GHB, GBL, 1,4-BD - what’s the difference?

GHB, GBL and 1,4-BD are drugs in the same family, with similar effects.

They’re often treated as interchangeable, but knowing the difference could save your life. It’s important to know that just because something is sold as GHB, it’s no guarantee. We’ve seen GHB sold as GBL, GBL sold as 1,4-BD and more.

We’ve pulled together a breakdown of the ways that they overlap and don’t, so you can have a better understanding of what to expect if you’re using G-drugs.

 

What’s the same? What’s different?

We’ve made this Venn diagram to show the differences across this family of drugs.

You cannot tell whether you have GHB, GBL or 1,4 BD by the way they look, taste or smell. They all generally come as clear, colourless liquids, but may also come as gels. GHB can also come as a crystalline powder.

 

How can I tell if I have GHB, GBL or 1,4-BD?

Drug checking clinics can tell you whether your drug is GHB, GBL, 1,4-BD or another drug entirely (hint: we’ve seen everything from water to antifreeze sold as G in NZ!).

Bring around 1mL of your liquid, gel or powder G to any drug checking clinic across the country (link) and we’ll tell you what your substance actually is.

Drug checking is the safest way of telling which drug you have. However, if you can’t make it to a clinic, you can use the ‘freezer trick’ to give you an idea of whether you have 1,4-BD or not.

The freezing temp of pure 1,4-BD is around 20 degrees C. At that temperature or below the drug will begin to solidify and turn oily/crystalline. GHB and GBL have freezing temperatures well into the negatives (roughly -20 and -44 C respectively), below the common temp of a household freezer. If you place an unknown G-drug into your freezer and it turns solid - you may have 1,4-BD. If stays liquid, it may be GHB/GBL instead.

This should only be used as a last resort check as these temperatures only apply to pure forms of each drug - if there's any water or other substances mixed in, it can change how they react to these temperatures. It also does not guarantee you have GHB/GBL either as other dangerous drugs, like antifreeze, will also not solidify in your freezer.

 

Breaking down the differences

Effects

All three drugs have similar effects: they slow down your body and brain and may make you feel euphoric, sexually aroused, groggy and nauseous. Some people describe the feeling as similar to being drunk.

Dosage

GHB and 1,4-BD share similar common dosage amounts (1-2.5mL), while GBL has a lower common dosage (0.9-1.5mL) owing to its stronger potency.

It is super important to keep in mind that these are just common doses reported by people who use G drugs, and a small dose for one person can be a large dose for someone else. If you are new to using G drugs, it is best to start with a smaller dose and see how you feel before taking more.

If you haven’t had your drug tested, always dose as if your drug is GBL (0.9-1.5mL).

Onset and duration

GHB and GBL both have a shorter onset, generally taking effect within roughly 5-10 minutes. 1,4-BD has a much wider range, typically taking effect within around 20 minutes to an hour.

GHB typically lasts around 1.5-2.5 hours, GBL around 1-2 hours, while 1,4-BD typically lasts around 2-4 hours.

This is extra important as re-dosing (taking more after your first dose) is common with G-type drugs. If you’ve taken 1,4-BD but thought it was GBL, you might be tempted to take more even though the effects could still be ramping up. You could end up taking more than you intended and having a bad time or overdosing.

Consider timing your doses with phone alarms, or an app such as ‘G-Safe’. If you haven’t had your drug tested, always time your redosing as if it is 1,4 BD - this means waiting at least two hours between doses.

 

What else can I do to stay safer?

Outside of getting your drugs checked, taking a low dose and timing your re-doses, there are other things you can do to stay safer:

• ·        Avoid mixing with other depressant drugs, including alcohol as this can significantly increase your risk of overdoses. 1,4-BD and alcohol are particularly dangerous as they are both broken down by the same enzymes, which can lead to a ‘second wave’ of intoxication
• ·      Don’t eyeball your dose - ensure that you measure out doses exactly in a syringe or other marked container. The difference between a standard dose and an overdose for G-type drugs is only a matter of mLs.
• Avoid cases of mistaken identity - G can look just like water, especially if it’s mixed into a drink. Mark any drinks with G in them or use coloured food dye to ensure you (or other people) don’t accidentally swig away!
• Visit our Drug Info page on The Level for more information and harm reduction tips on staying safer when using G-type drugs.

“The alcohol and 1,4-B interaction is no joke! I had just one drink at pres before taking my usual measured dose, spaced out exactly how I always do. Normally that combo, minus the drink, puts me in a great headspace. But this time I ended up nodding out nearly an hour. Everything else was the same, except the drink. It left me reeling and worried for a while. But not mixing with alcohol has meant it hasn’t happened since.”