GHB Abuse

GHB is short for the chemical compound gammahydroxybutyrate. Often used by predators as a date rape drug, GHB comes as a colorless liquid. Measured out in capfuls, the salty-tasting liquid is swallowed. Originally developed as a medicine for use during surgery, GHB is also used as an alternative to anabolic steroids. The intoxicating effects of GHB usually last a few hours, but remain unpredictable and have been known to continue for an entire day. This mysterious duration is particularly true in relation to the negative effects. With sedative properties, GHB produces a feeling of euphoric dizziness. Easy to consume and hard to control, overdoses of GHB can produce coma and even death. These dire consequences are often the result of mixing GHB with alcohol or other drugs, increasing the levels of intoxication and danger. On account of its harmless appearance, GHB often can be taken by accident or slipped into a drink, leading directly to extreme negative consequences. Perhaps the most frightening aspect of GHB is that the long-term effects of the drug are not fully known, but could include the same damage done by anabolic steroids.