NCJRS - Club Drugs in the Spotlight
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Club Drugs
“NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse)-supported research has shown that use of club drugs can cause serious health problems and, in some cases, even death. Used in combination with alcohol, these drugs can be even more dangerous. No club drug is benign." (ClubDrugs.org, National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Summary
The term "club drugs" is a general term used for certain illicit substances, primarily synthetic, that are usually found at nightclubs, bars, and raves (all night dance parties). Substances that are often used as club drugs include, but are not limited to, MDMA (Ecstasy), GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), Rohypnol, ketamine, and methamphetamine (Club Drugs: An Update, Drug Enforcement Administration, 2001).
To some, club drugs seem harmless. In reality, these substances can cause serious physical and psychological problem - even death. Often, the raves where these drugs are used are promoted as alcohol-free events, which gives parents a false sense of security that their children will be safe attending such parties. These parents are not aware that raves may actually be havens for the illicit sale and abuse of club drugs (Information Bulletin: Raves, National Drug Intelligence Center, 2001).
Attendance at raves can range from 30 people in a small club to thousands in a stadium or open field. Because MDMA can cause users to involuntarily grind their teeth, ravers often chew on baby pacifiers or lollipops to offset this effect. Additionally, ravers may use glowsticks and flashing lights to heighten the hallucinogenic properties of MDMA and the visual distortions brought on by its use (Information Bulletin: Raves, National Drug Intelligence Center, 2001).
There are numerous dangers associated with the use of club drugs. For example:
MDMA can cause a user's blood pressure and heart rate to increase to dangerous levels, and can lead to heart or kidney failure. It can cause severe hyperthermia from the combination of the drug's stimulant effect with the often hot, crowded atmosphere of a rave (MDMA (Ecstasy) Abuse Research Report, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2004).
Studies have shown that some heavy MDMA users experience long lasting confusion, depression, and selective impairment of working memory and attention processes (MDMA (Ecstasy) Abuse Research Report, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2004).
Rohypnol and GHB are predominantly central nervous system depressants. Because they are often colorless, tasteless, and odorless, they can be added to beverages and ingested unknowingly (InfoFacts: Rohypnol and GHB, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2005).
Low-dose intoxication from ketamine results in impaired attention, learning ability, and memory. At higher doses, ketamine can cause delirium, amnesia, impaired motor function, high blood pressure, depression, and potentially fatal respiratory problems (Community Drug Alert Bulletin: Club Drugs, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2004).
Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive stimulant associated with serious health conditions, including memory loss, aggression, and potential heart and brain damage. Users can also display a number of psychotic features, including paranoia, auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances, and delusions (Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction Research Report, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1999).
Because club drugs are illegal and are often produced in unsanitary laboratories, it is impossible for the user to know exactly what he or she is taking. The quality and potency of these substances can vary significantly from batch to batch.
Additionally, substitute drugs are sometimes sold in place of club drugs without the user's knowledge. For example, PMA (paramethoxyamphetamine) has been used as a substitute for MDMA. When users take PMA thinking they are really ingesting MDMA, they often think they have taken weak ecstasy because PMA's effects take longer to appear. They then ingest more of the substance to attain a better high, which can result in overdose death (The Hallucinogen PMA: Dancing with Death, Drug Enforcement Administration, 2000).
Because of the dangers associated with the use of club drugs, communities and law enforcement agencies are developing anti-rave initiatives to try to curb the use of club drugs. For example, they are passing new ordinances that establish juvenile curfews and licensing requirements for large public gatherings and are enforcing existing fire codes and health, safety, and liquor laws (Information Bulletin: Raves, National Drug Intelligence Center, 2001).