The Head of the Eradication Division of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) of DKI Jakarta Province, Maria Sorlury, explained the dangers of flakka drugs, whose videos have recently gone viral on social media.
In the circulating videos, flakka users appear unconscious, move uncontrollably, and in some cases even attack others without any apparent reason.
“Flakka drugs originated from America and Argentina,” Maria said when contacted by Kompas.com on Tuesday (May 30, 2017).
Maria revealed that flakka drugs resemble “synthetic marijuana” (commonly known in Indonesia as tembakau gorila), which previously circulated in the country. Flakka usually comes in the form of tobacco mixed with certain chemical substances.
Although visually similar to synthetic marijuana, flakka has far more severe effects. According to Maria, flakka is classified as a Category I narcotic, indicating a very high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.
“The effects of flakka cause users to lose consciousness and self-awareness. They no longer recognize themselves. People who use it appear as if they are possessed,” Maria explained.
She gave an example that flakka users may crash into anything in front of them while driving vehicles.
Users who crash under the influence of flakka often feel no fear of death.
“They may feel extremely powerful or invincible. This is a form of severe hallucination,” she added.
Previously, the Head of BNN, Budi Waseso, stated that his agency could not yet confirm whether flakka drugs had entered Indonesia.
This is because there are approximately 800 new types of narcotics currently circulating worldwide. Of those, 65 new drugs have been detected in Indonesia.
Budi also could not confirm whether flakka is among the 65 new drugs found in the country, as the names of illegal substances often change when they enter different regions.
However, he noted that several of the detected new drugs have effects similar to flakka. The BNN is still conducting further research on these substances.
Source: Kompas.com
