It seems as if every time you read the news, there is another new drug threat emerging. Largely due to inadequate legislation and their easy availability on the Internet, many of the newest – and scariest – drugs are synthetic, so-called “designer” drugs. Here is a list of some of the most terrifying drugs that you’ve probably never heard of.
#1 Scopolamine – the Scariest Drug in the World
Also known as “Devil’s Breath“, this extract of the Borrachero tree (“drunken binge”) in Colombia has a reputation as the “world’s most dangerous drug”. Effects include:
- Docility
- Lack of free will
- Memory loss
- Powerful, unpleasant hallucinations
- Unconsciousness lasting up to 24 hours
- At High Doses, Death
Because of this “temporary zombification”, scopolamine is often used as a date-rape drug and robbery facilitator. In Columbia, there are an estimated 50,000 criminal assaults involving scopolamine every year.
#2 W-18—the Dangerous Chinese Import
Although fentanyl abuse and overdose is a hot topic in the news right now, one opioid starting to show up on the radar is W-18, a synthetic opioid that is so potent it was never approved for medicinal use. W-18 is 100 times stronger than fentanyl and 10,000 times more powerful than morphine. Lab-made W-18 can be mixed in with—or even represented as—cheap, low-grade heroin to increase the effect. This practice is believed to be partially responsible for the increase in heroin-related deaths. Even worse, W-18 is so powerful that it limits the effectiveness of naloxone, the life-saving antidote for opioid overdoses. 
#3 Carfentanil – the Opioid for Elephants
This synthetic opioid is so potent it was never intended to be used on humans—it was mean for large animals like elephants. It is 100 times more powerful than fentanyl, and 10,000 times. stronger than morphine. How dangerous is carfentanil? On an average day, Cincinnati hospitals deal with four overdoses. When Carfentanil arrived, there was explosion of overdoses – 78 in 2 days, 174 within 6 days, and almost 300 in less than two weeks. 
#4 Pink—Cute Name for a Deadly Drug
Pink, also known as U-47700, is another synthetic opioid—a derivative of fentanyl. It is eight times more potent than morphine. At least 80 people died in 2016 because of this innocent-sounding, but deadly drug. Until recently, Pink was legal to purchase online. Citing “an imminent hazard to the public safety”, however, in November 2016, the DEA reclassified Pink as a Schedule I drug.
#5 Krokodil – the Opioid That Makes Your Flesh Fall off
The lifespan of the typical krokodil addict is three years or less, and considering the drug’s ingredients, that’s not hard to imagine—codeine, hydrochloric acid, paint thinner, and red phosphorous scraped off matchbooks. After injecting krokodil, users’ blood vessels burst, and tissue surrounding the injection site dies. Sometimes, the dead flesh falls off their bones in chunks. This horrifying effect is why this opioid cocktail has earned the name as the “flesh-eating” or “zombie” drug.
#6 Wet – the Drug That Can Make You Kill
Cigarettes and marijuana joints dipped in PCP are exactly as dangerous as you might expect. Users experience detachment from reality, delusions, and distorted bodily perceptions that create an intense desire to disrobe. Wet use can also induce psychosis and produce extremely violent—even homicidal—episodes. 
#7 Dipt—the Auditory Hallucinogen
Properly called diisopropyltryptamine, dipt is a psychedelic hallucinogenic with the odd effect of producing primarily auditory—NOT visual—hallucinations. Dipt users will hear odd pitch shifts and distortions in sound, especially music and voices. After a single use, there may be a ringing in the ears that can last up to two weeks. Dipt is not a federally-Scheduled drug, but people who sell of possess the drug may still be arrested and charged under the Federal Analog Act because it is “substantially similar” to other controlled substances.
#8 Benzo Fury – the Deadly “Legal” High
Benzo fury is a weaker derivative of MDA, an amphetamine-type psychedelic and stimulant known as the “love drug”. As with MDA, benzo fury’s affects are unpredictable and can vary dangerously, especially when taken in conjunction with other drugs or alcohol. As a designer drug, benzo fury is sold openly online, with dubious legality. But that also means that it is unregulated in terms of safety – purity, potency, ingredients, or its potential effects.
#9 Ayahuasca – the Vine of the Dead
Illegal in the United States because it contains the powerful psychedelic compound DMT, ayahuasca—also known as yage—has its origins in South American shamanistic medicine. Prepared as a tea, ayahuasca produces a profound hallucinatory experience that can last up to six hours. Although it is marketed online, many people prefer a deeper experience, and will travel to South America for ayahuasca tourism. Because of yage use results in increased blood pressure and rapid heartbeat, it can be extremely dangerous for people with pre-existing conditions. Drinking ayahuasca tea while taking antidepressants such as Prozac can be fatal.
#10 Bromo-Dragonfly – the Synthetic Psychedelic That Can Rot Your Limbs off
Called “Dragonfly” because its chemical structure resembles the wings of a dragonfly, this designer psychedelic is dangerous for three main reasons:
- It is approximately 300 times stronger than mescaline, or about one-fifth the potency of LSD.
- The effects can last for up to 3 days.
- The onset of effects is very slow – it can take up to 6 hours before they are felt. This means that inexperienced users may take multiple doses, thinking that they are unimpaired. This increases the risk of overdose.
Not only can overdoses of Dragonfly be fatal, even non-fatal overdoses may have horrific consequences. Because Dragonfly is a vasoconstrictor, tissue necrosis, gangrene, and amputation can result.
#11 DMHP – the THC Derivative That Can Kill You
Two ten-thousandths of a gram of this extremely-potent can incapacitate a person for up to 3 days. Invented in 1949, DMHP – proper name Dimethylheptylpyran – is so powerful that it was investigated by the military as a possible chemical weapon. The chief dangers from DMHP are fainting, extreme muscle weakness, an inability to stand, and extremely low blood pressure, possibly to the point of being fatal. The bad news is this – dangerous intoxicants continue to exist in ever-increasing variations. Unregulated illicit labs located around the world send out their deadly creations with absolutely no regard for the consequences. The good news is this – no matter what the drug of choice is, it IS possible to recover. With timely intervention and effective professional treatment, you can regain your sobriety and return to a healthier, happier, and more hopeful life.