a naturally occurring substance similar in structure to GABA, the neurotransmitter.
GHB is found in the brain, particularly in the basal ganglia, and readily crosses the blood brain barrier and placenta.
1st synthesised in 1960 and was initially investigated as a potential anaesthetic agent as it could rapidly induce a deep coma with minimal cardiovascular or respiratory depressant effects but lacked analgesic properties and also caused seizure-like activity which limited its clinical usage.
In Europe, it is still used as an anesthetic, for alcohol and opiate addiction therapy, and for narcolepsy therapy.
body builders started using GHB as a food supplement in the 1980's as a fat burner and growth hormone promoter when L-tryptophan was withdrawn from the market.
FDA prohibited the sale and manufacture of GHB in 1990 but it was still available on the internet at least until 1999 when the FDA took further actions.
GHB is readily made using sodium hydroxide to saponify the floor cleaning solvent, gamma butyrolactone, but runs the risk of caustic burns when ingested.
GHB is sold illicitly as a clear colorless liquid - powder dissolved in water and sold in plastic bottles (often small soy sauce squeeze bottles) usually holding about 10 hits and known on the street as juice, G, Liquid G, fantasy, grievous bodily harm, scoop, liquid ecstasy, cherry meth, growth hormone booster, liquid x, and Georgia homeboy.
often taken using a small syringe or eye dropper to measure dose
single doses are usually 1-3mL and doses are often taken every 1-2 hours
use of more than 10mL/day is significant use and use as high as 80mL/day is extremely high use
a related drug, butanediol (“bute”), an industrial solvent, is metabolised to GHB, and allegedly is being increasingly used as a date rape drug in 2024.