GHB - Are There Any Medical Reasons for Taking This Substance?

Are There Any Medical Reasons for Taking This Substance?

Although GHB was initially developed as an anesthetic, it has never been used in the United States for that purpose. Several countries in Europe have approved GHB for anesthesia and other uses. In an article for Forensic Science Communications, Carl S. Hornfeldt and his coauthors cited several European studies that found GHB to be effective in relieving alcohol craving and alcohol withdrawalThe process of gradually cutting back on the amount of a drug being taken until it is discontinued entirely; also the accompanying physiological effects of terminating use of an addictive drug. symptoms. Another study investigated the potential use of GHB to treat opiate withdrawal symptoms. (A separate entry on opium is available in this encyclopedia.)

Help for Narcoleptics

Although GHB is generally viewed as a dangerous drug, it seems to help people who have an unusual and hard-to-treat daytime sleep disorder called narcolepsyA sleep disorder characterized by daytime tiredness and sudden attacks of sleep.. On July 17, 2002, the FDA approved Xyrem (an oral solution of sodium oxybate, or GHB) "as a treatment to reduce the incidences of cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy," according to Jennifer Lloyd in a GHB fact sheet written for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Cataplexy is a sudden episode of muscle weakness that can cause a person to collapse unexpectedly during waking hours. The way GHB works on narcoleptics is not completely known, but it may help keep them "awake during the day by giving them a better night's sleep," explained Jeff Levine in a WebMD article.

When used as a narcolepsy treatment, Xyrem is considered a Schedule III substance under the CSA of 1970. Schedule III substances have less potential for abuse and dependence than Schedule I and II substances. Even though Xyrem has an accepted medical use, selling it, distributing it, or using it for anything other than its prescribed use is against the law and subject to stiff Schedule I penalties.