Treatment of overdose
The drug has received a lot of press lately mainly from the health care professional. This is because there have been many case reports of individuals being admitted to hospital emergency rooms following ingestion of the drug. Poisoning by GHB continues to occur and each year several deaths are reported.
If GHB overdose has occurred, then a visit to the hospital ER is a must. The treatment is primarily supportive. This includes watching the breathing and vital signs. If the ingestion is fresh, sometimes activated charcoal is pumped into the stomach to bind the GHB so it won’t be absorbed. In most cases, the individual is monitored for several days.
Other use
An analogue of GHB, sodium oxybate (Xyrem) has been approved for the treatment of narcolepsy. It can decrease daytime sleepiness and reduce the muscle attacks. The drug is only available with a prescription and its use is controlled.
Asides from legal medical use, GHB is also used to induce hallucinations, euphoria, and sleep aid. For illegal use, GHB is easily obtained at health food stores, gyms, and mail order outlets.
GHB use is very prevalent in the dance music scene (at raves and nightclubs) as an alternative to "ecstasy" and amphetamines. It is often used in combination with alcohol and other illicit drugs like marijuana. It has been implicated, with flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), as a "date rape" drug.
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