GHB Abuse

Q) What are the effects of GHB withdrawal?

A) The effects of withdrawal from GHB are: insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and sweating.

Q) Is GHB addictive?

A) Because widespread use of GHB is relatively recent, the worst effects of this drug are not known yet. There are indications, however, that the potential may be significant. GHB users have reported that they need higher and higher doses to get the effects that they want, and that when they try to quit, they can't.

Q) What are the slang terms used for GHB?

A) "G" (most common), Gamma-OH, Liquid E, Fantasy, Georgia Home Boy, Grievous Bodily Harm, Liquid X, Liquid Ecstasy (is not ecstasy), Scoop, Water, Everclear, Great Hormones at Bedtime, GBH, Soap, Easy Lay, Salty Water, G-Riffick, Cherry Meth, Organic Quaalude, and Jib.

Q) What is the extent of use of GHB?

A) GHB and two of its precursors, gamma butyrolactone (GBL) and 1,4 butanediol (BD) have been involved in poisonings, overdoses, date rapes, and deaths. These products, obtainable over the Internet and sometimes still sold in health food stores, are also available at some gyms, raves, nightclubs, gay male parties, college campuses, and the street. They are commonly mixed with alcohol (which may cause unconsciousness), have a short duration of action, and are not easily detectable on routine hospital toxicology screens.

GHB emergency room mentions increased from 55 in 1994 to 2,973 in 1999. In 1999, GHB accounted for 32 percent of illicit drug-related poison center calls in Boston. In Chicago and San Francisco, GHB use is reportedly low compared with MDMA, although GHB overdoses seem frequent compared with overdoses related to other club drugs.