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Club Drugs

Brief Description

Club drugs tend to be used by teenagers and young adults at bars, nightclubs, concerts, and parties. Club drugs include GHB, Rohypnol®, ketamine, and others. MDMA (Ecstasy), Methamphetamine, and LSD (Acid), are considered club drugs and are covered in their individual drug summaries.

Street Names

Special K, vitamin K, jet (ketamine); G, liquid ecstasy, soap (GHB); roofies (Rohypnol®).

Effects

Club drugs have varying effects. Ketamine distorts perception and produces feelings of detachment from the environment and self, while GHB and rohypnol are sedating. GHB abuse can cause coma and seizures. High doses of ketamine can cause delirium and amnesia. Rohypnol® can incapacitate users and cause amnesia, and especially when mixed with alcohol, can be lethal.

Statistics and Trends

The NIDA-funded 2010 Monitoring the Future Study showed that 0.5% of 8th graders, 0.6% of 10th graders, and 1.5% of 12th graders had abused Rohypnol®; 0.6% of 8th graders, 0.6% of 10th graders, and 1.4% of 12th graders had abused GHB; and 1.0% of 8th graders, 1.1% of 10th graders, and 1.6% of 12th graders had abused ketamine at least once in the year prior to their being surveyed. Source: Monitoring the Future (University of Michigan Web Site).

Related Publications

Club Drugs (GHB, Ketamine, and Rohypnol)

Revised July 2010.
Offers basic facts about club drugs (GHB, ketamine, and rohypnol), including how they affect the brain and other parts of the body, treatment options, and how widespread the use is of these drugs. En Español

Publication Cover

Hallucinogens

Published January 1997. Revised January 2009.
Explains how hallucinogens affect the brain’s communication centers as well as its ability to control sleep and emotions. En Español

Hallucinogens - LSD, Peyote, Psilocybin, and PCP

Revised June 2009.
Provides basic facts about hallucinogens (LSD, peyote, psilocybin, and PCP) including how they are abused, how they affect the brain, other health effects, and treatment options. En Español

Publication Cover

Hallucinogens and Dissociative Drugs

Published March 2001.
Offers the latest research findings on hallucinogens and dissociative drugs, describing what they are, how they are abused, and basic facts about different drugs within this classification of drugs. En Español

MDMA (Ecstasy)

Revised December 2012.
Provides basic facts about MDMA, also called ecstasy, including how it affects the brain, other health effects, and treatment options. En Español

Related Resources

Other Resources

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

This page was last updated December 2012

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.

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Use the SAMHSA Treatment Locator or 1-800-662-HELP.

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