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PCP/Phencyclidine

Emerging Drugs

Get more information on K2/Spice, Salvia and Bath Salts. NIDA will update this page with the latest research findings on these and other emerging drugs as they develop.

Brief Description

PCP is a synthetic drug sold as tablets, capsules, or white or colored powder. It can be snorted, smoked, or eaten. Developed in the 1950s as an IV anesthetic, PCP was never approved for human use because of problems during clinical studies, including intensely negative psychological effects.

Street Names

Angel dust, ozone, wack, rocket fuel

Effects

PCP is a "dissociative" drug, distorting perceptions of sight and sound and producing feelings of detachment. Users can experience several unpleasant psychological effects, with symptoms mimicking schizophrenia (delusions, hallucinations, disordered thinking, extreme anxiety).

Statistics and Trends

In 2009, 122,000 Americans age 12 and older had abused PCP at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration Web Site). The NIDA-funded 2010 Monitoring the Future Study showed that 1.0% of 12th graders had abused PCP at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: Monitoring the Future (University of Michigan Web Site).

Related Publications

Other Resources

Past information on many drugs of abuse is available on our Archives site.

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Drugs, Brains, and Behavior - The Science of Addiction

As a result of scientific research, we know that addiction is a disease that affects both brain and behavior.

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