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GHB - the new party drug |
GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), also known as GBH, grievous bodily harm, fantasy, liquid ecstasy, liquid E, or liquid X has been well known in metropolitan areas for some time and is now being used more commonly in the Northern Rivers area.
The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (Sydney) recently completed a research project regarding the use, patterns and associated harms of GHB.
Of the 76 GHB users interviewed between January and June 2001, 79% were male with a mean age of 27 years (17-50 years). The majority was employed or completing tertiary education.
The most commonly reported drugs ever used were: ecstasy, cannabis and alcohol (100%); amphetamine (97%); cocaine (83%); MDA (67%); crystal methamphetamine (68%). Ketamine (a dissociative anaesthetic) had been used by 71% of the sample. The most commonly used drugs in the past six months were: alcohol (92%); ecstasy (91%); cannabis (78%); amphetamine (77%); cocaine (57%); ketamine (54%); MDA (50%); crystal methamphetamine (45%).
GHB was typically used with other drugs. 58% reported that they typically used ecstasy with GHB, alcohol (37%); amphetamine (36%); cannabis (26%); ketamine (21%) and only 5% reporting that they typically used GHB alone. 30% of GHB users reported typically drinking more than five standard drinks of alcohol when they used GHB, and 21% reported that they typically used ketamine. As both ketamine and alcohol are depressant/anaesthetic drugs they may increase the risks of GHB use.
Negative side effects were commonly reported by GHB users:
- dizziness (76%)
- blurred vision (74%)
- hot/cold flushes (65%)
- vomiting (53%)
- profuse sweating (58%)
- loss of consciousness (50%)
- blackouts/memory lapses (45%)
- tremors and shakes (47%)
- shortness of breath (38%)
- headache (38%)
- heart palpitations (32%)
- fit/seizure (8%)
There was no correlation between the number of times persons reported ever having used GHB, and the number or frequency of side effects – hence those who had only used a couple of times reported as many negative side effects as those who had used GHB extensively.
Of the 50% who reported they had lost consciousness (overdosed) whilst using GBH, half had overdosed more than once, with 43% receiving medical attention and 28% being taken to hospital. Having seen another person overdose whilst using GBH was reported by 63%.
Although 62% thought that at least half of GHB users would overdose at some point and 79% thought that these users would overdose more than once, this was rarely something that users thought would happen to them. Almost two-thirds of GHB users thought that they had a 1% or smaller chance of overdosing on GHB in the future, and 72% of those who still used GHB had never worried about it happening to them in the past six months.
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