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Phencyclidine
Dissociative hallucinogenic drug, mostly used recreationally / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Phencyclidine or phenylcyclohexyl piperidine (PCP), also known in its use as a street drug as angel dust among other names, is a dissociative anesthetic mainly used recreationally for its significant mind-altering effects.[1][5] PCP may cause hallucinations, distorted perceptions of sounds, and violent behavior.[5][8][9] As a recreational drug, it is typically smoked, but may be taken by mouth, snorted, or injected.[5][6][8] It may also be mixed with cannabis or tobacco.[1][5]
Adverse effects may include seizures, coma, addiction, and an increased risk of suicide.[8] Flashbacks may occur despite stopping usage.[9] Chemically, PCP is a member of the arylcyclohexylamine class, and pharmacologically, it is a dissociative anesthetic.[5][10][11] PCP works primarily as an NMDA receptor antagonist.[10]
PCP is most commonly used in the United States.[12] While usage peaked in the US in the 1970s,[13] between 2005 and 2011 an increase in visits to emergency departments as a result of the drug occurred.[8] As of 2017 in the United States, about 1% of people in 12th grade reported using PCP in the prior year while 2.9% of those over the age of 25 reported using it at some point in their lives.[14]