What is flakka?
Flakka is a street drug which first appeared in South Florida in 2014
The synthetic drug is made from alpha-PVP, an amphetamine-type stimulant from the cathinone class of drugs
Flakka is also known as ‘flocka’ or ‘gravel’ and often called the ‘zombie-drug’
What are the short term effects of flakka?
– Aggressive behaviour
– Euphoria
– Bizarre and uncontrollable behaviour
– Alertness
– Heart palpitations
– Increased blood pressure
– High doses can lead to hyperthermia, resulting in muscle breakdown, dehydration and renal failure
Flakka has ‘comedown’ – the period when the drug wears off – effects including depression and fatigue
What are the long term effects of flakka?
– Addiction
– Possible kidney failure
– Paranoia and delusions
As flakka is a relatively new drug there is scant data on its long term effects, but doctors believe they may be similar to those of other stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines