Flakka: one of the most harmful designer drugs enters Australia

Flakka has finally reached Australia. The drug has a history of leaving people with bizarre fits and dangerous zombie-like behaviour. Popularly known as the gravel or alpha-PVP, it has already created havoc in communities across the United States and Europe.

“At the moment we’re starting to see it become more of an issue in Australia. [The U.S. and Europe] are really having problems [with flakka] and I suspect we’re going to follow that experience,” toxicology expert Andrew Leibie told news.com.au, noting that its traces have mainly been found in some post-mortem reports in Australia. It is, however, unclear whether it had triggered deaths.

Flakka has a potential to cause wide range of side-effects, starting from sending users into wide-eyed rage, leaving them clawing at roads, lunging at cars and other harmful activities. Also known as a cousin to many “bath salt” drugs that have made inroads into Aussie lives. It is either snorted, smoked or injected. It induces rapid body-temperature elevation, the need to disrobe and a psychotic paranoia convincing the user that he is being chased.

Florida has been the worst hit state, with an alarming number of people involved in using Flakka.

In one instance, a man high on Flakka had attacked a police officer after running naked on the streets and having sex with a tree. In another instance, a man from Florida’s south-eastern coast, Fort Lauderdale, also ran naked on streets and was arrested after he started panicking in the middle of the road for getting killed by an imaginary being. The drug has also claimed lives.

In Australia, local companies have expressed concern over their staff who have been using it.

“We have had several approaches from large companies, mostly mining companies but some oil and gas companies as well, who have specifically said to us, ‘Can you please test for some of these drugs, including flakka,’” Leibie said.

Although uncertain over the sudden rise of Flakka’s usage, he said that it has been popping up on companies’ radars in Australia. He added that it could result in any number of reactions.

Flakka is a new psychoactive substance like synthetic cannabis. Sometimes, it is also cited as safe but in actuality is far from from it. Leibie said it produces hallucinogenic effects like LSD or magic mushrooms but also have a stimulant effect, like crystal meth. “People are thinking they’re seeing demons or the walls are possessed or whatever, and at the same time they have all the aggression and hyper stimulation and getting into fights for no reason that we see from ice usage,” he added.

According to Forbes, one major concern of Flakka is that the supplies, typically imported from China, Pakistan and India as well as the users seem to have little clue as to what is mixed in the drug when it is sold on the streets as “$5 insanity.”

Designer drugs like these have been commonly used in nightclubs and rave parties at cheap prices. Forbes also reported that although designer drugs such as molly or ecstasy, which contain MDMA, a psychedelic, have grown in popularity over years, Flakka represented a new trend of drugs that could have severe consequences when taken.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au, or let us know what you think below.​