GHB / GBL
1,4-Butanediol (BDO)
Street names: BDO, 1,4-B, butylene glycol, One comma four
Overdose? Act now. Call emergency services — say "unresponsive, not breathing". Give naloxone for opioid-like signs. Hotlines
⚡What it does
- Body converts it to GHB within minutes — sedation, euphoria, disinhibition, libido increase
- Onset 10–20 min, duration 1–3 h — even shorter than GHB, driving constant redosing
⚠Key risks
- Narrow dose window identical to GHB — millilitres separate fun from coma
- Industrial-grade product: purity and contaminants unknown
- Dangerous dependence builds fast with daily dosing — withdrawal can be life-threatening (like GHB/benzos)
- Frequently mis-sold as, or substituted for, GHB
✚Overdose signs
- Sudden unrousable unconsciousness
- Slow or irregular breathing, gurgling
- Vomiting while unconscious — aspiration risk
Category comparison — GHB / GBL
| Substance | Class | Top risks | Street price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) | List I chemical | Narrow dose window identical to GHB — millilitres separate fun from coma; Industrial-grade product: purity and contaminants unknown | ~$20–50 per 100 ml bottle |
| GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) | Schedule I/III | Dose curve is razor-thin — 1 mL too much = coma; Frequent dosing needed (90-min half-life) → dependence and brutal 24/7 withdrawal | ~$5–$20 per dose |
| GHB Liquid | Schedule I | Concentration unknown — strength varies bottle to bottle; Mixing with alcohol frequently fatal | ~$60–$150 per 100 mL |
| GHB Powder | Schedule I | Dissolving errors → misdosing; Hygroscopic powder clumps — uneven concentration | ~$40–$120 per 50 g where found |
| GBL (gamma-butyrolactone) | Schedule I | Stronger and faster than GHB; dosing even more unforgiving; Caustic — burns mouth/esophagus undiluted | ~$50–$150 per liter |
| Poppers (Alkyl Nitrites) | Legal to possess | Fatal blood-pressure crash when combined with Viagra/Cialis/Levitra (PDE5 inhibitors) — the classic killer combo; Methemoglobinemia at heavy/repeated use — blood stops carrying oxygen (blue lips, breathlessness) | ~$5–$20 per bottle |
Street prices are regional estimates. Potency and cuts vary constantly.
?Frequently asked questions
What does 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) look like?
Clear, oily, slightly bitter industrial liquid; sold in small bottles as 'cleaner' or 'solvent'
What are the signs of a 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) overdose?
Sudden unrousable unconsciousness; Slow or irregular breathing, gurgling; Vomiting while unconscious — aspiration risk Call emergency services immediately.
How addictive is it?
Narrow dose window identical to GHB — millilitres separate fun from coma Withdrawal can be life-threatening — medical tapering is essential.