Benzylpiperazine (BZP) and TFMPP

Synonyms The most common synonyms are:
  • A2, Benny, Benny bear, Legal Ecstasy, Exotic super strong, Flying angel, Frenzy, Head rush, MDAI, Nemesis, Party pill, PEP, PEP X, Strong as hell, Twisted, Wicked high, Legal X, XTC, XXX
Classification CNS disruptor (stimulant and hallucinogenic effect):
  • Agent that causes users to see, hear or feel things that do not exist, while stimulating mental functions and increasing the brain's overall alertness.
Visual description
  • Salt: tablet or powder in a variety of colours.
  • Base: yellowish-green liquid, corrosive.
    Often sold as Ecstasy or as a substitute for amphetamines.
Mechanism of action
  • Its effect is similar to, but weaker than amphetamines. It is ten times less potent than amphetamines.
  • Sympathomimetic effects (effects similar to adrenaline: increased alertness, heart rate and respiratory rate).
  • Increases dopamine levels in the part of the brain that mediates pleasure (mesolimbic area), which results in a feeling of euphoria and happiness.
  • Increases alertness due to its effect on noradrenaline and increases irritability due to its effect on serotonin.
Routes of administration
  • Oral (the most common), snorted (rare) and injected (rare).

Effects sought out by the user
  • Alertness
  • Euphoria
  • Heightened perceptions (taste, colours, music)
  • Sense of well-being
Common toxic effects
  • Agitation
  • Anxiety
  • Blurred vision
  • Chest pain
  • Confusion
  • Dilated pupils
  • Dizziness
  • Excessive sweating
  • Hallucinations
  • Headache
  • Hypertension
  • Insomnia
  • Involuntary movements
  • Nausea
  • Palpitations
  • Paranoia
  • Reduced appetite
  • Reduced consciousness
  • Sensory impairment (e.g., pins and needles)
  • Shortness of breath
  • Tachycardia
  • Teeth grinding
  • Urinary retention
  • Vomiting
Overdose effects
  • Abnormal increase in body temperature
  • Convulsions
  • Disseminated intravascular coagulation (clotting disorder)
  • Hyperventilation
  • Hyponatremia (low sodium level in blood)
  • Metabolic acidosis (accumulation of acid in the blood)
  • Muscle toxicity
  • Nephrotoxicity
  • Psychosis
Tolerance (need to increase the dose to feel the same effect)
Yes.

Addiction
Has not been observed.

Withdrawal
Symptoms develop within a few hours/days:
  • Anxiety
  • Dehydration
  • Reduced appetite
  • Pain
  • Fatigue
  • Depressed mood
  • Insomnia
  • Lethargy (abnormal state of drowsiness)
  • Headache
  • Severe dry mouth
  • Muscle spasms

Onset and duration of action

Route of
administration		 Onset of
action		 Peak
 Duration of
action
Oral: BZP only About 6 minutes to 2 hours 75 minutes Effects can last up to 12 hours and sometimes more
Oral: TFMPP only About 25 minutes 90 minutes Not available

Intoxication management

  • No antidote available.
  • Treatment is mainly symptomatic. Activated charcoal may be administered if the drug was recently ingested (within less than one hour), and only if taken orally.

Many different street drugs are sold under the same name. Furthermore, nothing guarantees the quantity, purity or even the content of a street drug in spite of the fact that it may, in some cases, look like medication.

If you need help or want to learn more:

Partnership for a Drug-Free Canada.

www.canadadrugfree.org

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The patient information leaflets are provided by Vigilance Santé Inc. This content is for information purposes only and does not in any manner whatsoever replace the opinion or advice of your health care professional. Always consult a health care professional before making a decision about your medication or treatment.

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