Q: What is PCP?
A: PCP is one of several drugs known as hallucinogens. The name PCP is an abbreviated version of the drug's chemical name (phencyclidine). The most common street name for PCP is “angel dust.”
Q: What does PCP look like?
A: On the street, PCP is often sold as a white powder. It can also be a liquid, capsule or tablet.
Q: How do people take it?
A: As a powder it is snorted. When it is in a liquid form, it can be injected. When it is a pill or capsule, it is swallowed. The powder form of PCP is often mixed with tobacco, dried parsley or marijuana, and then smoked.
Q: What does PCP do to the body?
A: PCP causes many changes in the body, including faster breathing and a faster heart rate. It also increases body temperature and can lead to numbness in the legs and arms.
Higher doses can produce a quick drop in blood pressure, vomiting, blurred vision, dizziness and an inability to feel pain. Large doses can cause convulsions, coma and death.
On the street, it is impossible to know how strong the PCP is. This makes it hard to judge what its effects will be.
Q: What other effects does PCP have?
A: Like all hallucinogens, PCP has an effect on the mind and the senses. Users may see and hear things that don't really exist. Hallucinogens also influence emotions and the ability to think clearly. PCP has different effects on different people. It causes some people to feel joy and others can feel nothing but anxiety and panic. In some cases, this panic can lead to violent behaviour.
Q: What is a flashback?
A: A flashback is when someone feels the effects of PCP even though they haven’t taken any recently. PCP can cause flashbacks days, weeks or months after people have used it.
Q: What are some of the effects of using PCP regularly for months or years?
A: The long-term effects of PCP are not really well understood. What we do know is that some people who have used PCP for a long time have speech problems, anxiety and depression, and do not enjoy social situations.
