Flakka is the latest in the wave of synthetic street drugs to hit Miami and all of Florida. Users have been known to exhibit psychoactive behavior effects from use of the drug. Flakka has become the newest generation of psychoactive drugs, affecting users in a similar way as bath salts did just a few years ago.
In April, one woman was arrested for felony charges of importing flakka from Hong Kong into Florida, and is also facing charges of possession with intent to distribute, alongside her boyfriend. She is being ordered to wear an ankle monitor and participate in a drug treatment program. The woman had previously had a past record of drug-related arrests, such as marijuana possession.
Flakka Linked to Bizarre Behavior
Flakka is inexpensive to purchase—costing about $5 per vial and is sold as a crystal. The active ingredient found in flakka, is alpha-PVP, which is similar to an amphetamine. It is listed as a controlled substance under the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s list. Reportedly, users smoke the drug using e-cigarettes, but may also be injected, swallowed, and even swallowed.
These are some of the side effects of using flakka:
- Hallucinations
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Violent behaviors
Flakka is an upper drug, which means that users are feel a sense of euphoria, are alert, awake, and confident. This is due to the drug’s Increase in dopamine and norepinephrine production. This has led to the recent stories citing the bizarre behaviors that have arisen, including one man who was arrested when he was found running naked to keep away from imaginary people he believed were chasing him. Another story involved one man who impaled himself on a fence in March of this year.
The Damaging Effects of Synthetic Drugs
Bath salts caused a stir in 2012 when a man who had allegedly been accused of being high on the drug assaulted a homeless man by biting off the flesh from his face, including the victim’s eyes. Dubbed the “Miami Zombie” or “Miami Cannibal,” the damage done to the victim was so severe that he had become blind due to the injuries to his eyes.
Some investigators are skeptical about the effects that bath salts had had, as toxicology reports returned and found that the man had not had any traces of the substance in his body. Are the effects of using bath salts as a recreational drug really to blame here? What about flakka?
Addiction—the insatiable urge to reach a high—hooks people first and foremost, but also causes makes a person need more and more of the drug to sustain a high. Over time, continued usage of these synthetic drugs can have the ability to alter the brain’s chemistry. Users lose the ability to control their thoughts and emotions, and their actions as well. That is why if you were charged with any type of drug crime in Florida, you will need a Volusia County drug crime lawyer to defend you from the charges.
Were you charged with a drug crime? Contact Hager & Schwartz, P.A.
We have secured countless acquittals and reduced charges in years together as a law firm. It is important that you understand that drug crimes carry serious penalties, but we do everything in our power to help clear your name and keep your reputation intact.
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