NCJ Number
64110
Journal
Australian Police Journal Volume: 33 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1979) Pages: 211-224
Date Published
1979
Length
14 pages
Annotation
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR AUSTRALIAN POLICE OFFICERS CONCERNING PHENCYCLIDINE (PCP) IS PRESENTED; CLINICAL ASPECTS, TERMINOLOGY, AND CHEMICAL COMPONENTS ARE EMPHASIZED.
Abstract
THE PROBLEM OF PCP USE HAD NOT YET MATERIALIZED IN AUSTRALIA; HOWEVER, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT ITS DEVASTATING EFFECTS WILL BECOME A FACTOR IN POLICE WORK OF THE NEAR FUTURE. PCP WAS FIRST DEVELOPED IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE LATE 1950'S, PATENTED IN 1963, AND MARKETED UNDER THE NAME 'SERNYL' AS AN ANALGESIC FOR USE BY VETERINARIANS. DESPITE THE FACT IS HAS NEVER BEEN LICENSED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION, IT IS IN WIDESPREAD USE IN THE UNITED STATES AND WESTERN EUROPE, SURPASSED IN POPULARITY IN SOME AREAS ONLY BY ALCOHOL, MARIHUANA, LSD, AND HEROIN. IN THE SAN FRANCISCO AREA, IT IS THE FOURTH LEADING CAUSE OF DRUG ABUSE HOSPITALIZATION. EXPERTS CHARACTERIZE PCP AS NEITHER AN 'UPPER' NOR 'DOWNER.' FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES IT PRODUCES A VOID FEELING, WITH DRASTIC, MIND-ALTERING EFFECTS. PURCHASERS HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING OF PCP'S PURITY OR POTENCY. THE WHITE CRYSTALLINE POWDER PRESENTS THE PERFECT FRAUD FOR CONNIVING DEALERS, AND IT IS OFTEN DISGUISED AS ANY NUMBER OF OTHER DRUGS. IT MAY BE FOUND ON THE STREET AS A POWDER, TABLET, OR CAPSULE. THE POWDER MAY BE SNORTED OR MIXED WITH MARIHUANA OR MIXED WITH OTHER VEGETABLE MATTER SUCH AS PARSLEY, MINT, OR OREGANO AND SMOKED. IT IS RARELY INTERJECTED INTRAVENOUSLY. DEPENDING ON DOSAGE, THE ROUTE OF ADMINISTRATION, AND TIME LAPSE SINCE USE, PCP CAN PRODUCE SYMPTOMS THAT RANGE FROM A COMATOSE STATE TO AGITATED VIOLENT BEHAVIOR. OVERDOSE MAY RESULT IN STUPOR OR COMA, MOTOR SEIZURES, AND VOMITING. ACUTE INTOXICATION PRODUCES A CONFUSIONAL STATE INCLUDING UNPREDICTABLE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR. PCP PSYCHOSIS IS OFTEN INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM AN ACUTE SCHIZOPHRENIC EPISODE. EXTREME CAUTION MUST BE EXERCISED BY POLICE IN THEIR INVESTIGATION OF PCP LABORATORIES SINCE EXPLOSION IS A CONSTANT THREAT. PRIOR TO COLLECTING EVIDENCE, PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE LABORATORY AND PLANT LOCATION, CHEMICALS, AND APPARATUS SHOULD BE TAKEN. CHEMICALS WHICH MAY BE FOUND IN CLANDESTINE PCP LABORATORIES INCLUDE SODIUM CYANIDE, PETROLEUM ETHER, AND HYDROCHLORIC ACID. IN NEW SOUTH WALES, PCP IS CONTROLLED UNDER SCHEDULE 8 OF THE POISONS ACT 31 OF 1966. REFERENCES AND PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED IN THE ARTICLE. (LWM)