GHB & GBL

What is GHB?

GHB is the abbreviation for gamma-hydroxybutyrate. It is mainly sold as a viscous salty liquid in 5 ml plastic tubes. GHB is also incorrectly referred to as ‘liquid ecstasy’. Other names for GHB are; G, liquid ecstasy, tubes, liquid X, liquid E. However, GHB has nothing to do with ecstasy. GHB is a substance that occurs naturally in the body, especially in the brain. This does not mean that it is therefore a harmless substance; if you use GHB, the amount of GHB in your brain is much higher than normal. GBL is a precursor for making GHB and is converted into GHB in your body. In this text we only use the name GHB.


Effects

Effects always depend on your mental and physical condition (set) and the situation/environment (setting) in which you use. Personal factors can also play a role. For example, one person can get irritated quickly by a substance, while the other person becomes friendly. After all, every body, every person and every situation is different.

GHB is a narcotic, colorless and odorless and it tastes quite salty. After 10-45 minutes you start to feel the first effects. In small doses it gives a relaxed, peaceful feeling and can be sexually stimulating. Higher doses can make you nauseous or dizzy. Sometimes you can pass out. The effect is sometimes described by users as an alcohol-like intoxication. The effects of one dose last for about an hour and a half.

Positive effects (negative) Side effects

Disinhibition

This substance leads to an increase in impulsive behaviour and can make you less aware of the possible consequences that certain actions have. This can be nice because, for example, it is easier to approach someone and have a chat. However, it can also lead to negative situations as you can get into an argument or physical altercation more quickly.

Impaired short-term memory

Short-term memory does not work properly after taking some drugs. This makes you remember things less well. For example, it often happens that during a conversation you forget what you were talking about, or that you forget the reason you walked somewhere. The next day you often don’t know very well what happened the night before.

Euphoria, feelings of love

This substance can make you feel euphoric, like you are in love. You feel comfortable in your own skin and can experience things as pleasant more quickly.

Confusion

Not fully understanding the environment and situation. Temporarily impaired orientation with respect to time, place, or person.

Cheerful, happy, euphoric feelings

You feel energetic and comfortable in your own skin. This is often accompanied by cheerfulness and happiness.

Disinhibition

This substance leads to an increase in impulsive behaviour and can make you less aware of the possible consequences that certain actions have. This can be nice because, for example, it is easier to approach someone and have a chat. However, it can also lead to negative situations as you can get into an argument or physical altercation more quickly.

Relaxation

Reduction of stress, uneasiness, sadness, panic, and feelings of depression.

Bradycardia (decrease in heart rate)

This substance can slow your heart rate

Easier talking and social contact

Inhibitions that you might normally experience in social contact may be less present. For example, while drinking alcohol at a party, it may be easier to approach someone or connect with other people.

Decreased body temperature

Some drugs cause a decrease in body temperature.

Sexually stimulating

Certain drugs can cause you to experience an enhanced sexual arousal. You feel more attracted to your partner or to others. For example, kissing can be extra pleasant and this experience can feel more intense than usual.

Nausea/vomiting

An uneasy and tense feeling in the abdomen, which may cause discomfort. Nausea often precedes vomiting.

 

Trembling

Trembling of your limbs.

 

Dizziness

The feeling that someone is spinning, or that the world is spinning around someone. This impairs balance.

 

Head ache

Head ache

 

Spasm

Sudden, brief, and jarring involuntary muscle contractions in your body.


Dose

GHB usually occurs as a liquid. Occasionally, it also comes on the market in powder form. The liquid or powder is usually added to a glass of juice and then drunk. GBL is only on the market as a liquid and must be well diluted. GBL is not suitable for drinking pure, see further under risks.

GHB is difficult to dose. The dose depends, among other things, on your body weight, tolerance, your stomach contents and your sensitivity to GHB. The concentration of your GHB also plays a major role. Most GHB has a strength between 350 and 550 mg/ml, but can also be lighter or stronger. At a dose of 4 ml, that is about 1.5 to 2.5 grams of GHB. An overdose can already take place from a dose of two grams (+/- 3 ml). Of course, this differs per person due to the sensitivity to GHB, body weight and the combination with alcohol.

