a high risk of overdose, with even minimal amounts posing a significant threat to life. Flakka and Bath Salts are closely related in their chemical composition, producing effects that are almost indistinguishable to users. The key substance in Bath Salts, Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), shares much with Flakka, except for the absence of a specific chemical structure known as the 3,4-methylenedioxy motif in Flakka. Research from Scripps Research highlights that the addiction potential for both substances is comparably high.
This caused people most at risk, poor desperate drug addicts and homeless people, to use it instead of more expensive drugs like cocaine or methamphetamines. Flakka was added to the Schedule I list in 2014 by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This was part of an effort to curb the abuse of synthetic drugs, which were becoming increasingly popular and causing significant health issues. A typical dose is just 0.003 ounces (0.1 grams), but “just a little bit more will trigger very severe adverse effects,” Hall told Live Science.