PCP (Phencyclidine) - What Is It Made Of?
What Is It Made Of?
PCP has no links to anything that is found in nature. The only way to make it is to combine dangerous industrial chemicals. One ingredient is cyanide (SY-uh-nide), a deadly poison. Other ingredients are chemicals that may otherwise be used to make plastics, paint remover, motor fuels, and other products. In fact, one of the clues that frequently leads to the discovery of an illegal PCP laboratory is the strong odor of chemicals. Labs are also found due to explosions or fires caused by careless handling of these chemicals by the illegal drug manufacturers. When found in large amounts, PCP gives off a powerful odor like that of ammonia.
Use of Dangerous Fillers
In its purest form, PCP is a white, crystalline powder. When mixed with water, it dissolves quickly and produces a clear liquid. Absolutely pure PCP is considered very rare on the street, however. Even though it is inexpensive to make, dealers usually cut it, or blend it, with other substances, so that they can turn a higher profit. PCP manufacturers sometimes cut their product until there is as little as 5 percent of PCP in the mixture. The added substances can alter the appearance of the drug, making it tan, orange, or brownish in color. The extra ingredients may change it from a powdery form into something more like sludge. Many substances are used to cut PCP, and some of them have their own harmful effects on the body.
In addition to intentionally blending PCP with other materials in order to increase dealers' profits, the drug is frequently contaminated. This happens simply because it is manufactured by people who do not really know what they are doing. They are unable, or unwilling, to purify the final product or to test it properly. One
common contaminant in PCP is PCC, a substance that gives off cyanide when burned.
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