The amount of GHB per ml can vary considerably. That is why it is not useful to give advice in ml, but we give it in grams.
But the amount in grams that someone needs can also vary considerably. So get your GHB tested to determine an accurate dose. If you know the strength, you can also calculate the total amount in grams. If you are taking it for the first time, take a light dose.

Doses for drinking  
Light 0,5 – 1 gram
Medium 1 – 2 grams
High 2+ grams

Suppose your GHB has been tested at 400 mg/ml. Then 3 ml is 1200 mg, or 1.2 grams.

Make sure you have a ml syringe when dosing. That’s the most accurate. A full tube contains 5 milliliters (ml) of GHB. The contents of a cap is very inaccurate and differs per bottle. So don’t use that as a measure.

Unity tips for dosing GHB:

  1. Never take more than 2.5 ml (half a tube) at one time if you don’t know the strength.
  2. Do you feel NO effect after 45 minutes to an hour and do you want to add more? Then never take more than half of your first dose.
  3. Do you feel an effect and do you still want to take it? Then wait at least 2 hours and take quite a bit less than your first dose. There is always a residual amount of GHB in your body, which increases the risk of overdose. This is also known as the stacking effect.

Duration

A dose of GHB usually has an effect for about 1-3 hours.


Risks

Passing out

There is a difference between sleeping, loss of consciousness and respiratory arrest.

Sleeping: someone still reacts to painful stimuli, shaking or calling their name.
Loss of consciousness: someone no longer responds to painful stimuli. They are passed out!
Respiratory arrest: Certain parts of the brain are so numb that you stop breathing.

In the early stages of passing out, a person may be irritable and confused, make involuntary movements or even have convulsions. People often respond completely or slightly to painful stimuli. Losing consciousness or passing out due to GHB use can be compared to going under anesthesia for a medical procedure. GHB ensures that the concentration of the signal substance GABA in the brain is increased. GABA inhibits processes in the brain. This occurs first with more complex functions of the brain such as planning and estimating situations. At a higher dose, functions such as movement, hearing and sight deteriorate. At a very high dose, the most important brain functions such as regulating blood pressure, body temperature and breathing can be affected. For example, the muscles that make your lungs move no longer receive a signal from the brain that they need to move. You can’t breathe anymore.

The duration of passing out can vary from a few minutes to 6 hours. An overdose can easily occur. The difference between the amount of GHB that produces nice effects and the amount that causes an overdose is small. It is also possible that a person chokes on his or her own tongue or vomit. Moreover, you cool down very easily when you are out. Once you have passed out, you are no longer in control of what happens to you. So you are actually dependent on the help but also the reliability of others. The unconsciousness can progress to a coma and you can even stop breathing completely, go into cardiac arrest and thus die. Even if you only used GHB. The combination of GHB with alcohol and other drugs with an anesthetic effect increases the risk of overdose, passing out and respiratory depression. There are indications that repeated passing out of GHB can lead to brain damage, for example because there is a temporary lack of oxygen in the brain.

When someone becomes unconscious, it can take up to 4 to 5 hours before they regain consciousness. If someone passes ‘out’ due to GHB and no longer responds to painful stimuli, ALWAYS take him/her to the emergency room or call an ambulance. This has NO legal consequences in the Netherlands. You can administer painful stimuli by squeezing someone’s trapezius muscle (large muscle on the side of your neck in the direction of your shoulder) or someone’s nail very hard. If someone still responds to painful stimuli, stay with person, put the person on the side with the mouth directed downwards and keep the person awake. Sometimes you just need to inflict some pain or cause bruising to keep someone awake. Unfortunately but sometimes necessary. As soon as someone stops responding, immediately call 112 and/or go to the emergency room at the party.

Narcotics such as GHB but also alcohol have a paradoxical effect. At a low dose, GHB provides a feeling of euphoria, clarity and excitement. At a high dose, it provides a relaxing feeling. In the case of GHB, this is because at a low dose different types of receptors for signaling substances in the brain are activated than at a high dose. After this tipping point, where these other receptors are activated, the effect also changes: the user can actually get tired, fall asleep or pass out. The misleading thing about G-sleep is that people often wake up cheerful and energetic. This is because the amount of GHB in your body has fallen again during awakening to such an extent that the effects of a low dose again dominate; feelings of euphoria and excitement take over again. Unfortunately, the fact that someone feels fine again afterwards says nothing about the possible damage that has occurred in the brain by passing out and is therefore very misleading.

