• What is choral hydrate?
• Street Names
• How is it taken?
• What are the effects?
• What are the dangers?
• Is it addictive?

What is choral hydrate?

The oldest of the hypnotic (sleep inducing) depressants, chloral hydrate was first synthesized in 1832.

Back to top

Street Names

"Mickey Finn" or "knockout drops"
Back to top

How is it taken?

• When chloral hydrate is prescribed by a doctor, it is taken as a syrup or soft gelatin capsule.
  
• A solution of chloral hydrate and alcohol constituted the infamous "knockout drops" or "Mickey Finn." This form of chloral hydrate is used in drug facilitated sexual assault, or "date rape".

Back to top

What are the effects?

Chloral hydrate takes effect in about 30 minutes and will induce sleep in about an hour.
Back to top

What are the dangers?

• A toxic dose produces severe respiratory depression and very low blood pressure.
  
• Chronic use is associated with liver damage and a severe withdrawal syndrome.
  
• Signs of overdose include confusion (continuing); convulsions (seizures); difficulty in swallowing; drowsiness (severe); low body temperature ; nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain (severe); shortness of breath or troubled breathing; slow or irregular heartbeat; slurred speech; staggering; and weakness (severe).

Back to top

Is it addictive?

It is not considered an addictive drug like cocaine, heroin or alcohol because it does not produce the same compulsive drug-seeking behavior. However, like addictive drugs, chloral hydrate produces greater tolerance in some users who take the drug repeatedly. These users must take higher doses to achieve the same results as they have had in the past. This could be an extremely dangerous practice because of the unpredictability of the drug effect on an individual.
Back to top