GBL

• What Kind of Drug Is It?
• Overview
• What Is It Made Of?
• How Is It Taken?
• Another Dangerous Substance
• Are There Any Medical Reasons for Taking This Substance?
• Usage Trends
• Alcohol and GBL
• Close Call for Gugliotta
• Effects on the Body
• Reactions with Other Drugs or Substances
• Treatment for Habitual Users
• Consequences
• The Law
• For More Information

What Kind of Drug Is It?

Gamma butyrolactone (GBL) is a very strong chemical used in the production of floor strippers, glue removers, paint thinners, pesticides, herbicides, inks, dyes, and other industrial products. When swallowed, it acts as a depressantSubstances that slow down the activity of an organism or one of its parts. on the body, lowering heart and breathing rates. During the 1990s, however, GBL became popular at nightclubs and ravesOvernight dance parties that typically involve huge crowds of people, loud techno music, and illegal drug use., where its effects are said to intensify the party experience. GBL is also considered a "date rape" drug because it can render a victim unconscious and produce memory loss.

Overview

GBL is a toxic, or poisonous, chemical that is powerful enough to dissolve glue and kill weeds. Sold as a clear liquid or a light-colored powder, it can be very irritating to the skin and mucous membranes when handled improperly. It is a synthetic chemical, meaning that it is made in a laboratory. GBL acts as a depressant in humans and is not meant to be swallowed. During the 1990s, however, GBL became a popular club drug.

The GBL-GHB Connection

The story of GBL's rise as a drug of abuse is tied to the history of another compound called gamma hydroxybutyrate (GAMM-uh hy-DROK-see-BYOO-tuh-rate) or GHB. (A separate entry on GHB is available in this encyclopedia.) GHB is found in very small amounts in the human body and is thought to act as a neurotransmitterA substance that helps spread nerve impulses from one nerve cell to another. in the brain. In the 1960s, it was first synthesized in a laboratory for use as an anesthetic, which is a substance used to deaden pain. In the 1980s, GHB became popular among bodybuilders, who believed it could release a hormone that would stimulate muscle growth. In November 1990, after investigating nearly sixty reports of GHB-linked illnesses, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered an end to sales of GHB-containing products. The agency declared that GHB was unsafe and illegal except for carefully controlled FDA-approved drug research.

When products containing GHB became unavailable, users looked for a replacement. They found it in GBL supplements. Once GBL is ingested, the body rapidly converts it into GHB. "[T]he effects become identical to that of taking regular GHB," explained M. Foster Olive in Designer Drugs. GBL was sold in fitness centers and health food stores as a dietary supplement. Dietary supplements do not have to undergo the kind of rigorous testing required for over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs. That is because the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 treats supplements as foods rather than drugs.

Throughout the 1990s, advertisements for GBL supplements appeared in bodybuilding magazines. Manufacturers of GBL supplements claimed their products would help to build muscles © David Woods/Corbis.

From Dietary Supplement to Party Drug to Date Rape Drug

Throughout the 1990s, advertisements for GBL supplements appeared in bodybuilding magazines under names such as Blue Nitro, Firewater, GH Revitalizer, Invigorate, Jolt, ReActive, REMForce, RenewTrient, Revivarant, and Verve. (Note that all of these supplements have since been removed from the market.) Manufacturers of GBL supplements claimed their products would build muscles, improve physical and sexual performance, combat depression, reduce stress, and relieve insomnia, a sleeping disorder.

In time, word got around that GBL was a great "party drug" because it helped release the inhibitionsInner thoughts that keep people from engaging in certain activities. of the user. Soon, people were taking it just to get high. Along with that high, however, came the risk of harmful and life-threatening side effects, including breathing difficulties, vomiting, and seizures. Use could lead to coma state of unconsciousness from which a person cannot be aroused by noise or other stimulind even death.

By the late 1990s, reports started appearing about GBL and GHB being used as "date rape" drugs. Because they are odorless and colorless, it is hard to tell when these substances have been added to a drink. Both drugs are strong enough to knock someone out, even in small doses. They also cause memory loss in the victim, often preventing identification of the attacker.

