Nevada Prevention Resource Center
UPDATE
Providing weekly updates for Professionals, Counselors, Educators, Parents and Activists
Volume:
11
06 April 2015
Issue: 37
Flakka – A Cathinone Type Drug
A relatively new drug
has made a lot of news in the
South Florida area. In the last
few months, people admittedly
“high” on Flakka, have tried to:
break down hurricane resistant
doors at the Fort Lauderdale
Police Station, jump a fence
with spikes on the top becoming “speared” by the fence,
and “streaked” naked down a
major thoroughfare in Florida.
The drug costs as little
as $5.00 for a “hit.” Not much
is known about it and it is not
on the DEA website yet. It is
similar to bath salts and can
be taken in a variety of ways,
including “vaping” through an
e-cigarette device. Medical
experts have found that it can
lead to a condition they call
“excited delirium.” It has a
tendency to cause body temperature to spike to 105 to 106
degrees. The effects of the
drug last about 3-4 hours, but
have also been found to linger
for days. As suggested by the
news stories out of Florida, it
causes unusual behavior. The
person taking the drug sometimes believes that they have
unusual physical strength. It
also can cause paranoia, excessive perspiration, hallucinations and hyper-activity.
Flakka is derived from
the chemical alpha-PVP which
is an amphetamine-like stimulant cathinone. Cathinones
are derived from the khat plant
which is traditionally grown in
the Middle East and Somalia. Flakka (continued)
Some users of Flakka
engage in “snacking,” where
they take additional Flakka
while already high or combine
it with other drugs. This has
led to health complications
which include psychosis, aggression, rapid heart rate and
agitation. Another potential
complication of Flakka is a
condition called rhabdomyolysis. This condition can lead to
kidney failure and permanent
dialysis.
Flakka is believed to come
mostly from China, but also
from Pakistan and India. It
may be mixed with other
chemicals, including poisons.
The only statistics available
suggest that Flakka use is increasing; there were no reported cases in 2010, 85 cases in
2012, and approximately 670
cases in 2014.
Flakka has been described as looking like “rock
candy” but smelling like
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sweaty socks. It has also
been found in Texas and Ohio.
It is sometimes called “gravel,”
as it looks like the colored
stones used in fish tanks.
Feel free to comment to
our Facebook or Twitter with
other information about Flakka.
Forbes
Business Insider
CBS News
Leslie C. Marlowe
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Go to our clearinghouse.
This publication was supported in whole or in part
by the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral
Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment
Agency (SAPTA) through State General Funds and/
or the SAPT Block Grant for the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the
authors and do not necessarily represent the official
views of the U.S. DHHS, SAMHSA, or the State of
Nevada.
Events and Opportunities
Campus Suicide Prevention
Grant
CSAP National Advisory
Council Meeting
SAMHSA is accepting applications for FY 2015 Campus
Suicide Prevention grants.
The grant is designed to assist colleges and universities
in building essential capacity
and infrastructure to support
expanded efforts to promote
wellness of all students.
Discussions will include:
Prescription drug abuse
SAMHSA’s Leading Change
2.0
SAMHSA/CSAP updates
SAMHSA’s role in influencing
the provision of treatment for
behavioral health disorders
Application Due: April 20, 2015
Wednesday, April 15, 2015 |
9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Eastern Time
Targeted Capacity Expansion:
Medication Assisted Treatment
- Prescription Drug and Opioid
Addiction
Provides funding to states for
expansion of evidence-based
medication assisted treatment
(MAT) and recovery support
services.
Anticipated Award Amount:
Up to $1,000,000
Applications Due: May 8, 2015
More Events and Opportunities
Drug-Free Communities Mentoring Program
Rosalyn Carter Fellowships
for Mental Health Journalism
Anticipated Award Amount:
$75,000
The Carter Center is now
accepting applications from
U.S. residents for six 1-year
journalism fellowships with the
Carter Center’s Mental Health
Program.
DFC Mentoring grants were
established as a component
of the DFC Support Program
when the program was reauthorized in 2001. The primary
goal of the DFC Mentoring
Program is to assist newly
forming coalitions in becoming
eligible to apply for DFC funding on their own.
Application Due Date:
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
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These fellowships aim to
enhance public understanding
of mental health issues and
reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses through balanced
and accurate reporting. The
2015–2016 fellowship year
begins in September 2015.
For individuals looking to
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Other Upcoming Events
WA State Spring Youth Forum
Scholarship form now open,
for WA state youth teams only;
May 14, 2015
***
ARHE 6th National Collegiate
Recovery Conference
Currently seeking presenters.
Registration is open. May 2729, 2015
****
28th National Prevention Network Conference
Seeking presenters for workshops. November 17-19, 2015
Nevada Prevention Resource Center
1664 N. Virginia St.
MS 1284
Reno, NV 89557
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