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Epidemiology | Intoxication | Withdrawal | Treatment | Medical Complications
Excerpt
Phencyclidine (PCP), commonly referred to as "angel
dust," inhibits catecholamine reuptake in neurons, leading
to adrenergic potentiation (Greydanus and Patel 2003).
It was initially developed in the 1950s to be used as an anesthetic,
but it was never approved for human use due to its significant adverse
effects, including intensely negative psychological ones. It can
be used as a liquid, tablet, or powder and can also be sprinkled
on a cigarette. Results from the Monitoring the Future survey reveal
that in 2005, 2.4% of high school seniors reported a lifetime
use of PCP; annual use was reported by 1.3% of seniors,
and 30-day use was reported by 0.7% (National Institute on Drug Abuse 2005a).