It has a name that definitely catches attention. The “Buddha Blue,” nicknamed “Break Your Skull” (PTC), is a drug that's becoming increasingly popular. This synthesized substance mimics cannabis and comes in liquid form used in electronic cigarettes for vaping. However, it has one major difference: its effects are 200 times stronger than those caused by cannabis use, which raises concerns for health professionals.
"On entend PTC partout depuis un mois et demi".
— Sept à Huit (@7a8) June 11, 2023
6 lycéens aux urgences, victimes de tachycardies sévères ou de convulsions à Abbeville dans la Somme. Tous avaient inhalé du Buddha Blue, un puissant cannabinoïde de synthèse, surnommé « Pète ton crâne » par les jeunes. pic.twitter.com/Vcijcrsan2
A product that attracts the youth
If this drug is generating so much buzz, it’s because it’s already found in schools among teenagers. However, this illegal substance “ has nothing to do with cannabis ” and is “ potentially dangerous for health, because we don’t know what’s in it ,” says David Saint-Vincent, coordinator at the Rouen University Hospital and administrator of the Federation addiction, to Europe 1. Priced low, around 10 euros per bottle, and sold through social media platforms like Snapchat, it’s easily accessible and widely available.accessible to young people. 200 cases of acute intoxication were reported for the year 2024 by Jérôme Legrand, head of the Poison Control Center in Paris, on BFMTV, compared to only about ten cases between 2019 and 2022.
Effects stronger than with cannabis
Anxiety attacks, sweating, bad trips… The harmful effects of Buddha Blue are similar to those of cannabis, with one key difference: while marijuana’s effects wear off in about 30 minutes, with PTC, they can last for hours. “In three puffs, some end up on the ground hallucinating,” explains a high school student whose testimony was shared by Capital. Another issue is that this new drug is highly addictive, transparent, odorless, and does not contain any...The THC. This means that it is difficult to detect and can easily be mixed with other psychoactive substances. Any possession of drugs is a crime punishable by one year in prison.
💬 "Je ne conseille clairement à personne de prendre du PTC. Avec ça, tu deviens un zombie."
— Ouest-France (@OuestFrance) November 7, 2019
Convulsions, vomissements, crises de panique… À #Caen, deux lycéens, anciens consommateurs repentis de #BuddhaBlue, témoignent ➡ https://t.co/1HkwGEJFU8 pic.twitter.com/eX9qs0C2HE
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