A person experiencing a PCP high may display signs of being under the influence for several hours after last use. Although their high may wear off in this time, it takes an average of 105 hours for it to clear the system. It takes even longer for PCP to become undetectable by a drug test.

In this blog, we’ll explain how the body processes PCP and how long it remains detectable in the blood, hair, and urine.

What Is Phencyclidine (PCP)?

Phencyclidine (PCP) is a dissociative hallucinogenic substance used to elicit a euphoric high. However, it wasn’t always used as an illegal drug. In the 1950s, it was used by medical professionals as an intravenous anesthetic, but was discontinued in 1965 due to troubling side effects such as profound agitation, delusions, and irrational thoughts.[1][2]

It is sold on the street in powder, liquid, capsule, and tablet forms and is administered by injection, smoking, swallowing, or snorting. Some users mix PCP into marijuana or other green leafy herbs like mint or oregano to smoke it.[1] Others dip their cigarettes, joints, and blunts into PCP liquid before smoking it.

PCP looks white but may include dyes that alter its color to attract younger users.

Street Terms for PCP

PCP is rarely sold under this abbreviation on the streets; instead, it is commonly known by several nicknames, including angel dust, rocket fuel, and wack.[1]

Other names include:[1]

• Animal tranquilizer
• Black dust
• Boat
• Cliffhanger
• Crystal tea
• Dipper
• Dust joint
• Horse tranquilizer
• Kools
• Lethal weapon
• Magic dust
• OPP
• Paz
• Peter Pan
• Sherman
• Trank

Cigarettes dipped in PCP are called wet or fry, but may also go by the term illy.

What Is the Elimination Half-Life of PCP?

After inhaling PCP, the effects are noticeable within 2 to 5 minutes.[3] Oral ingestion, on the other hand, can yield symptoms within 30 to 60 minutes.[3] The time it takes half the drug to leave your system (elimination, half-life) is approximately 21 hours.[3] However, symptoms can persist for up to two days after use.

It takes approximately 4 to 5 half-lives for PCP to completely clear the system, though its metabolites remain detectable in the blood, saliva, or urine for some time afterward.[4]

What Are the Side Effects of PCP Use?

PCP side effects can last anywhere from 4 to 6 hours, according to Drugs.com, and are extremely troubling.[5] Even with moderate use, you can experience side effects that include:[5]

• Feeling distant or not part of the surroundings
• Experiencing numbness in the extremities
• Loss of coordination
• Slurred or incoherent speech
• Staring blankly
• Rapid or involuntary eye movements
• Auditory hallucinations
• Severe mood swings
• Temporary amnesia
• Exaggerated gait
• Anxiety or a feeling of impending doom
• Sudden paranoia
• Violent outburst
• Psychosis

Some of the physiological effects of PCP use include:[5]

• Rapid breathing
• Increased blood pressure
• Fast pulse
• Shallow respiration
• Profuse sweating

People who use high doses of PCP will experience life-threatening complications such as a rapid drop in blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration, and the following:[5]

• Blurred vision
• Nausea or vomiting
• Drooling
• Loss of balance
• Violent outburst
• Suicidal ideations

If you are experiencing suicidal ideations, contact 911 or the 888 suicide crisis hotline.

How Long is PCP Detectable in the Blood, Hair, Sweat, and Urine?

PCP is a drug that’s frequently tested. It is included among the “federal five,” a group of drugs that are automatically screened for in federal employees.[6] The federal five include marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, and PCP.

Urine tests are the most commonly administered due to their affordability and convenience. According to the National Library of Medicine, PCP is detectable in the urine for 5 to 6 days after the last use.[6]

Additional detection times by test type include:[6]

• Sweat: 7 to 14 days
• Hair: 90 days
• Blood: 14 days

What Are the Signs of PCP Use?

A person under the influence of PCP will display several signs, including, but not limited to:[7]

• Dilated pupils
• Difficulty moving
• Slurred speech
• Involuntary eye movements
• Blank stare
• Catatonic posturing
• Rapid blinking
• Involuntary eye movements

People who use PCP chronically may withdraw from social gatherings and make excuses to spend more time alone.[8]

How Long Will You Display Signs of PCP Use After Cessation?

While most of the effects of PCP dissipate after 48 hours, it is possible to display signs for up to a year after quitting.[8] However, the latter is more common in chronic users.

PCP Withdrawal 

Individuals who use PCP over a long period may experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit. These symptoms range in severity from paranoia and anxiety to physical pain and insomnia. However, whether these symptoms arise from physical dependency or changes in the brain’s reward system is not clearly understood.[9]

Getting Help for PCP Addiction

Individuals with a PCP addiction may need higher and higher doses to achieve the same high because their bodies become tolerant to the effects.[10] This leads to physical dependency, fueling further, prolonged substance abuse.

Unfortunately, physical dependence makes quitting difficult without experiencing withdrawal symptoms.[11] This traps people in a cycle of increasing doses, then trying to quit and reinitiating drug use to avoid withdrawal.

Escaping this cycle may seem impossible, but hope is on the horizon.

If you have difficulty quitting the use of PCP or have relapsed many times, we’re here to help. We know what it takes to overcome PCP addiction for good and offer an array of treatment programs to help you achieve lasting sobriety.

To determine which programs fit your treatment goals well, please contact Engage Wellness MO today.

Frequently Asked Questions