Dissociatives
Phencyclidine (PCP)
Street names: Angel dust, Sherm, Shermans, Dipper, Wet, Embalming fluid, Rocket fuel
Overdose? Act now. Call emergency services — say "unresponsive, not breathing". Give naloxone for opioid-like signs. Hotlines
⚡What it does
- Strong dissociation — feeling detached from your body; numbness
- Euphoria, bursts of energy, distorted body image and hallucinations
- Horizontal or vertical eye jerks (nystagmus) — a clinical tell
- Effects last 4–8 hours; residual fogginess for a day or more
⚠Key risks
- Acute behavioral toxicity: panic, paranoia and unpredictable aggression, worsened in unfamiliar or stressful settings
- Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) from struggling/restraint → kidney failure
- Dangerously high blood pressure, seizures, hyperthermia
- Long-term use: memory loss, speech problems, persistent psychosis, depression and suicidal thinking
- Mixing with alcohol or benzos compounds sedation; with stimulants, blood pressure can become lethal
✚Overdose signs
- Severe agitation or catatonic stillness alternating
- Fever with rigid muscles and seizures
- Very high blood pressure; coma in severe cases
Category comparison — Dissociatives
| Substance | Class | Top risks | Street price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phencyclidine (PCP) | Schedule II | Acute behavioral toxicity: panic, paranoia and unpredictable aggression, worsened in unfamiliar or stressful settings; Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) from struggling/restraint → kidney failure | ~$5–$30 per dipped cigarette |
| Ketamine | Schedule III | Bladder damage (ketamine cystitis) with regular use; K-holes and accidents while impaired | ~$20–$60 per gram |
| Ketalar (ketamine injection) | Schedule III | IV use raises infection and dependence risk; Bladder harm identical to powder use | ~$30–$100 per vial |
| 2F-DCK (2-fluorodeschloroketamine) | Analogue prosecutions | Very little human safety data; Bladder toxicity assumed similar to ketamine | ~$25–$60 per gram |
| DXM (Dextromethorphan / Robotripping) | OTC | Serotonin syndrome — DXM is serotonergic; DEADLY with SSRIs, MAOIs, MDMA; Liver damage — Coricidin contains chlorpheniramine (antihistamine) that's hepatotoxic at abuse doses | ~$5–$12 per bottle |
| 3-MeO-PCP | Analog prosecution | MANIA and dangerous disinhibition — users hurt themselves/others; Overdose: severe dissociation, catatonia | ~$20–$50/g |
Street prices are regional estimates. Potency and cuts vary constantly.
?Frequently asked questions
What does Phencyclidine (PCP) look like?
White crystalline powder, clear yellowish liquid, or cigarettes/blunts dipped in liquid PCP ('sherms', 'dippers')
What are the signs of a Phencyclidine (PCP) overdose?
Severe agitation or catatonic stillness alternating; Fever with rigid muscles and seizures; Very high blood pressure; coma in severe cases Call emergency services immediately.
How addictive is it?
Acute behavioral toxicity: panic, paranoia and unpredictable aggression, worsened in unfamiliar or stressful settings Dependence can develop with regular use.