Potentially Fatal: Dangerous Drugs You’ve Never Heard Of
When discussing illegal drugs, most individuals are familiar with the usual suspects, like the strongest to weakest opioids, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
However, a wave of alarming new substances has surfaced in recent years, many of which pose serious, life-threatening risks. The craziest drugs you’ve never heard of are flooding emergency rooms and addiction treatment centers due to their severe risks, which include psychosis, cardiovascular problems, overdose, and respiratory failure.
From synthetic substances to designer drugs, many of these substances are not only illegal but also poorly understood by the general public and healthcare providers alike. It’s crucial to be aware of the potential dangers before considering trying any new street drug that claims to offer thrilling experiences. Some of the more hazardous street drugs you might not be familiar with include:
- 5-MeO-DIPT (Foxy Methoxy)
- Khat
- Dragonfly
- Benzo Fury
- Scopolamine
- Krokodil
- Methaqualone
- Gray Death
What Does 5-MeO-DIPT Do?
Also known as Foxy Methoxy and DiPt, 5-MeO-DIPT is a psychedelic drug that primarily affects the serotonin receptors in the brain, producing intense visual hallucinations, altered perception of reality, and profound changes in mood and thought process. It falls under the category of tryptamines, a group of chemical compounds that include psilocybin.
The National Drug Intelligence Center notes that 5-MeO-DIPT is usually found in powder, capsule, or tablet form, with oral doses ranging from 6 to 20 milligrams. It can also be consumed by smoking or snorting. Users typically start to feel its effects within 20 to 30 minutes, with the peak hallucinogenic experience occurring around 60 to 90 minutes and the overall effects lasting between 3 to 6 hours.
Foxy Methoxy is relatively unknown, and there is limited scientific research on its safety and long-term effects. Like many psychoactive drugs, it carries potential risks to mental health, especially for those with prior psychiatric issues. Physical side effects associated with DiPT use may include headaches, nausea, fluctuations in heart rate, dilated pupils, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Furthermore, it can lower inhibitions, leading to risky behaviors. Classified as a Schedule I substance, it is recognized for its high potential for abuse, much like the effects of cocaine abuse, and lack of accepted medical use.
What Does Khat Do to Your Brain?
Khat, as noted by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, is a stimulant commonly used in certain regions of the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and Yemen, as part of cultural practices. The leaves and buds of the khat plant are chewed to achieve stimulating and euphoric effects.
Additionally, khat can be a precursor for synthetic cathinones, often referred to as bath salts. Its effects mirror those of other stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamines, leading to increased talkativeness, heightened energy levels, elevated body temperature and blood pressure, as well as faster heart rates and breathing.
The effects typically begin about an hour after consumption and can last for approximately three and a half hours. However, like other stimulants, khat can lead to significant comedowns lasting around 24 hours, characterized by restlessness, irritability, and low mood.
When ingested, khat boosts dopamine release in the brain, a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure, motivation, and reward. These brain effects can be associated with mental health issues, including psychosis, akin to amphetamine-induced psychosis. Users may also face challenges such as depression, mood swings, and aggressive behavior.
While research on khat’s effects is limited, it seems to carry a relatively low risk of physical dependence; however, withdrawal symptoms can occur if regular users abruptly stop. However, individuals can become psychologically dependent, feeling they need khat to go about their normal activities like working, studying, socializing, or just to get through the day.
Long-term use of khat has been associated with various mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and irritability. Some users may also experience paranoia or hallucinations, particularly with heavy or extended use. Just like meth addiction, dependence on khat is possible, leading to social withdrawal, financial difficulties, and challenges in maintaining relationships or fulfilling responsibilities.
What Is Benzo Fury?
Benzofurans, commonly referred to as benzo fury, are a class of synthetic drugs that fall under the category of new psychoactive substances (NPS). They rank as the third most prevalent NPS and are frequently chosen as substitutes for traditional stimulants like amphetamines.
According to the Journal of Applied Toxicology, benzofurans are popular in recreational settings such as electronic dance music (EDM) events, raves, and festivals, where attendees seek heightened feelings of euphoria, energy, and social connection. Users often turn to this substance as an alternative to well-known stimulants like amphetamine or MDMA, as it produces similar effects but comes with significantly greater risks.
Benzo fury is notably more potent than other party drugs, with effects that can last up to 14 hours. These substances primarily influence serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in their stimulating and mood-lifting properties, but they also pose a serious risk of adverse effects, including fatal outcomes.
Side effects linked to benzo fury can include anxiety, agitation, cardiovascular problems, and serotonin syndrome, particularly when mixed with other drugs. As with many lesser-known substances, there is a significant gap in research regarding their safety and long-term consequences.
Additionally, like many synthetic drugs, benzo fury has the potential for additive effects, especially with regular use. Over time, users may develop a tolerance, requiring larger doses, which heightens the risk of misuse, dependence, and overdose.
What Is Gray Death?
“Gray Death” is a street name or slang term that is used to describe a highly potent and deadly drug combination, typically composed of several synthetic opioids. The name “gray death” comes from its appearance: a powdery, often grayish substance that can be easily mistaken for other forms of illicit drugs. The mix often contains various substances like fentanyl, heroin, carfentanil, and other potent opioids.
