A new super powerful drug called Flakka is erupting chaos in the streets of Florida.
Flakka is named after a Spanish slang word for “pretty woman” sounds like a pretty good time. But, the drug is a power stimulant that is causing people to become aggressive, violent and cause people to believe they have superhuman strength. Unsurprisingly, people are dying all across Florida for abusing the drug.
The New York Times reports that the new drug has been implicated to at least 18 deaths in one Florida county since September. What probably makes Flakka so attractive is the price. At $5 and a high that lasts for 3 days, people are lining up to try the new drug. However, the drugs side effects include hallucinations, paranoia and violence.
From The New York Times:
In February, a 50-year-old homeless man tried to kick in the glass door at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department because he believed people were chasing him. In Melbourne this month, a 17-year-old girl ran down the street naked and covered in blood, screaming that she was Satan. In Broward County, a man ran down a street wearing only sneakers, saying a pack of German shepherds was hunting him. Another person became impaled on a fence.
Some people believe the drug has caused people to suffer from kidney failure on top of thinking the devil is chasing after you. And makers of the drug are trying to make it more potent to drive up its addiction potential. In fact, law enforcement officials are having an even tougher time stopping the drug. Unlike exctasy or crack-cocaine, Flakka can be purchased by anyone with $5 and a wish to try the drug. While it may look like cocaine or crystal meth to some drug users, it is more potent, meaning that overdosing on the drug is easier. Once a user’s taken even a little more than they should they go into a state of “excited delerium” that, according a Florida detective is a high “they can’t come back from.”
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