Patterns of phencyclidine use

Abstract

Use of phencyclidine is a diverse phenomenon with wide variations in both the amount taken and the frequency of use. There is a large group of persons who have tried PCP once or twice and discontinued using. One of the key distinctions pointed out by this exploratory study relates to the feelings of control persons have over the effects of the drug. The PCP user who is not bothered by the lack of control is more likely to feel good and party with others when using and is more likely to have high use patterns. Feelings of control over the effects of PCP indicate an important individual difference in understanding reactions to PCP use and further research should systematically examine this phenomenon. There has been a discrepancy between our conceptions of PCP use and the actual patterns of use found in the United States. It appears that at this time most persons in the drug abuse field are willing to accept the fact that PCP is a drug of choice among young people and that some as yet unspecified proportion of users is able to use PCP and avoid major problems. While there remains much speculation about the motivation for use and the effects of such use, it would apper that we are ready to engage in research which systematically looks at the spectrum of users.