Pregnancy

Drugs get into the brain because they cross the blood-brain barrier. This is an opening to the brain, a kind of sieve, which ensures that most harmful substances do not enter the brain. Drugs do pass through this sieve, which is why they can work in the brain.

The placenta (placenta) also acts as such a strainer. This ensures that most (harmful) substances cannot reach the unborn child. Drugs have the property that they pass through small barriers, ie through the blood-brain barrier, but also through the placenta. As a result, most drugs end up in the unborn child, which can be harmful to the child. GHB crosses the placenta and gets directly to the child. Too little research has been done on humans, but in animals it leads to an increased risk of abortion and miscarriage. It is thought by experts that GHB may have the same effects on the unborn child as alcohol, possibly leading to fetal alcohol syndrome.

We therefore advise against all drug use during pregnancy.

Addiction

Tolerance quickly develops with regular users; you then need more and more to achieve the same effect. Since 2008 there has been a strong increase in the number of GHB addiction problems in addiction care facilities in the Netherlands. Physical addiction problems only occur with daily use. When stopping or cutting back, withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety and trembling may occur. Never just stop using GHB if you use it daily! GHB withdrawal is risky and should ALWAYS be done under medical supervision.

In addition to the physical addiction, you can also become mentally addicted to GHB. You are not (yet) physically addicted to GHB, but you do notice that you can no longer go out without it and that timing your use plays an important role in your life. You use it more often than you’d like. A mental addiction is also a big risk.

If you’re wondering if your usage is becoming a problem, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Is it difficult for me to get in a good mood without using it?
  • Am I thinking a lot about the drug?
  • Have I changed since I started using (more)?
  • Do I have to use more and more to get the same effect?
  • I’ve been using it more and more lately. Do I use more at a time, in more places and at more times?
  • Am I using more and more often than I intended?
  • If I don’t use, do I suffer from withdrawal symptoms (bad sleep, moodiness, shaking, headache, dizzy, nauseous, sweating)?
  • Do I ever use to eliminate adverse effects (eg a hangover) from previous use?
  • Do I spend a lot of time using or recovering from use?
  • Am I spending more and more money on the drug?
  • Am I using despite having to do important things? Am I neglecting hobbies and work?
  • Is the use causing more and more problems with, for example, my friend, friends, family?
  • Am I constantly using even though I know it will cause harm (both physical harm and harm to your social life)?

The more often you answer “yes” the more you are in the danger zone.

GBL

GBL is a corrosive substance. This means that you can get blisters in your mouth if you do not dilute it sufficiently and properly. In addition, GBL is even more difficult to dose than GHB, because GBL is stronger than GHB. For these reasons, we do not recommend using GBL.

Check the pH value of your GHB or GBL. If it is too high the liquid can cause esophageal damage if it is undiluted. A wrong pH value is also an indication is badly made.

Short term risks

Unconsciousness

This substance can cause fainting.

Long term risks

Brain damage

This drug can give you brain damage.

Memory problems

The use of drugs can impair memory. Difficulties can arise in processing information for storage, storage itself, and information retrieval.

Different drugs can cause different memory problems. Some substances can directly cause a (temporary) reduced functioning of the memory. For example alcohol, benzodiazepines, cannabis, MDMA and ketamine. And with some drugs it only comes into play after heavy use. For example with alcohol. This often involves a permanently impaired functioning of the memory. Sometimes there is an improvement after stopping use, for example with cannabis.


Interactions

Combining different types of drugs can be risky and unpredictable. When you combine drugs you can have a higher risk of health problems. In the following paragraphs you can read about the effects and the risks of a number of combinations that occur frequently and also a about few that are extra hazardous. Also check our theme combining drugs.

3-MMC and GHB

3-MMC is sometimes combined with GHB to take the edge off the 3-MMC or to make you hornier when used in a sexual setting. The risk of the combination is that you will not feel the anesthetic effect of GHB due to the stimulating effect of 3-MMC, which increases the chance of overdosing with GHB. If you then take too much GHB, your body is still stimulated, but you are no longer or not fully conscious. That can look very weird. Someone then moves very strangely but it is not possible to make (proper) contact.
Here you can read more about what to do when somebody passes out.

