GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) is an odorless and tasteless liquid.  It is classified as a sedative and has long-lasting anesthetic effects on the user.  Users like the relaxed, euphoric feeling it provides, but dosing is difficult.  What is OK for one will knock out another.  A capful will make you feel intoxicated, but two capfuls could be fatal.

    Although GHB has been illegal in the United States for decades, it is still regularly used as a general anesthetic in parts of Europe.  In the past, the drug has even been marketed to bodybuilders as an "herbal" supplement to help increase muscle mass, despite evidence to support the claim.  "Herbal" is a stretch - GHB is a chemical concoction - basically a mixture of floor stripper and drain cleaner.

The risks  

• In doses not much larger than a "normal" dose, GHB can be lethal.  It slows the user's breathing and heart rate to dangerously low levels.  A capful of GHB is enough to leave a healthy college student clinging for his life in a drug-induced coma. (See Kyle's story)

• GHB has no taste or smell.  It is commonly used in drug-induced rape, as it can be slipped into any drink and goes undetected by the intended victim.  This doesn't always happen at clubs - it's been used for drug-induced rape in offices, schools and other supposedly safe places.

• Like most other street drugs, GHB is not regulated.  There is no way to tell how strong a particular batch of the drug will be.  Ingesting the drug just one time could lead to an overdose.

• GHB is highly addictive.  Just a few interactions can lead to physical and psychological dependence.  Studies have shown that it is harder to quit than heroin or cocaine - and unlike those notoriously addictive drugs, kicking GHB without medical assistance can kill you.

The signs

• Many GHB users suffer from uncontrollable anxiety, finding it extremely difficult to relax without taking the drug.

• Mood swings are common.

• Long-term use can lead to dramatic changes in the personality and character of the user.

• It is common for addicts to spend large percentages of their money on GHB, attempting to recapture a high that becomes harder to reach with each subsequent use.

• Severe headaches.

• Insomnia.  There will be a change in regular sleeping patterns of most users.  It is not unusual for GHB users to stay up all night and sleep through the day.

• Coma.