There are some scientific inaccuracies here but its basically correct.
HEALTH ADVISORY ON ˇ§GHBˇ¨ AND RELATED SOLVENTS
JUNE 2002
SUMMARY
An increase in the number of drug overdoses has been observed at some clubs and parties over the past 12 to 18 months. Anecdotal information from MedEvent, a network of volunteer health professionals who provide medical services at dance events, suggests that approximately seven in ten overdose situations involve GHB or its analogs, usually in combination with other substances.
Substances sold and known alternatively as ˇ§G,ˇ¨ ˇ§Gina,ˇ¨ or ˇ§Swirlˇ¨ may, in fact, be one of three chemical solutions that have similar characteristics, but some important differences that can lead to undesirable effects or overdose. These chemicals are:
? GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), a nervous system depressant
? GBL (gamma-butyrolactone), a lactone-based industrial solvent that is converted into GHB in the bloodstream
? B, BD, or BDO (1,4-butanediol), an alcohol-based solvent that is converted in the bloodstream first into GBL and then GHB
All three chemicals may be obtained in different concentrations and may be clear or tinted with food coloring. Without a great deal of knowledge, it is difficult to distinguish one liquid from the other by sight, smell or taste, although there are some differences. Each of the three chemicals varies with respect to potency. The difference between a mild euphoric effect and an overdose can be as little as a teaspoon of liquid, depending on the chemical and the concentration, and on other factors such as body weight and the amount of food in your stomach. All three substances magnify the effects of alcohol and some other drugs, including some sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs and other depressant type medications.
The Date-Rape Drug Prohibition Act of 2000 classifies both GHB and GBL as Schedule I drugs, the same legal status reserved for drugs such as cocaine, LSD and heroin. In New York, possession, manufacture or distribution of small quantities of these drugs can carry a prison term of up to life in prison. Some states, including California, have banned ˇ§analoguesˇ¨ of GHB, which includes both GBL and B.
In light of these developments, the health and legal risks associated with use of GHB and its analogs are considerably higher now. In addition, the contingencies of providing for medical care at dance parties are costly and increasingly difficult to manage.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
Those who choose to use GHB or related solvents may reduce the risk of overdose by taking precautionary measures:
- do not mix GHB/GBL/B with alcoholic beverages, sleeping pills or any prescription drugs in the benzodiazepines family, such as Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, Ativan, and Restoril; numerous deaths have been attributed to mixing these drugs
- do not assume that the right dose last time will be the right dose next time; concentrations vary from batch to batch; pre-measuring doses of known potency can reduce risk; avoid pouring from a container directly into a drink without measuring first
- allow more time to feel the effects; B-based solutions can take longer to hit you
- allow more time between doses; GBL and B remain in the body longer than GHB, and repetitive dosing will have a cumulative effect
- taking smaller doses can reduce the risk of overdose
- using the same supply might reduce the risk of getting different analogs with differing potencies, although this is not assured
Overdoses related to GHB and its analogs require careful observation by trained medical personnel and may require transport to a hospital. While some clubs and event promoters offer on-site medical assistance by volunteers as a service to their patrons, many do not. Emergency medical personnel are likely to transport patients who appear to be in a GHB-induced coma.
For these reasons and others, the Electric Dreams Foundation advises that, for their safety, patrons refrain from using GHB, GLB or B-based products at clubs and parties.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND
GHB was developed in 1961 as an anesthetic, but research in the U.S. was discontinued when the drug was found to have unwanted side effects. Throughout the 1980s, GHB was available at health food stores, most commonly used as a sleep aid or to enhance bodybuilding performance. Claims that GHB releases human growth hormone, however, are unsubstantiated.
In 1991, the FDA labeled GHB a ˇ§dangerous drugˇ¨ after receiving reports of adverse effects. Around 1998, manufacturers began distributing GBL and B-based products, which, at the time, were not banned. These products were sold as dietary supplements on the Internet under brand names such as Blue Nitro, RenewTrient, Revivarant, Enliven, and Serenity. Product labels can be misleading, cryptic or vague, sometimes referring to the active ingredient as ˇ§2(3H)-Furanone di-hydroˇ¨ or ˇ§proprietary polyhydroxol complex.ˇ¨
Similarly, products based on B have been sold on the Internet as cleaning solvents under brand names such as Jet Clean, Pro-G, Thunder, and Mystic. The active ingredient may be labeled as butanediol, butane-1,4-diol, 1,4-butylene glycol, tetramethylene 1,4-diol 1,4-dihydroxybutane, 1,4-tetramethylene glycol, butylene glycol, or sucol-B.
Once ingested, GBL and B are converted into GHB. But GBL and B are metabolized differently. While GHB and GBL can take effect in 15 minutes or less, B usually takes longer to produce an effect, depending on body weight and how much food is in the stomach. The additional time involved can be anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes or more. Overdose may occur when someone who thinks they took ˇ§Gˇ¨ actually took ˇ§Bˇ¨ and, expecting to feel the effect in a short time, takes another dose.
There is no easy way to test a solvent-based drug to know which solvent is the active ingredient. GHB and GBL, in their most concentrated form, usually will not freeze if put in a household freezer. Any of the solvents will freeze, however, if diluted with enough water. Left standing, GHB and GBL solutions will separate, with the solvent settling to the bottom of the container. The liquid in the bottom of the container can be much more concentrated and, if ingested, produce a markedly stronger effect. Shaking the container will help to distribute the solvent more evenly in the container, and may reduce risk.
GHB is made by reacting GBL with water in a base of sodium hydroxide (lye) or potassium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide produce different concentrations of GHB. In controlled production, sodium-based GHB is about 10-15% stronger than potassium-based GHB. Uncontrolled production can result in a range of outcomes, some with potentially severe consequences. If the chemical reaction is incomplete, the final product may still contain lye, which can cause burning if swallowed.
Illegally manufactured GHB may contain contaminants such as heavy metals (e.g., lead), which can come from the equipment used to process the chemicals, or hydrochloric acid, which may be present in the pool cleaners, floor cleaners and industrial solvents that are used in the production of "G" products.
Undiluted, GHB has the consistency of syrup or cooking oil, although typically it is diluted with water. If diluted, the GHB may settle. GHB has been described as tasting somewhat ˇ§salty.ˇ¨ GBL and B, in concentrated form, have a decidedly bitter taste.
Numerous cases of GHB, GBL, and B addiction have been documented, particularly where daily doses were taken as bodybuilding supplements or as a sleeping aid. In instances of GHB/GBL/B addiction, detoxification can be very serious and may require hospitalization. For more information about detoxification, see an article published in 2001 by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, available as a downloadable PDF file at
http://www.tcada.state.tx.us/researc...ithdrawal.pdf. For additional information about safer partying, and for additional informational links, visit
www.partysafe.org on the web, or email
EDFoundation@aol.com.
Recent changes in the supply and patterns of use of GHB and related solvents prompted this advisory by the Electric Dreams Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes health and safety in the gay club/party subculture. PartySafe.org is an outreach program of the Electric Dreams Foundation. MedEvent is a volunteer network of medical professionals whose work is supported by the Electric Dreams Foundation.
Sad.
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