Discovery News: Where Do Synthetic Drugs Come From?
Posted on May 27, 2015
Synthetic drugs often have ridiculous names, like white rush or meow meow, that almost belie that fact that these substances are part of a growing deadly trend. The rise in popularity of a one new synthetic drug in South Florida has led to 18 deaths in Broward County alone since last September, reports the New York Times.
The drug, called “flakka” or “gravel,” depending on regional vernacular, is a powerful stimulant that can induce paranoia and hallucinations among other unwanted side effects. The high lasts a few hours, but the damage caused to the brain and kidneys can be permanent and even deadly. Users who have died from the drug typically succumb to heat stroke, according to Broward County’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Craig Mallak, as body temperatures rise to upwards of 105 degrees.