On January 21, 1999, the FDA asked manufacturers to recall their GBL-containing products and issued press releases warning consumers not to take them. The warning was issued in response to more than fifty-five reports of GBL-related illnesses and a report of one death. The Trimfast Group, Inc. agreed to recall its products, Revivarant and Revivarant G, and most other companies followed suit. It took years before the FDA was able to classify dietary supplements containing GBL as unapproved drugs. As of 2005, it was illegal to sell anything for human consumption that contained GBL or GHB.

Because of the deadly effects associated with GBL and GHB consumption, "forensicThe scientific analysis of physical evidence. scientists are being called upon to determine the role of these compounds in overdose and sexual assault cases with increasing frequency," wrote Carl S. Hornfeldt and his coauthors in a 2002 article in Forensic Science Communications. To help people know if their drinks are free of "date rape" substances, various companies have created testing kits that can be used quickly before the beverage is consumed.

What Is It Made Of?

Gamma butyrolactone (GBL) is a colorless liquid that mixes easily with water and alcohol. Its chemical formula is C₄H₆O₂. GBL is not intended for human consumption.

How Is It Taken?

Generally, GBL is sold as a clear liquid or light-colored powder. A typical dose is a capful of liquid or a teaspoon or two of powder, depending on the purity, which can vary considerably. In either form, GBL mixes easily with water, soft drinks, and alcohol. Because it is colorless and odorless, it often goes undetected when added to a drink. Drug officials warn partygoers to keep a careful eye on their drinks to ensure that no one slips them an illicitUnlawful. drug.

At nightclubs and raves, some users carry GBL or GHB in eyedrop bottles, water bottles, or disguised as mouthwash with added food coloring and flavorings. According to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigators, some people looking for a high will drink small amounts of GBL straight because they know that it will turn to GHB when swallowed. This method of consumption usually results in violent episodes of vomiting.

At nightclubs and raves, some users carry GBL in eye-drop bottles. Some people looking to get high will drink small amounts of GBL straight because they know that it will turn to GHB when swallowed. Taking the drug in this manner usually leads to negative side effects, including violent episodes of vomiting. © Koopman/Corbis.

Are There Any Medical Reasons for Taking This Substance?

As of 2005, GBL had no approved medical uses in the United States.

Usage Trends

GBL and related drugs became popular on the club scene in the 1990s, especially among college-aged partygoers. There are two main reasons for the drugs' popularity among this age group: 1) they are relatively inexpensive when compared with alcohol and other drugs; and 2) they have no calories. However, the DEA warns that "drug quality may vary significantly" from one batch to another. For this reason, users who have taken either substance without any adverse reactionSide effects, or negative health consequences, reported after taking a certain substance. may experience life-threatening side effects the next time they use the drug.

Internet Sales

The U.S. government's "Pulse Check" report tracks information on how drugs get from the seller to the buyer. Research from a 2004 report revealed that buyers of GBL or GHB typically purchase the drug at a club, a rave, a college campus, or over the Internet. Several Internet sites have been known to sell kits containing all the ingredients necessary to cook up a batch of GHB from GBL. A DEA "Drug Intelligence Brief" stated that "GHB is easily produced by combining GBL with either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide in a cooking pot or bucket." As of 2005, GBL was still available for purchase via the Internet.

Peak Use in the 1990s Includes Reports of Date Rape

At the height of its popularity in the late 1990s, GBL and GHB use accounted for a large share of club drug overdoses. Most of these occurred in users age eighteen to twenty-five. Throughout the decade, the DEA documented nearly 16,000 overdoses and more than 70 deaths related to the drugs.

Reports of GBL- and GHB-related "date rapes" began to emerge in the 1990s as well. Because the substances are hard to detect when dissolved in a drink, various individuals have become unknowing victims of GBL and GHB poisoning. Both substances are extremely effective at bringing on sleep. Rape victims who have consumed a GBL- or GHB-laced drink are unable to offer any resistance to the rapist. Furthermore, after waking up, victims often have no clear memories of the attack.

