Karkoubi

Karkoubi is a street name for a certain type of drug. The name is used to refer to different substances. Often, it refers to a specific medication. Sometimes it refers to a mix of various drugs and medications.

People use Karkoubi for its relaxing or numbing effects. However, it can be very dangerous because you don’t know exactly what’s in it or how much. It can make you feel very unwell. People may become fearful or aggressive. It can also be addictive.

Karkoubi is often combined with alcohol and hashish, which can make its effects very different from what you expect.

Originally, Karkoubi comes from North Africa, especially countries like Morocco and Algeria. As far as we know, it is not widely used in the Netherlands, but there are no exact figures available.

Karkoubi can come in the form of powder, capsules, or pills. You can only know what’s in it by having it tested at a drug testing service.

It may consist of a single medication, such as pregabalin (brand name: Lyrica) or clonazepam (brand name: Rivotril). These are medications that produce a calming effect. Using them without a doctor’s prescription can be dangerous. Combining them with alcohol or other drugs increases the risks.

Karkoubi may also be a mix of different drugs or medications. The contents can vary each time. It is unknown whether such mixtures occur in the Netherlands.

People who use it, as well as healthcare professionals in other countries, report that it may contain:

• Sedatives or tranquilizers. These are medications that can make you sleepy or calm. Examples include benzodiazepines like diazepam, clonazepam, or alprazolam, or other sedative medications such as phenobarbital.

• Hallucinogenic substances. These are drugs or medications that alter your perception of reality. For example, some antihistamines with psychoactive effects, such as promethazine.

• Other substances, such as glue, caffeine, cannabis, or opiates.

The effect of Karkoubi can vary greatly depending on what’s in it and how much is used.

Possible effects include:

• a relaxed, euphoric, and numbing feeling

• hallucinations: seeing or hearing things that aren’t there

• confusion and paranoia: seeing danger everywhere or feeling watched

• aggressive behavior: Karkoubi can heighten impulses and make users restless, violent, or unpredictable

Karkoubi is dangerous for the following reasons:

• You don’t know what’s in it. The composition can change each time, increasing the risk of overdose.

• It can cause side effects, such as:

  • difficulty breathing

  • irregular heart rhythm

  • nausea

  • disturbing thoughts

  • loss of consciousness

  • in the worst case: death, especially from an overdose or in combination with alcohol or other drugs

Some of the substances involved are highly addictive. This makes it hard to stop using. You may need increasingly higher doses to get the same effect.

People can become aggressive or confused, which can lead to strange or dangerous behavior.

Karkoubi originates from North Africa (including Morocco and Algeria). However, there are also indications that it is used in the Netherlands. It is unclear how many people use it, but it seems to involve a small group.

Do you want help with cutting down or quitting, or do you have questions about this? Are you worried about someone using Karkoubi? You can always contact your general practitioner. Or call the Jellinek advice line. It’s free and no referral is needed.