4-MMC and GHB

4-MMC is sometimes combined with GHB to take the edge off the 4-MMC or to make you hornier when used in a sexual setting. The risk of the combination is that you will not feel the anesthetic effect of GHB due to the stimulating effect of 4-MMC, which increases the chance of overdosing with GHB. If you then take too much GHB, your body is still stimulated, but you are no longer or not fully conscious. That can look very weird. Someone then moves very strangely but it is not possible to make (proper) contact.
Here you can read more about what to do when somebody passes out.

Alcohol and GHB

The combination of GHB with alcohol increases the risk of overdose, passing out and respiratory depression. We therefore advise against the combination of GHB and alcohol. Especially if you drink first and then take GHB.

Benzodiazepines and another downer: alcohol or GHB

Both alcohol and benzodiazepines have a depressant effect in the body. They inhibit activity in your brain. The combination could put you in a coma (pass out), suffer a respiratory arrest or choke on your own vomit. Your body can then no longer respond properly if you vomit and if you lie on your back, for example, you can choke on your own vomit. This combination can also lead to unpredictable and reckless behavior. After using benzodiazepines, you often don’t remember what you did.
Keep in mind that some benzodiazepines stay in your body for a very long time. They have a long half-life. So even the day after you take a benzodiazepine, it can still affect another drug that you are taking.

GHB and cannabis

If you combine GHB and cannabis, you are more likely to get nauseous. It is also possible that if you are very stoned you pass out more easily from the GHB.

Ketamine and GHB

Ketamine and GHB are both downers. They cause less activity in your brain. They reinforce each other’s effect. Some people like a low dose of both. The combination increases the chance of unpleasant effects, especially at higher doses. Many people report feeling nauseous and vomiting.

You can pass out of the combination. If you also feel nauseous and have to vomit, you could choke on your own vomit because you no longer have control over your body. So always avoid passing out. Passing out is not ‘taking a nap’. It requires medical care. If someone has passed out of GHB and ketamine, it is important to see whether someone responds to painful stimuli. If someone does not respond, call the ambulance immediately or take someone to the emergency room. If someone still responds to painful stimuli, keep a close eye on that person. And continue to administer pain stimuli until the person is awake and awake again. Put the person on their side so that vomit does not block the airway.

With both drugs, people often suffer from memory problems when they are under the influence. You can no longer remember names, for example. Or you don’t remember what you just did. The combination enhances that effect. Writing down when you took something can prevent you from accidentally overdosing.

If you choose to combine, take less of both drugs. Or wait until one of the two has significantly decreased in strength. If you have no experience with GHB or ketamine, make sure you first have experience with both drugs separately.

There is a chance that the combination will make you more impulsive. Something stupid or dangerous seems like a good idea. A sober tripsitter can keep you from doing weird things.

GHB and MDMA

Some people say that GHB would prolong the action of MDMA. The combination can make you push your limits even more than the individual drugs. GHB and MDMA alone often cause someone to go further than they would do sober. The combination can enhance this effect. So keep that in mind. Don’t do things that you later regret.

Some people think that the combination of MDMA and/or amphetamine (speed) with GHB can prevent you from passing out. It is true that your mind may feel clearer than if you were taking GHB alone. But you can still pass out. There is some evidence that if you lose consciousness from a GHB overdose, your coma may be deeper and longer if you have also taken speed or MDMA. Therefore, never use uppers to avoid passing out.

GHB and speed/amphetamine

Speed ​​is sometimes combined with GHB to take the edge off speed or to get hornier when used in a sexual setting. The risk of this is that due to the stimulating effect of speed, you will not feel the anesthetic effect of GHB properly, increasing the chance of overdosing with GHB. If you then take too much GHB, your body is still stimulated, but you are no longer or not fully conscious. This looks rather weird and intense. Someone then moves very strangely and is no longer (properly) approachable.

Here you can read more about what to do if someone passes out.

Some people think that combining speed with GHB works against passing out. You can then feel clearer than under the influence of GHB alone. But it doesn’t really stop passing out. There is also a chance that you will take more GHB than you would if you were only using GHB. There are indications that if you go into a coma due to an overdose of GHB in combination with speed, the chance of a deep and longer coma is many times greater. And the likelihood of complications during the coma is higher. So never use ‘uppers’ to prevent passing out. Only sensible dosing with GHB helps against passing out. In addition, there is an increased risk of epileptic activity in the brain and an increased risk of movement disorders (automatic movements, agitation, self-mutilation).


