How Flakka Can Turn Man to Cannibal

Drug alters mood, leads to paranoia
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 17, 2016 4:19 PM CDT
How Flakka Can Turn Man to Cannibal
A photo from the Broward Sheriff's Office, Fla., shows confiscated vials of flakka.   (AP Photo/Broward Sheriff's Office via AP)

The disturbing murder of a couple in Florida is just the latest case linked to flakka to make headlines recently—but what is flakka? Also known as Alpha-PVP or "gravel," the drug looks like tiny white or pink stones—like those you might find at the bottom of a fish tank, reports Hollywood Life—and is similar to amphetamines and bath salts, running $3 to $5 per dose. If snorted, injected, eaten, or smoked, the drug can boost body temperature and cause a heart attack, kidney damage, or kidney failure. But that's nothing compared to what it does to your brain.

The drug throws dopamine and serotonin—the neurotransmitters that regulate mood—out of whack, leading to hallucinations, hyperstimulation, aggression, and paranoia. The paranoia can last for months, though the high from flakka lasts only a few hours, reports Fox 25. Cannibalism and increased strength have also been reported in several cases; police say Austin Harrouff was found chewing on the face of one of his alleged murder victims on Monday, and it took a stun gun, a police dog, and several officers to detain him. Click for the more on the drug here. (More Flakka stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X