Deadly Drug Disguised as Candy Spreading Across Country

By PATRICK LUCE (Patch Staff)

A relatively new designer drug is making its way across the country, causing delusions and hysteria, and even killing those who ingest it.

And though it is not yet known to be common in Massachusetts, police are taking precautions and warning parents of the dangers. The Bourne Police Department issued an alert on its Facebook page Tuesday morning urging parents to keep an eye out for the hallucinogen that can look like candy — it is often disguised as Sour Patch Kids.

“Parents, please keep an eye out for an extremely dangerous drug disguised as a popular candy that is being seen across the country. These ’candies’ are usually individually wrapped, differentiating themselves from their legitimate counterparts,” the Facebook post reads.

“Flakka,” also known as alpha-PVP, is similar to “bath salts” that have made news in recent years for the violent reaction they can trigger in users, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. It is a synthetic cathinone drug usually in the form of a white or pink crystal powder that can be eaten, snorted, injected, or vaporized. Vaporizing, as in an e-cigarette, is particularly dangerous, quickly sending the chemical into the bloodstream and often causing overdoses, the institute reports.

“Like other drugs of this type, alpha-PVP can cause a condition called ’excited delirium’ that involves hyperstimulation, paranoia and hallucinations that can lead to violent aggression and self-injury,” the institute warns.

The drug is particularly popular in the southeast, especially in Florida, where it has reached epidemic proportions, the Palm Beach Post reports. Users of the drug describe a feeling of euphoria and “hulk-like” strength.

But the side effects are extreme. Paranoia is common, and users have been known to panic and run through traffic or attack others. Even without overdosing, users of Flakka risk serious injury or death. The drug tends to raise a user’s body temperature to dangerously high levels, and can lead to heart attacks and kidney failure. It is also highly addictive.

The drug is relatively easy to attain, and can be bought online through China. Worse, it is very cheap, opening the drug up to anyone for little more than pocket change. Users can get high on flakka for as little as $3.