GHB is a notorious player in the pantheon of dreaded drugs, yet the Drug Enforcement Administration believes the public is not fully aware of its dangers. Drawing from local and federal files about GHB, the DEA cites 3,500 cases of abuse, overdose, possession, illegal manufacturing, and trafficking since 1993. The DEA has also counted 32 GHB-related deaths since 1995 and 22 sexual assaults since 1996 with GHB used as a sedative. People also use the drugs for pleasure. In small doses, GHB and GBL are said to produce euphoria and enhance sex lives by increasing dopamine in the brain.
Bodybuilders believe the drugs help muscles grow by stimulating growth hormones.
But a strong dose can cause a person to pass out in 15 minutes and fall into a coma within half an hour. Side effects include nausea, amnesia, hallucinations, decreased heart rate, and convulsions. GHB and GBL are simple substances. GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyrate, is usually a liquid but can be a powder. It's made up of lye or drain-cleaner mixed with GBL, or gamma butyrolactone, an industrial solvent often used to strip floors.