A disturbing trend is on the rise in the nation's capital.
DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier says she's concerned about this frightening trend.
Its street names are angel dust or rocket fuel because of the way it makes users feel invincible.
Lanier, "What's disturbing is the exceptionally high levels of people testing positive for PCP. Where the normal positive was in the range of 150 to 200 levels tests are coming back five times that.
Lanier spoke on WTOP Thursday morning about PCP regaining popularity. She says, "I don't know if it's higher consumption or stronger but it's behind recent violent crimes, murders and police shootings."
Doctors in the emergency room at Howard University Hospital say they've also seen an increase in patients coming in high on PCP. They would see one or two patients and now it's five or six a week.
Dr. Lyle Campbell says, "They're back in vogue along with cocaine, heroin and PCP. We're seeing a lot, a lot of PCP."
Campbell can't point to any one explanation to PCP's return to popularity, but he says it's readily available, inexpensive and extremely addictive.
He says the trend is discouraging and doctors have to take extra precautions whenever they know a PCP patient is arriving. They get security and a room ready and often times they have to be restrained.
Campbell, "We never know what you're going to get. They can have seizures and can even lead to death."
9NEWS NOW checked the surrounding counties. Prince George's and Fairfax are still checking the numbers while Montgomery does report an uptick in PCP use. Loudoun has not seen an increase.
Surae Chinn
October 8, 2009
WUSA9
http://www.wusa9.com/rss/local_article.aspx?storyid=92139
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