Unity tips

There is no real safe use of GHB. The risks can be limited, read the Unity tips and also read the tips under dosage!

  • Avoid passing out/overdose. Passing out is NOT normal and certainly not OK! Not only can you put yourself in a life-threatening situation, you can ruin the evening / day for your friends, the other people who are there and are busy with you, but also for the organization of the party/club where you are and ultimately for the image of the whole scene.
  • Always know the strength of the GHB. The strength varies. You can test GHB and GBL at the drug checking service. You can also have the pH value measured.
  • Make sure you know exactly how many milliliters you are taking. If you don’t have a tube, buy a small plastic syringe with the milliliters written on it. These can be purchased at pharmacies, pet stores or online.
  • Do you feel an effect and do you still want to take it? Then wait at least 1.5 hours and do not take more than half of your first dose. There is always a residual amount of GHB in your body, which increases the risk of overdose. This is also known as the stacking effect.
  • Do you feel NO effect after an hour and do you want to take it? Then never take more than half of your first dose.
  • Never combine GHB with alcohol, benzodiazepines (such as Valium), or other downers. This combination enhances the anesthetic effect and increases the chance that you will pass out and pass out so far that your breathing is severely suppressed and that is life-threatening! 1 + 1 = 3 instead of 2: due to the effects of the other downers, a small dose of GHB can have major consequences.
  • Pay attention; even though the GHB/alcohol combination might have gone well for you, it all depends on how you feel, whether you are tired, how much you have eaten and so on. 1 drink on an empty stomach can make all the difference in making you pass out. Results achieved in the past are no guarantee for the future!
    If you have drunk alcohol and want to use GHB, remember that your body needs 1.5 hours to break down a standard glass of alcohol (so after 5 glasses you have to wait at least 7.5 hours).
  • Use with people you trust. Tell each other what, how much and when you use and keep an eye on each other.
  • Write down the time and dose, text or WhatsApp it to each other or put it in your phone yourself.
  • If you don’t feel well or feel like you’re about to pass out, let your friends know. Then they know that you are not ‘just’ sleeping when you pass out. When this happens at a party, it is good to go to the first aid, they can help you and if it goes wrong you are in good hands right away!
  • If you feel yourself getting very tired, you can keep moving to avoid falling asleep. But be careful, if moving takes a lot of effort you have a chance that you will fall so don’t do crazy things.
  • Do not share drinks with others if they contain GHB, you will not know exactly how much you are taking.
  • Do not combine GHB with stimulants such as speed or XTC. It is often thought that his combination can initially delay passing out, but there are indications that if you do pass out, the chance of a deep and longer coma is increased. In addition, this combination can cause epileptic activity and movement disorders. So, in most cases it does not help at all, but makes things worse.
  • On an empty stomach you have an overdose faster, a full stomach increases the chance of vomiting. Don’t skip meals and wait at least two hours after you eat before using GHB.

Someone close to you has passed out

  • If someone is about to fall asleep, try to keep that person awake by administering painful stimuli (squeezing the nails or the trapezius muscle hard).
  • If someone does not respond to painful stimuli and if you do not wake someone up, ALWAYS go to Security, First Aid or call an ambulance. You can get help without legal consequences for the user in the Netherlands. The use of GHB is not prohibited (possession is though). Always be honest about what someone has used, this helps the first aid personel to help the victim.
  • Never leave someone who is unconscious alone.
  • Someone who initially still reacts to painful stimuli can always pass out further. Watch someone, check the breathing.
  • When someone has passed out, they can choke on their tongue or vomit. So put him or her on his/her side (stable side position).
  • Keep an eye on the body temperature. Especially if the environment is cold, make sure to use a blanket or jacket. GHB is a narcotic and you can become hypothermic.

FAQ

Why is a high dose of GHB dangerous?

At a high dose you can lose consciousness or pass out. There is a difference between sleep and a coma. If you pass out of GHB, you are in a coma. It can be a light coma. Someone will still react to painful stimuli or when calling a name. Or the coma could be severe. A person no longer responds to painful stimuli. It is difficult for a layman to determine how deep a coma is.
In extreme cases, there may be respiratory arrest. This is life threatening. Read here why.


Read more

GDS 2016 – There’s More to G than Cock:

Read more on GHB: