What is 'seawater' drug?

"Ghost Buster" (GHB) is one of the dangerous aphrodisiac drugs, used by many rapists to control their victims.

This drug, abbreviated as GHB (Gamma Hydroxybutyrate), is a central nervous system depressant compound in liquid or tablet form. In the world, GHB is known as " rape drug" or "club drug" , but in Vietnam, it is known as "sea water" or "Vitamin G".

According to the People's Public Security (CAND) newspaper, GHB is basically a compound used to clean electronic components . In liquid form, GHB is odorless and has a slightly salty taste. When concentrated, it becomes a white powder.

According to CAND, seawater drugs appeared in Vietnam before 2010 and were sold and used by a large number of drug users in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in small bottles of 50 - 100ml. The selling price for each 50ml bottle of seawater since 2009 has been around 800,000 - 1,000,000 VND. At present, a bottle of seawater is rumored to cost up to 4 million VND for a small bottle by drug users .

GHB is a compound used to clean electronic components. In liquid form, GHB is odorless and has a slightly salty taste. When concentrated, it becomes a white powder.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), when absorbed into the body, GHB creates a feeling of euphoria, muscle relaxation, increased sexual desire and sedation. However, side effects include loss of consciousness, vomiting, hallucinations and eventually temporary paralysis.

Therefore, rapists often mix GHB into food and drinks, causing the victim to become paralyzed and lose the ability to resist, so they can commit depraved acts. More seriously, GHB also causes temporary memory loss and the victim barely knows what happened after waking up. That is why GHB is called "rape drug" or date rape drug.

In the past, some bodybuilders used GHB to increase protein metabolism to "burn the stage" in training. However, due to the terrible consequences, GHB has been listed by the FDA and many countries as a "banned substance" that is harmful to society. In the US, GHB is still used for medical purposes under the strict supervision of the FDA.

According to the FDA, legal products containing GHB are tightly regulated, so it is likely that the 'sea water' floating on the market is an illegal product. In addition, traffickers often mix impurities into GHB to 'increase the potency' , making its pharmacological effects much stronger and potentially addictive.