A new synthetic drug called flakka is the reason behind latest bizarre crimes happening in Florida. According to the police, one man ran nude down a busy city street, thinking a pack of German shepherds was chasing him. Another guy was caught naked trying to have sex with a tree, and told the police he’s Thor, Norse god of thunder.
According to police reports, the reason behind all this is increasingly popular synthetic designer drug, available for $5 a vial. It’s been a growing problem for police after bursting on the scene in 2013, as reported by The Washington Post.
Flakka, a derivative of Spanish word for thin, pretty woman, is a synthetic drug whose active ingredient is chemical compound called alpha-PVP, which is on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s list of the controlled substances most likely to be abused. It usually comes vials or in crystal form and is often smoked using electronic cigarettes, but it can also be snorted, injected or swallowed.
Unrelated story covered here on Immortal News, reports that teen e-cigarette usage has tripled in one year, and due to the fact this drug is relatively cheap, it poses real threat to teenagers and young adults.
[quote text_size=”small” author=”– Don Maines” author_title=”Drug treatment counselor with the Broward Sheriff’s Office in Fort Lauderdale”]
I’ve had one addict describe it as $5 insanity. (…) They still want to try it because it’s so cheap. It gives them heightened awareness. They feel stronger and more sensitive to touch. But then the paranoia sets in.
[/quote]
“It’s definitely something we are watching. It’s an emerging drug,” said Chad Brown, an FDLE supervisory special agent.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, reports on flakka or gravel have surfaced in Ohio, Texas and Tennessee, but Florida appears to be the national hot spot. In their drug facts article, the drug is sometimes marketed as plant food or carpet cleaner, and sold online and in drug paraphernalia stores under a variety of brand names, such as Ivory Wave, Cloud Nine, Vanilla Sky, White Lightning, and Scarface.
