- First tested as surgical anesthetic, its use was abandoned because patients became agitated, delusional and irrational while in recovery. Legitimate PCP is used as an anesthetic on large animals only.
- PCP sold on the street is often made illegally.
- Large variety of street names indicates its bizarre and unpredictable effects.
- Overdoses can lead to convulsions, coma, hyperthermia and death.
- Short-term effects vary from anxiety, fear, panic, agitation and paranoia, as well as physical numbness and distortion of time and space.
- Long-term use can lead to memory loss, difficulty speaking and thinking, and depression or anxiety.
- Get the full facts on PCP.
Read about the risks
Disclaimer
Some of the hyperlinks provided are to sites of organizations or other entities that are not subject to the Official Languages Act. The material found there is therefore in the language(s) used by the sites in question.
Health Canada is not responsible for the information found on external Web sites. Hyperlinks are provided solely as a convenience to you and do not imply official approval or endorsement of the sites, the host organizations or their sponsors. When activating these links, you will be leaving the Health Canada Web site.
Some of the information in the Words of Wisdom section has been provided by external sources. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy, currency and reliability of the content, Health Canada does not make any guarantee in that regard.
The stories in the Share your Story section are provided by sources that are not subject to the Official Languages Act, and they are therefore in the language used by the source in question.
