6 Hollywood Club-Goers Hospitalized After Taking the Liquid Drug GHB

Four men and two women fell unconscious at a Hollywood nightclub early Sunday, apparently after taking GHB, an increasingly popular but dangerous hypnotic drug.

Witnesses told authorities that the drug, known by the street names of “cherry meth,” “liquid X” or “scoop,” was being passed around on the dance floor of the club at 7070 Hollywood Blvd.

Paramedics were called to the scene at 3 a.m. and rushed the victims to Cedars-Sinai, Queen of Angels-Hollywood Presbyterian, Midway and Kaiser-Permanente hospitals for treatment. A Fire Department spokesman said three had stopped breathing and needed to be resuscitated, but all were reported in good condition later Sunday.

In Huntington Beach earlier this month, three women and a man lost consciousness or became sick after someone apparently slipped GHB into their drinks while they were away from their table at a nightclub. No arrests have been made in that case.

GHB, an acronym for gamma hydroxybutyrate, has been part of the illicit drug scene for several years, but usage has increased dramatically in recent months, according to drug abuse experts.

Like the so-called date-rape drug, Rohypnol, GHB takes effect quickly, leading to giddiness and euphoria, but then lethargy, drowsiness and blackouts. Side effects can include intense stomach pain, vomiting, breathing difficulty, seizures and coma.

Over-the-counter sale of the drug, originally a steroid used by bodybuilders, was banned by the Food and Drug Administration in 1991.

In a perverse twist, the drug’s rising popularity has been attributed by some observers to erroneous reports that actor River Phoenix died from an overdose of GHB at the trendy Viper Room. Actually, it was cocaine and morphine that killed him in 1993.