1300 DRUGSAFE 
A recent news article at 9News.com.au covers a drug addict suffering from the effects of the drug “Flakka”. The video in the article paints a picture of the horrific and oftentimes tragic results of drug addiction.
The consequences of substance abuse are clear as day in the article and additional effects by the same drug are coming to light.
Life Altering Effects of the “Zombie Drug”
The story centres on a 24 year old woman, Shelbi, from Los Angeles who has been under the influence of the drug named flakka. The narcotic, known in the streets as the “Zombie Drug” has given her life-altering consequences which are both sad and hard to watch.
In the video, Shelby is seen in the video clip starting a sentence but then just trailing off. The young woman starts losing focus mid-sentence and says that the effects of the drugs make normal conversation a huge chore.
The sad part is, Shelbi last used the “Zombie Drug” nine months ago. Unfortunately, the physical toll that the drug has had on her can still be seen up today. Shelbi can still remember the days when she could just have a good talk with her friends and family.
“I used to be very articulate, I used to be able to have a really good conversation with somebody and not feel slow.”
Flakka a.k.a. “Zombie Drug”
The people closest to her have obviously been affected just as much as her. Shelbi’s parents have been at her side throughout the entire ordeal. They are absolutely devastated at how much the addiction has taken away from their daughter. Her mother, Patty, is really concerned about her daughter’s waning confidence.
“She’s an extrovert… when she can’t communicate well, it completely affects her self- esteem,” Patty said.
The “Zombie Drug,” which is also known as flakka, originated from South Florida and has been growing in popularity in recent years. Flakka gives the brain a rush of dopamine which gives the user an intense feeling of euphoria. The drug is just as potent as methamphetamine but might just be more addictive.
You see view the original article and video here.
Strange Case of the “Zombie Drug”
The drug was also at the centre of a bizarre drug-related crime last year. Police in Florida, USA had to pull a 19-year-old student suspected to be high on the “Zombie Drug” off two victims that he was trying to bite off. Martin County Sherriff William Snyder has already put “Flakka” as his number one culprit regarding the strange case.
“When you see a case like this where someone is biting off pieces of somebody’s face, could it be flakka? The answer is it absolutely could be a flakka case,” he said. Florida is one of the states in America that is now having a rampant “Zombie Drug” problem.
At the time of writing, there was no solid evidence that the suspect, Austin Harrouf, had flakka in his system. However, the fact that he has no previous criminal records and possible motives lead police to believe that he must have taken something to start exhibiting strange behaviour.
A Danger to the Human Body
The long-term effects of the drug flakka are clearly very dangerous to the human body. According to Drug Abuse, excessive use of this “Zombie Drug” can be toxic to the kidneys and may even result in renal failure. Further research is still being conducted regarding the effects of this narcotic.
Flakka has numerous side effects to the psychological and physical well-being of a person. Someone who is taking Flakka may experience hallucinations, paranoia, and bouts of anxiety. Sometimes the drug is also known to cause violent behaviour to individuals taking it. As for the physical effects of flakka, the drug is said to cause rapid heart rate which can cause a stroke to users.
While “flakka” is still relatively new to the drug market, the stories that are surfacing should be enough for everyone to steer clear of this drug.