Liquid fantasy: Sunshine Coast police officer warns against GHB use

Liquid fantasy polishes concrete but it’s growing in popularity as a party drug, according to a Sunshine Coast detective, even though just a millilitre too much can knock you out.

A Sunshine Coast detective has issued a warning about the dangers of liquid fantasy.

A party drug more popular than MDMA and ecstasy has been described by a top Sunshine Coast police officer as “really dangerous” with the risk of tragic consequences coming down to the millilitre.

Liquid fantasy is a street term for a chemical called gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or GHB, which is derived from a commercial product with uses like polishing concrete or timber.

Sunshine Coast Criminal Investigation Branch officer-in-charge Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Mansfield said GHB or liquid fantasy, also known by street names like drink and frank, had a “really dangerous tipping point” between a user being conscious and becoming unconscious.

He said, generally speaking, its street value was about $3000 per litre and individual deals may be up to $25 for five millilitres.

Sunshine Coast Criminal Investigation Branch officer-in-charge Craig Mansfield.

Even having a millilitre too much could cause an overdose, he said.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, South Australian health authorities warned against the drug’s use after three males and three females were admitted to an emergency department after taking it.

The South Australian Network of Drug and Alcohol Services chief executive Michael White said at the time that the international trade that brought methamphetamine and other drugs into Australia had slowed because of the pandemic.

He said at the time he believed people who distributed drugs were starting to manufacture locally “and GHB is relatively easy to manufacture”.

Sergeant Mansfield said it was “a really dangerous” thing to ingest.

The police officer said the party drug had largely replaced ecstasy or MDMA and had been “reasonably common” for a few years.

The drug could be administered by an oral syringe and was a clear, odourless liquid.

He said police found the chemical in “all sorts” of containers including petrol drums and sports drink containers.

“Usually glass bottles as it can melt plastic,” Sergeant Mansfield said.

Users may experience increased heart rate and chest pains, drowsiness, blurred vision or seizures or a coma.

Other common symptoms include unconsciousness that can last for three to four hours, confusion, irritation, irregular or shallow breathing, hallucinations and vomiting.

The police officer said long-term use caused “all sorts” of physical and neurological issues.

Originally published as Liquid fantasy: Sunshine Coast police officer warns against GHB use