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ICJI > Governor's Commission for a Drug-Free Indiana (DFI) > Club Drugs > GHB - "The Date Rape Drug" GHB - "The Date Rape Drug"

What are street names/slang terms for it?
G, Georgia Home Boy, Grievous Bodily Harm, Liquid Ecstasy

What is it?
GHB is predominantly a central nervous system depressant.

What does it look like?
GHB can be produced in clear liquid, white powder, tablet, and capsule forms. It is colorless and odorless. GHB has a salty taste; however it is often diluted in liquids and virtually undetectable. GHB is often manufactured in homes with recipes and kits found and purchased on the Internet.

How is it used?
In powder form, measuring a dose is fairly straightforward. In liquid form, GHB comes in a wide variety of concentrations with a single dose ranging from a few drops to a full glass.

What are its short-term effects?
Combining use with other drugs such as alcohol can result in nausea and difficulty breathing. GHB may also produce withdrawal effects, including insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and sweating.

What are its long-term effects?
As the dose increases, the sedative effects may result in sleep and eventual coma or death. GHB has reportedly been used in cases of date rape. Because GHB is odorless and tasteless, it can be slipped into someone’s drink without detection.

Q. If you were in a club and somebody slipped a club drug into your drink, wouldn’t you realize it immediately?

A. Probably not. Most club drugs are odorless and tasteless. Some are made into a powder form that makes it easier to slip into a drink and dissolve without a person’s knowledge. That is why some of these drugs have been called "date rape" drugs- because there have been increasing reports of club drugs being used in sexual assaults.

What is its federal classification?
GHB was put in the Schedule I category in 2000.

For more information on how to join a community coalition to fight substance abuse in your area or for additional information on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, contact the Governor’s Commission for a Drug-Free Indiana at 866-777-0007.

The Governor’s Commission for a Drug-Free Indiana, a division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, is the state’s lead agency for combating substance abuse in Indiana. The agency strives to reduce the incidents of substance abuse for all Hoosiers. The Commission works with 92 Local Coordinating Councils (community anti-drug coalitions) to ensure that each county in the state is aware of the most up-to-date and pressing substance abuse issues.

If you would like more information, please contact us.