Designer Drugs - Overview

Overview

Designer drugs were deliberately created by underground chemists to get around the laws set forth in the U.S. Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970. The CSA called for the federal regulation of certain drugs. Under the terms of the act, all federally regulated substances must be categorized into one of five schedules. These schedules are based on a substance's medicinal value, possible harmfulness, and potential for abuse and addiction.

Schedule I is reserved for the most dangerous drugs that have no recognized medical use. 2C-B, ecstasy (MDMA), and GHB are all Schedule I drugs. Schedule II and Schedule III drugs have limited medical uses when prescribed by a physician, but the possibility of abuse and addiction among users remains a cause for concern. Methamphetamine and PCP are Schedule II drugs, and ketamine is a Schedule III drug.

Gary Henderson, a University of California professor, came up with the term "designer drug" back in the early 1980s. These designer drugs are synthesized, meaning that they are made in labs. As Lawrence Clayton explained in his book Designer Drugs, these synthetic substances "are made to mimic the feeling and the 'high' caused by other drugs." However, they "cost less than the drugs they are modeled after."

Official Drug Name: 2C-B (4-bromo-2, 5-dimethoxyphenethylamine; pronounced BROH-moh dy-meth-OCK-sy-FENN-eh-THY-luh-meen)

Also Known As: Afro, bees, bromo, cloud-9, eve, nexus, toonies, utopia, venus

Drug Classifications: Schedule I, hallucinogen

Official Drug Name: Ecstasy (MDMA; 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; pronounced METH-uhl-een-die-OCK-symeth-am-FETT-uh-meen)

Also Known As: Adam, disco biscuit, E, hug drug, Stacy, X, XTC

Drug Classifications: Schedule I, hallucinogen

Official Drug Name: GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate; pronounced GAMM-uh hy-DROK-see-BYOO-tuh-rate)

Also Known As: Cherry meth, Georgia home boy, goop, grievous bodily harm, max, soap

Drug Classifications: Schedule I, depressant

Official Drug Name: Ketamine (pronounced KEET-uh-meen; brand names include Ketaset and Ketalar)

Also Known As: Cat valium, jet, K, ket, special K, vitamin K

Drug Classifications: Schedule III, hallucinogen

Official Drug Name: Methamphetamine (pronounced meth-am-FETT-uh-meen)

Also Known As: Chalk, crank, crystal, crystal meth, ice, glass, meth, speed

Drug Classifications: Schedule II, stimulant

Official Drug Name: PCP (phencyclidine; pronounced fenn-SICK-luh-deen or fenn-SIKE-luh-deen)

Also Known As: Angel dust, cadillac, dust, embalming fluid, fry

Drug Classifications: Schedule II, hallucinogen

Illegal Labs

Amateur drug makers sought to create homemade drugs that would not qualify as controlled substances but would still appeal to

Designer drugs are popular at all-night dance parties called raves. The illegal drugs are said to intensify the rave experience and help the user dance longer. Such drugs have been known to cause death among party-goers. Lawrence Manning/Corbi
Designer drugs are popular at all-night dance parties called raves. The illegal drugs are said to intensify the rave experience and help the user dance longer. Such drugs have been known to cause death among party-goers. © Lawrence Manning/Corbis.

illegal drug users. With a slight change to the chemical structure of a controlled substance, a newly created designer drug would no longer be considered "controlled"—at least not technically. For more than fifteen years after the passage of the CSA, more and more illegal labs sprang up. These labs were "where new drugs that would bypass the CSA could be made," explained Elizabeth Russell Connelly in Psychological Disorders Related to Designer Drugs.

In the middle and late 1980s, however, further laws were passed that made designer drugs illegal as well. The U.S. government added existing designer drugs to the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) list of controlled substances. In addition, the 1988 Chemical Diversion and Trafficking Act cut down on the availability of some of the ingredients necessary to concoct designer drugs. "Yet," commented Connelly, "designer drugs continue to be manufactured and sold for profit."

The popularity of ravesOvernight dance parties that typically involve huge crowds of people, loud techno music, and illegal drug use. in Europe and the United States contributed significantly to the increase in designer drug use. Raves generally appeal to young audiences. The term "club drugs" was coined to describe the many drugs that are often used by ravegoers to heighten the party experience. It is important to note, however, that not all "club drugs" or "rave drugs" are designer drugs, although the terms are often used interchangeably.