Short answer: PCP (phencyclidine), also called angel dust, is a dissociative drug developed as an anesthetic in the 1950s and abandoned because of severe agitation and hallucinations in patients. It is Schedule II because it was once a medicine, but it has no current medical use. It can cause psychosis, violent agitation, dangerously high body temperature, and muscle breakdown.
Key takeaways
- What it is: PCP is a dissociative anesthetic (nmda receptor antagonist) and a Schedule II controlled substance in the US.
- Medical use: None (former anesthetic).
- Timing: effects start in 2 to 5 minutes (smoked) and last 4 to 6 hours or longer.
- Most dangerous mix: Alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, which can cause deep sedation, coma, slowed breathing.
- Naloxone: it does not reverse this drug, but give it whenever opioids could be involved.
- Dependence risk: Moderate to high.
- Legal route: no approved US product for personal use; possession without a prescription is a crime.
What is PCP?
PCP was developed in the 1950s as a surgical anesthetic (Sernyl) but was withdrawn for human use in 1965 because patients developed agitation, delusions, and irrational behavior on waking. Ketamine was later developed as a safer relative.
At low doses PCP causes numbness, a drunk-like feeling, and detachment. At higher doses it causes hallucinations, paranoia, agitation, loss of contact with reality, inability to feel pain, rapid eye movements, high blood pressure, and drooling.
Quick facts
| Fact | PCP |
|---|---|
| Chemical name | Phencyclidine |
| Street names | Angel dust, wet, sherm, love boat, embalming fluid |
| Drug class | Dissociative (NMDA receptor antagonist) |
| US legal status | Schedule II; no current medical use |
| How it is used | Smoked (often on cigarettes or cannabis dipped in liquid PCP), snorted, swallowed, or injected |
| Onset | 2 to 5 minutes (smoked) |
| Duration | 4 to 6 hours; effects can last much longer |
| Half-life | About 21 hours (range 7 to 46) |
| Signature sign | Rapid involuntary eye movements (nystagmus) |
How long does PCP last?
- Starts working: 2 to 5 minutes (smoked)
- Effects last: 4 to 6 hours or longer
- Half-life: About 21 hours (range 7 to 46)
Its half-life is about 21 hours. Urine tests can detect it for about a week, and longer after heavy use.
Timing varies with the dose, the form, how it is taken, liver and kidney function, age, and other drugs taken at the same time.
What are the biggest risks of PCP?
Agitation and injury: people on PCP may become violent or panicked and, unable to feel pain, can seriously injure themselves.
Physical dangers: very high body temperature, muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis) leading to kidney failure, seizures, and very high blood pressure.
Mental health: psychosis resembling schizophrenia, memory problems, depression, and speech difficulties after long-term use.
What should you never mix with PCP?
| Combined with | What happens | Risk level |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids | Deep sedation, coma, slowed breathing | Very high risk |
| Stimulants | Extreme agitation, overheating, heart strain | Very high risk |
| Cannabis | Often combined in dipped joints; unpredictable effects | High risk |
Check any combination with the DoseUses combination checker or ask a pharmacist.
What are the signs of a PCP overdose, and what should you do?
Signs include severe agitation or catatonia, rapid involuntary eye movements, very high temperature, very high blood pressure, muscle rigidity, seizures, and coma. Dark urine can signal muscle breakdown.
If someone may have overdosed
- Call 911 if the person is unresponsive, breathing slowly, having a seizure, very hot, or violently agitated.
- Place an unresponsive person on their side so they do not choke if they vomit.
- Keep them away from roads, water, and heights. People on dissociatives often cannot feel pain or judge danger.
- If opioids could be involved, give naloxone. It will not harm the person.
Is PCP addictive, and what is withdrawal like?
Repeated PCP use can cause tolerance, cravings, and compulsive use. Stopping after regular use can cause depression, cravings, headaches, and sweating.
- Day 1Symptoms beginCravings, irritability, sleepiness.
- Days 2 to 7WithdrawalDepression, anxiety, headaches, sweating.
- Weeks to monthsRecoveryMemory and mood problems may persist.
See the withdrawal timelines and the full PCP withdrawal guide.
Is PCP legal?
PCP is Schedule II because it once had an accepted medical use as an anesthetic. Today it has no approved use and is not manufactured legally for medicine.
- Possession: under federal law, a first conviction for possessing any controlled substance without a valid prescription can bring up to one year in prison and a minimum fine of $1,000. Penalties rise with prior convictions.
- Trafficking: trafficking 10 grams or more of pure PCP, or 100 grams or more of a mixture, carries a mandatory minimum of 5 years in federal prison; ten times those amounts carries 10 years.
- State law: states set their own penalties, and most drug cases are prosecuted under state law. Penalties range from a civil fine to long prison terms depending on the state, the amount, and prior record.
Outside the United States
| Country | Status |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Class A |
| Canada | Schedule I |
| Australia | Schedule 9 prohibited substance |
| International | Schedule II of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances |
Frequently asked questions about PCP
Why is PCP Schedule II and not Schedule I?
Because it was once approved as an anesthetic. It has no current medical use.
Is PCP the same as ketamine?
They are related dissociatives, but PCP is far longer-lasting and more likely to cause agitation and psychosis.
How long does PCP stay in your system?
Its half-life is about 21 hours. Urine tests can detect it for about a week, and longer after heavy use.
What is a sherm or wet joint?
A cigarette or joint dipped in liquid PCP.
Sources
- Psychedelic and Dissociative Drugs, National Institute on Drug Abuse.
- Controlled Substance Schedules, DEA Diversion Control Division.
- 21 U.S.C. 844, Penalties for simple possession, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School.
- 21 U.S.C. 841, Prohibited acts A (trafficking penalties), Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School.
- National Helpline, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
- FindTreatment.gov, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
- International drug control conventions, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
This guide summarizes the sourced DoseUses PCP profile, written from FDA labels, DEA rules, and federal health agencies. It is educational and is not medical advice. Last updated October 5, 2026.
