What is it?

Gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL) is a colourless oily liquid and is a precurser chemical in GHB (as is 1,4-butanediol also likely to come under control). GHB is a naturally occurring compound in the human body. GBL is a solvent and is used in the production of stain removers, paint strippers, pesticides, and herbicides among others. It is rapidly converted to GHB in the body so information here is very similar to that of GHB from what is known.

What does it do?

Remember, drug effects will largely depend on your current state of mind, who you’re with and the environment you’re in, there’s no guarantee of what will happen. Dose is also a problem as this is difficult to gauge as your size will have a bearing on its effect.

Once in the body, GBL converts to GBH as discussed on this site. However, whilst the effects are similar to GHB, weight for weight GBL is more powerful and there is a very fine line between a dose and an overdose. After around 15 minutes effects start to happen and can last 3 - 4 hours. However, taken as GBL it is thought to be taken up by muscles leading to longer duration of effects.

GBL is a DEPRESSANT drug and its effects will be similar to GHB. Slight euphoria, uninhibited behaviour, muscle relaxation and sedative effects will vary in line with dose taken. But you cannot predict the outcome.

High doses of can make you fall asleep and be unable to wake for at least 3 hours – which will scare the hell out of your friends and family. It can also lead to coma, respiratory failure and death.

Why would anyone want to take it?

As above in 'what does it do'. There is actually little is known about its use in  recreational settings although its use is reported to be common in some nightclubs, gay nightclubs with dance settings and private home settings reporting higher prevalence rates. It is thought that once GHB became a controlled class C drug it curtailed the open sale of GHB leading to the emergence of a market in GBL which was not controlled.

What are the risks?

The main risk is the dosage problem. It is VERY difficult to know what is a high or a low dose as the margin between the two is very narrow . Remembering that it is a depressant drug and slows down your heart rate and breathing, it can induce sleep. Mixing alcohol, sleeping pills, some anti-depressants or any other depressant with GBL should be avoided like the proverbial plague. It would be highly possible to fall asleep and choke on vomit following a drinking session or depress your respiratory system so much it stops. It's use in a nightclub setting where alcohol is available is therefore very dangerous.

According to the EMCDDA, 'Commercially - available domestic or industrial products, which could be used for synthesis, are not produced for human consumption and invariably contain potentially toxic substances, including heavy metals and other organic solvents such as acetone or toluene. Use of such products as reagents may result in serious toxic effects if the resultant impure product is consumed (EMCDDA, 2002).

As GBL converts to GHB in the body the main risks are as with GHB. Some people seem to have the impression that overdoses only occur when GHB is mixed with alcohol - THAT IS INCORRECT. Many people have overdosed with GHB on it's own.

Like every drug, it affects people differently and there have been adverse reactions reported:

• Muscle Contractions
• Aggression
• Hallucinations
• Coma
• Seizure
• Diarrhoea
• Loss of Bladder control
• Sleep Walking

• Amnesia
  
  Anyone with heart, blood pressure, epilepsy or eclampsia should avoid it and especially if you are taking other drugs or alcohol.
  

Is it addictive?

Dependence on GHB is recognised in those who build up a tolerance and withdrawal occurs when the drug is abruptly stopped following regular or chronic use and advice from a GP or local drug service should be a a first point of call for anyone in this position.

TIPS TO STAY SAFE

1. Buy your own drinks and don’t take your eyes off it

2. Don’t accept drinks from strangers or bar staff

3. Stay with your mates

4. If your drink has been topped up or moved, don't drink it.

5. If you feel unwell, get one of your mates or parent to take you home – don’t accept lifts from unknown ‘well-meaning’ strangers who offer a lift home.

6. Remember MEN are just as much at risk of drink spiking as women.

7. If you begin to feel unwell after a small amount of drink - get help from someone you know and trust.

8. Drink spiking is not exclusively Alcohol related. It could be a can of pop or orange juice as well as tea or coffee.

9. If you wake up and think you may have had your drink spiked and been raped or assaulted– get in touch with the police as soon as possible. The longer you leave it the harder it is to prove as the drugs leave your system quite quickly. GHB in undetectable in urine samples after 12 hours.