In 1996, the Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act made it a felony to give an unsuspecting person a date rape drug with the intent of committing violence, including rape. Penalties of large fines and up to twenty years in prison were set for importing or distributing these drugs. Regardless of the law, GBL and GHB continued to be used

To help people know if their drinks are free of date rape drugs, a company in California created this detection coaster. To test a beverage, one places drops of the drink on the test circles. If the circles turn dark blue in 30 seconds, the drink contains a date-rape drug. Whether the tests are truly effective is highly debated. AP/Wide World Photos.

as date rape drugs. In the early twenty-first century, various companies created drink coasters and other testing kits so that people can check their drinks for potentially harmful substances. However, whether such kits are truly effective is highly debated.

Usage Tapering Off in the United States

The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. DAWN monitors drug-related visits to hospital emergency departments (EDs). In the last two quarters of 2003, the DAWN "Interim National Estimates of Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits" report estimated that the use of GBL/GHB resulted in 990 ED visits out of approximately 630,000 total drug-related ED visits in 260 hospitals across the United States. A little more than half of the patients were male. Although the DAWN figures for 2003 represent only half the year, the figures remain encouraging to law enforcement and medical staff. GHB-related emergency room visits during the entire year of 2000 reached nearly 5,000, according to an earlier DAWN report.

The Monitoring the Future (MTF) study is a well-known survey of drug use and attitudes toward drugs among middle school and high school students. Although MTF does not ask about GBL use specifically on its survey, it has included questions about GHB since 2000. However, no MTF information on GHB use is available for the 1990she decade in which it was most highly abused.

The MTF results for 2004 indicate that 0.7 percent of eighth graders, 0.8 percent of tenth graders, and 2.0 percent of twelfth graders reported using GHB at least once in the twelve months leading up

Basketball star Tom Gugliotta (right) nearly died in 1999 after taking a dietary supplement that contained GBL. AP/Wide World Photos.

to the survey. Both eighth- and tenth-grade use was down slightly from 2003. A small increase in use among twelfth graders was noted. Because of the decrease in use in the other two grades, MTF investigators "interpret this pattern as showing no systematic change."

Effects on the Body

GBL and GHB are powerful depressants on their own. They are often used in conjunction with alcohol, which increases their effects. Both GBL and GHB enter the brain rapidly, but the body absorbs GBL better than it does GHB. Therefore, any given amount of GBL is more powerful than the same amount of GHB.

The physical effects of GBL poisoning begin within fifteen to thirty minutes of taking the drug and last from three to six hours. The sometimes deadly effects of GBL and related drugs appear to be dose-related. Greater-sized doses produce more severe effects.

In the Emergency Room: Doctors and Nurses Report What They See

Low doses of GBL reportedly produce feelings of pleasure, sleepiness, and a loss of inhibitions. With larger doses, users may become dizzy, confused, depressed, and aggressive. In cases of overdose, "wide swings in patients' levels of consciousness" may occur, ranging "from wildly combative to comatose," remarked Andrew H. Arneson and Janine Goetze in the Journal of Emergency Nursing. "Health care workers have been injured by patients' extreme and violent behavior," they added. Very few users remember their experience because of the associated memory loss.

Three separate studies of GBL-related overdoses revealed strikingly similar results. The first study was published in a 1999 issue of MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The second report appeared in the Journal of Emergency Nursing in October of 2000. These two studies concerned GBL-related hospitalizations in the United States.

The third study, published in the April 9, 2004 issue of Swiss Medical Weekly, dealt with 141 cases of GBL/GHB overdose reported to the Swiss Toxicological Information Centre between 1995 and 2003. At a time when GBL and GHB use appeared to be declining in the United States, the authors of the Swiss report noted that the drugs were "emerging as substances of abuse in Europe." It is important to note that GHB use was prohibited in Switzerland in 2001, and that "from 2002 onwards, reports of GBL intoxication began to replace GHB cases." Intoxication is the loss of physical or mental control due to the use of a drug.

The findings of the three studies present a consistent picture of what happens to a person who has overdosed on GBL. Symptoms include a slowed heart rate; a slowed rate of breathing (sometimes down to just eight breaths per minute); pupils that do not react to light; jerking movements; seizures; and vomiting. (Vomiting occurs most often when alcohol is consumed along with GBL.) In some cases, breathing is quite shallow and intubationPutting a plastic tube into the lungs through the nose and throat, thus opening the airway of a person unable to breathe independently. is required to keep the patient's airway open. Intubation may also be necessary to keep the airway free of vomit.

