This leaflet is for those who have decided to take GHB as a recreational drug and want to know how to use it safely. Those who are interested in a more academic study of its history, effects, and sociology should go to http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~laborit, http://www.lycaeum.org, or one of the other excellent sources available on the WWW.

1. When NOT to take GHB:
DO NOT USE GHB IF YOU HAVE TAKEN ANY ALCOHOL!
        • Even in small quantities, GHB and alcohol drastically increase each other's effects and can be deadly. Nearly all known cases of GHB toxicity have involved alcohol or other drugs. Besides, after the GHB you won't need any alcohol.
        • Do not use GHB if you are in a place where you might be robbed, assaulted, or picked up by the police. Do not use GHB if you are going to have to drive or perform similar tasks.
        • Do not use GHB if you are not around others who know what you have taken and what to expect (see below). People who take too much and fall into the unarousable sleep phase tend to wind up in the emergency room with a tube down their throat and a police record.
        • Do not use GHB if you are taking anti-anxiety medication or any medication that causes drowsiness, or if you have a history of seizures or epilepsy.

2. What GHB does:
     GHB is a short-term, chemically "clean" drug that, when used in the proper dosage, produces a 1-4 hour high similar to that of alcohol but with fewer unpleasant physical effects, less nervous system depression, and no long-term toxicity to the brain and liver. It also has notable antidepressant abilities, greatly enhances the desire for and enjoyment of human contact, and may improve sex. It may also put you to sleep. Too high a dose can cause anything from drowsiness to a short-term, harmless "coma." Side effects sometimes include trembling, loss of coordination, and nausea. If you are in a situation where any of these are unacceptable or dangerous, you should not take GHB until you know your dose and understand your responses to it.

3. How to measure a dose:
     GHB is naturally a solid, and is best measured by weight (grams, abbreviated g). Liquid GHB can vary widely in concentration - that is, you have no way of knowing how much of the drug is in any quantity of the liquid, and there is no gu arantee it will be the same as any you have taken before. Unless the person giving it to you is someone you know and trust (ideally yourself, from your own supply), it is hard to take liquid GHB safely. Unless you know the number of grams per volume unit (tsp, mL, etc), you should take a conservative dose.
     If this is your first time using GHB, you will have to spend some time finding a good dose. Start about 2 hours after a light meal, or have a few crackers or something similarly bland. Take no more than 2g, and wait to see the effects. This dosage might not do anything, but it is important that you not take any more for at least 5 hours. GHB can take over an hour to "plateau," and "dose-boosting" can lead to overdose. If the effects aren't strong enough, you can increase to 3g, and by 0.5g each time ther eafter. This should allow you to find a pleasant level that doesn't knock you out. You may have to increase this dosage if you are taking it on a full stomach, but always go in small quantities and make sure others know that you are taking an unusually hi gh dose. Taking more your first time won't kill you, but it's well worth the effort to find a comfortable level. GHB does not induce tolerance and so your required amount should not change.

4. Is it safe?
     Providing you are taking properly-made GHB from a trustworthy source or kit manufacturer (see the above web pages to find one) and you do not overdose, GHB has no toxic effects and is eliminated completely from the body within hours. Extensive research has shown no addiction when used less than once daily. There is no hangover, and many users (even those who fall asleep) feel energized and unusually clear-headed afterwards. You minimize the chances of hurting yourself while inebriated by having a friend watch you, and making sure they know that if you fall asleep they should lay you out face-down (in case you vomit), with a blanket.
     However, this does not mean that GHB can't hurt you if you try really hard. Do not use GHB and drive. Do not take more than 2 doses a day, at least 5 hours apart. Do not try to medicate yourself for depression, alcoholism, etc. without medical gui dance. Spend a day sober once in a while. And remember that in Canada and much of the US, despite anything you may have heard, GHB is illegal. Never take GHB with alcohol!
     It is also decidedly unsafe to give GHB to anyone without hir knowledge. You have no way of knowing what they've had to drink, what medications they may be on, or what they may be planning to do later. Even innocently done, drugging others is a da ngerous and dehumanizing act. And if your motives aren't innocent, if you are one of those who calls GHB "easy lay" and is responsible for its criminal reputation, you'd better hope I don't find out about it, or you'll have to reckon with my ultimate kick boxing.

This is by no means comprehensive! For more, see the websites listed above, or e-mail michaelc@medscape.com
GHB micro-faq v.1.2 - Reproduce freely but unaltered.