November 15, 2016 Ashley Gurney

Frightening ingredients making their way into common drugs

smashed light bulb

There are some truly scary ingredients making their way into illicit drugs. Ranging from drain cleaner to crushed glass, each serves a purpose but these additives only add to the risk our kids are taking when they ingest these drugs. On top of that, pill testing can tell us how pure a pill is but when they aren’t that pure, testing can fail to tell us what else might have been added. Here are a few of the drug ingredients makers are introducing to the drugs found on our suburban streets.

Drain Cleaner

Used in the production process of methamphetamine drugs (stimulant) including Ice and Speed. Furthermore traces of drain cleaner are regularly found in Ecstasy tablets.

Drain cleaner reacts with other chemicals to create the methamphetamine substance. The human body is not designed to deal with such chemicals, like drain cleaner, and therefore has both an immediate and long-term effect on the body. The body has to work extra hard (increased heart rate, brain activity, organ function, sweating) to remove the chemical once taken.

Drain cleaner is also found in substances such as GHB or GBH (depressant). Drain cleaner is mixed with paint thinner and cooked down to create a liquid substance known as GHB/GBH (Juice, Zonk). This illicit substance puts the body into a sedated state as the body decides that the best way to fight the chemicals is to shut down. GBH/GHB is commonly used in drink spiking and as a “date rape” drug.

Batteries / Car Battery

The acid is used in drugs such as Acid/LSD as it has a significant effect on brain activity and functioning. Acid is extremely dangerous to the human body and can cause serve long-term complications. Battery acid is also used in the manufacture of Ecstasy. There can be an increase in heart rate, brain activity and sweating caused by the central nervous system which is all associated with taking a “stimulant” drug. The user is unable to know what exactly is in an Ecstasy tablet so overdose or death is always a possibility.

Panadol / Nurofen / Paracetamol

Used as a cutter or filler in drugs such as Speed, Cocaine, Ecstasy and Heroin as it bulks up the drug and also thins the blood, allowing the chemicals to get into the blood stream faster.

Some drug dealers coat paracetamol with house hold chemicals and pass it off as Ecstasy. In the 80s throughout Europe and the UK, Ecstasy was making its mark in the club scene as the “dance drug”. It contained about 15-18% MDMA (the active ingredient for Ecstasy), as well as caffeine and sugar supplements. Todays Ecstasy would be lucky to contain 1 per cent, if that, of MDMA.

Crushed Glass From Light Globes

Is found regularly in Ecstasy tablets. When the user swallows the tablet, the glass will cut them either on the way down in their oesophagus or in the stomach lining. This therefore releases the chemicals into the blood stream quicker, however, increasing the chance of scarring, infection, overdose and death.

Baby Powder

Is used as a filler to bulk up illicit substances such as Speed, Cocaine and sometimes Heroin. The issue with baby powder (or talcum powder) is that some users are now using needles to inject these illicit substances, including Speed and Cocaine. Baby powder clots the blood if it is injected into the vein/s and the user increases the risk of causing serious damage our losing limbs.

Urinal Cakes

Contain a corrosive acid which causes internal bleeding. Urinal cakes are commonly used in Ecstasy as it increases the functioning of the central nervous system (heart rate, brain activity etc.) as the body fights to remove the chemical. This is another chemical used to replace and mimic MDMA.

Weed Killer

Weed Killer is used at base point in the manufacture of methamphetamine substances such as Ice, Speed and Ecstasy. It contains a substance called glyphosate – a herbicide. By the end of the manufacturing process the glyphosate becomes a powdery substance that sticks to the methamphetamine.

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