The person comes in and out of a coma. Patients react with fear and combative behavior because they are unaware of what is happening to them. Often, they need to be restrained until the effects of the drug have worn off. Typically, within twelve to twenty-four hours of the incident, patients who overdose can be discharged from the hospital. They have no memory of the events that have occurred.

Addiction and Withdrawal

GBL and related drugs can cause physical and psychological dependence and addiction when used every day for more than a month. Psychological dependence is the belief that a person needs to take a certain substance in order to be able to function. Withdrawal from the drug can cause various problems. Withdrawal is the process of gradually cutting back on the amount of drug being taken until use can be stopped entirely.

Many illegal sales of date rape drugs such as GBL and GHB are made over the Internet. In 2002, DEA special agent John Bryfonski (left) talked with reporters about the arrest of three Canadians who used the Internet to sell large quantities of the drugs. The arrests were part of an international drug investigation called Operation Web Slinger. More than 104 people were arrested in 84 cities in the United States and Canada. AP/Wide World Photos.

According to doctors James Reeves and Roger Duda in an article for Addictive Disorders and Their Treatment, GBL and GHB withdrawal symptoms may not show up until a day or two after the drug's effects have worn off. Symptoms of abrupt withdrawal can be quite severe and include rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, sleeplessness, muscle cramping, tremors, extreme anxiety, paranoia (abnormal feelings of suspicion and fear), and even hallucinationsVisions or other perceptions of things that are not really present.. These symptoms can last from forty-eight hours to nearly two weeks.

Reactions with Other Drugs or Substances

GBL and related drugs are powerful depressants that slow brain function and respiration. They are especially dangerous when mixed with alcohol or other drugs with similar effects. On the club and rave scene, multiple drug use remains a common practice.

Treatment for Habitual Users

Patients usually recover from a GBL overdose within a day, provided they get emergency treatment before life-threatening complications develop. If emergency treatment is not available, respiratory depressionA slowed breathing rate; severe cases can cause a person to slip into a coma or even stop breathing entirely., or dangerous slowing of the heart rate, can cause death. There is no antidoteA remedy to reverse the effects of a poison. for GBL or GHB poisoning.

Frequent use of GBL can result in physical and psychological addiction. Addicted users need increasing amounts of the drug to satisfy their habit. Withdrawal symptoms can be quite severe, and the process can take ten days to two weeks. Counseling is recommended for GBL abusers to help them deal with the anxiety and depression that often accompanies quitting a drug habit.

Consequences

Users of GBL or related drugs may experience confusion, anxiety, memory loss, aggressive outbursts, and depression. All of these symptoms can lead to unusual behavior on the part of the user. Users who suffer from paranoia or hallucinations may be perceived as being mentally ill.

Depressants like GBL cause users to lose their inhibitions. This greatly increases the likelihood of users taking unnecessary risks, becoming involved in accidents, and engaging in unsafe sex or violent behavior.

The Law

On February 18, 2000, GHB became a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970. Schedule I drugs are among the most dangerous drugs known. At the same time, GBL became a List I chemical. This GBL/GHB legislation was called the Hillory J. Farias and Samantha Reid Date-Rape Drug Prohibition Act of 2000. It was named for two young women who were fatally poisoned with GHB. (For more information on the Farias and Reid cases, see the entry on GHB in this encyclopedia.) Giving GBL or GHB to others with or without their knowledge or consent may result in criminal charges of sexual assault, rape, manslaughter, or poisoning. These crimes are punishable by fines and imprisonment.

Being a "List I" chemical, GBL cannot be sold to any individual in huge quantities. The substance is subject to certain additional restrictions, some of which are extremely hard to enforce. For instance, GBL cannot be sold to anyone intending to use it as a drug. It is available for purchase only as a cleaning product. GBL has not been banned by the U.S. government because it has many legitimate industrial uses. As of 2005, it was still available for sale on the Internet.

See also: Alcohol; Designer Drugs; GHB