The PCP epidemic: a critical review.
B L Davis
International Journal of the Addictions October 1982 DOI: 10.3109/10826088209056346 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key findings | The reviewed scientific literature indicates that the media portrayal of PCP as a near-epidemic drug causing frequent psychosis and violence is not justified. The authors conclude that both the prevalence of PCP use and the relative frequency of severe adverse effects have been overstated by the media. |
Abstract
The scientific literature on PCP (phencyclidine) was reviewed with a view to determining whether or not current knowledge coincides with the picture of PCP presented by the popular media. The media portray PCP as an insidious drug whose use has reached almost epidemic proportions among American youth. Serious adverse reactions, including psychosis and violent behavior, are seen as common if not inevitable consequences of use. The literature indicates that this picture of PCP is not justified. Both the prevalence of use and the relative frequency of severe adverse effects appear to have been overstated by the media.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
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- Use and abuse of dissociative and psychedelic drugs in adolescence Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior January 27, 2021
- Chronic substance-induced psychotic disorders: state of the literature. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 1996
Cites 5
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