Dangerous drug trend called 'wasping' combines insecticide with meth
ABC News
By: Dr. Kelly Arps
28 March 2018
Excerpts:
ABC News
By: Dr. Kelly Arps
28 March 2018
Excerpts:
The concerning new drug practice is an abuse of the active components in insect killer, most commonly wasp killer spray, to achieve a high. Abused in combination with methamphetamines or used as a meth substitute, it has been reported by users to generate a “rush,” feelings of déjà vu and a hallucinatory sense of smell. Users either spray the liquid onto the methamphetamine or crystallize the liquid using hot metal sheets, allowing the finished product to be inhaled or injected.
Extreme physical responses to wasping have been reported in some cases.
The active ingredient in pesticides is a class of molecules known as pyrethroids, which penetrate the insect’s nervous system. In insects, pyrethroids stun and then kill. In humans, they block normal nerve signaling, causing abnormal sensation and, in the worst cases, seizures or even paralysis.
Pyrethroids are toxins that can be deadly, either through respiratory failure or paralysis.