What Is Flakka Drug? Everything To Know on Flakka Addiction

Flakka users often underestimate their use of this drug because Flakka or other bath salts are often used unknowingly as adulterants in drugs such as ecstasy. Flakka and other synthetic drugs were banned in China, after a visit by South Florida law officials in November, the Miami Herald reported. On Monday, a man named Travis Gordon was arrested for allegedly stabbing two men in Gifford, Florida, WPBF reported. The stabbing occurred last week, and Gordon is suspected to have been high on flakka, also called gravel — a dangerous designer drug that’s cropped up in parts of the United States.

Treatment Options for Flakka Addiction

This is primarily because of the way the drug works in our bodies. 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. 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. The chemical is linked to cathinone, the drug found in bath salts. Alpha-PVP is a stimulant, so its users encounter alertness and wakefulness.

Flakka Withdrawal

• Regardless of the method of intake, it can overdose as any other drug.
• China, Pakistan and India are the main suppliers of flakka, Forbes reported.
• Α-PVP, or alpha-Pyrrolidinovalerophenone, is a synthetic substance belonging to a group called the substituted cathinones.
• The year 2015 saw hundreds of deaths related to the drug Flakka—most often resulting from overdose, heart attack, and suicide.
• Some of the other side effects include; hypertension, aneurysm, renal failure, and narrowed blood vessels.
• Experts worry that some survivors of flakka overdoses may be on dialysis for the rest of their life.

Flakka, the colloquial name for α-pyrrolidopentadione (a-PVP), is a synthetic cathinone drug. Sometimes referred to as “gravel” for its gravel-like appearance, it is commonly referred to as the Flakka drug. Flakka simulates the combined effects of methamphetamine and cocaine. Because it is 10x more potent than cocaine, is cheap and accessible online, this drug has become very popular to college-age adults.

• Flakka is a very powerful psychoactive stimulant that is similar to MDPV and pyrovalerone.
• Flakka is highly dangerous since it can cause extreme paranoia and trigger violent acts, leading to self-harm.
• The synthetic drug may be eaten, injected, snorted, or vaporized in e-cigarettes.
• In the excited delirium state, restrained patients struggle to free themselves, scream, flail, and can even have seizures.
• Flakka and other synthetic drugs were banned in China, after a visit by South Florida law officials in November, the Miami Herald reported.
• 101 deaths were reported to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction between 2012 and mid-2015, with α-PVP detected in each of them.

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When someone is addicted to flakka, they can experience withdrawal symptoms without it. Synthetic drugs are illicitly created to produce substances that differ slightly from legal drugs. 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. It will probably take several years to get the data necessary to put a federal ban on flakka, he added. And a ban can be effective, at least in discouraging potential users. Although a typical flakka high can last one to several hours, it is possible that the neurological effects can be permanent.

This case is the latest in an epidemic of crimes, incidents and even deaths seemingly related to flakka. Flakka or A-PVP is a synthetic cathinone, a category under which the natural, mild, stimulant khat what is flakka drug wikipedia belong. Chemical-wise, this chemical is a more powerful, next generation bath salts. Flakka is one of the more recent synthetic drugs and research into its effects isn’t extensive.

Toxicity and harm potential

Center for the Study and Prevention of Substance Abuse at Nova Southeastern University, told NBC News. 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. It has the molecular formula of C15H21NO, a cathione that is structurally related to methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and pyrovalerone.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. Additionally, Flakka hinders the reuptake of this neurotransmitter by the brain cells, producing an intense feeling of euphoria. As with all substance abuse, those experiencing addiction to flakka should screen for co-occurring mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety. Recently, the abuse of synthetic drugs has re-emerged as a significant worldwide issue. 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.

Our medical practitioners will come up with the best-individualized treatment plan for you at our facility. The Khat plant is mainly grown in Arabia, and East African countries, and some individuals chew its leaves to attain mild stimulation. Flakka is highly dangerous since it can cause extreme paranoia and trigger violent acts, leading to self-harm. It is also inexpensive, and its price is estimated to range between $3 to $5.