According to the Annals of Medicine and Surgery, when it comes to the potential of overdosing, gray death may be the scariest of them all because no two batches are exactly the same in composition. It may require multiple doses of naloxone, an opioid reversal agent, to treat gray death overdoses, with some people needing ten or more doses.
Its potency is exceptionally dangerous, even to those who may have tolerance to opioids, and it significantly increases the risk of overdose. The presence of fentanyl and carfentanil, in particular, has been a key factor in the opioid crisis and the increase in overdose deaths across the United States.
Contact WhiteSands Treatment to Learn More About the Craziest Drugs You’ve Never Heard of and How to Get Help for Addiction
Many of the most obscure and dangerous drugs are causing a surge in emergency room visits, highlighting their extreme risks. People often turn to these lesser-known substances in search of new thrills or because they have built up a tolerance to more familiar drugs and aren’t getting the same effects anymore.
If you or someone close to you is persistently pursuing these hazardous drugs, it’s vital to seek assistance, as this behavior significantly increases the chances of severe consequences, including overdose.
At WhiteSands Treatment, we provide the support and resources necessary to conquer addiction and embark on the journey to recovery. Our team of experienced professionals is dedicated to helping you comprehend the dangers associated with these substances and will guide you through the recovery process. We offer tailored addiction treatment plans that cater to all types and levels of addiction, including the craziest drugs you’ve never heard of.
Reach out to WhiteSands Treatment today at 877-855-3470 to discover more about the risks of unknown drugs and explore your recovery options.
External Sources
- National Drug Intelligence Center – Foxy Fast Facts
- Alcohol and Drug Foundation – Khat
- Journal of Applied Toxicology – Benzo fury: A new trend in the drug misuse scene
- Annals of Medicine & Surgery – Gray death: a powerful opioid combination leading to rapid fatality – correspondence
Frequently Asked Questions
We have the answers you're looking for
Unusual substances with documented use and serious risks include krokodil (desomorphine -- a homemade opioid that causes severe tissue necrosis), flakka (alpha-PVP -- a synthetic cathinone causing extreme psychosis), Bromo-DragonFLY (a very long-acting and potent hallucinogen), gray death (a fentanyl-analog mixture found in the Southeast US), and bath salts (synthetic cathinones with extreme stimulant and dissociative effects).
Krokodil (desomorphine) is a crudely synthesized opioid made from codeine and toxic household chemicals including paint thinner and hydrochloric acid. It produces an intense but very brief high. The toxic impurities cause severe vascular damage and tissue death, leading to gangrene, bone exposure, and limb loss. It earned its name from the scaly, gangrenous skin damage it causes.
Flakka (alpha-PVP) is a synthetic cathinone stimulant that produces extreme euphoria, hyperthermia, severe paranoid psychosis, and intense agitation. Its effects include behaviors suggesting extreme strength combined with complete disconnection from reality. Flakka-related emergencies in South Florida documented in the media illustrated its capacity for producing bizarre and uncontrollable behavior.
Designer drugs are created specifically to evade existing scheduling laws by modifying chemical structures. They have no clinical research base, completely unknown dose-response relationships, unpredictable contamination profiles, and often more extreme or longer-lasting effects than the established substances they are designed to mimic. Users have essentially no reliable information about what they are consuming.
Gray death is a street drug mixture that has appeared primarily in the southeastern United States, containing a combination of opioids -- typically including fentanyl, carfentanil, heroin, and in some formulations the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine. It is gray in appearance and has caused numerous deaths. Its specific composition varies entirely and is completely unpredictable from batch to batch.
Availability, cost, the desire to evade drug testing, curiosity, and in some cases unawareness of what is actually being consumed all contribute. When established drugs of abuse become expensive, scarce, or heavily surveilled, demand shifts to alternatives. The same market forces driving designer drug use are behind fentanyl contaminating the broader drug supply.
Call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately. If an opioid overdose is possible -- given today's drug supply, this should be assumed -- administer naloxone if available. Bring any packaging or remnants to the emergency room if possible, as this can help medical staff identify the compound and provide targeted treatment.
Most insurance plans, including PPOs and many HMOs, cover addiction treatment at WhiteSands. Coverage varies by plan, so calling our team directly at 877-855-3470 is the fastest way to verify your benefits and understand your out-of-pocket costs before treatment begins.
WhiteSands Treatment provides comprehensive assessment and treatment for substance use disorders involving any substance, including novel and emerging drugs. Dual diagnosis evaluation addresses the co-occurring mental health conditions that commonly drive or result from polysubstance and designer drug use.
The same market dynamics driving designer drug creation are behind fentanyl contaminating the broader illicit drug supply. The illicit market responds to demand, supply disruption, and law enforcement pressure in ways that consistently introduce more potent and dangerous substances. This is why virtually any street drug now carries potential fentanyl contamination risk.
If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.
About the Author
Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. She has a passion for writing and continuously works to create informative pieces that not only educate and inform the public about the disease of addiction but also provide solutions for those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
