Phencyclidine, also known as PCP or Angel Dust, is a hallucinogen that was first marketed as a surgical anesthetic in the 1950’s. It was removed from the market because patients receiving it became delirious and experienced hallucinations.
PCP is used in powder, capsule, and tablet form. The powder is either snorted or smoked after mixing it with marijuana or vegetable matter. PCP is most commonly administered by inhalation but can be used intravenously, intra-nasally, and orally. After low doses, the user thinks and acts swiftly and experiences mood swings from euphoria to depression. Self-injurious behavior is one of the devastating effects of PCP. PCP can be found in urine within 4 to 6 hours after use and will remain in urine for 7 to 14 days, depending on factors such as metabolic rate, user’s age, weight, activity, and diet. PCP is excreted in the urine as an unchanged drug (4% to 19%) and conjugated metabolites (25% to 30%).6
The Multi-Drug Rapid Test Panel yields a positive result when the concentration of Phencyclidine in urine exceeds detective level. This is the suggested screening cut-off for positive specimens set by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, USA).