- May cause death due to heart failure
- May inflict
- convulsions
- breathing problems
- paranoia
- violence
- Also known as crack, coke, dust, C, snow, flake, blow, rock, candy, lady
- Appears as chunky white crystallized powder or rock crystals – may be disguised as salt
- Distinguishing marks of a user include:
- Scars from scratching at imaginary bugs crawling under the skin
- runny nose due to snorting
- bleeding from the nose due to snorting
- Accompanyingparaphernalia includes aluminum foil, plastic baggies, paper packets,small vials, razor blades, straws, rolled up paper money, mirrors
- Common poly-drug combinations include speedballing with heroin and lacing marijuana cigarettes
There are basically two chemical forms of cocaine: the hydrochloridesalt and the "freebase." The hydrochloride salt, or powdered form ofcocaine, dissolves in water and, when abused, can be takenintravenously (by vein) or intranasally (in the nose). Freebase refersto a compound that has not been neutralized by an acid to make thehydrochloride salt. The freebase form of cocaine is smokable. Crack Cocaine is the street name given to the freebase form of cocainethat has been processed from the powdered cocaine hydrochloride form toa smokable substance. The term "crack" refers to the crackling soundheard when the mixture is smoked. Crack cocaine is processed withammonia or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and water, and heated toremove the hydrochloride. Because crack issmoked, the user experiences a high in less than 10 seconds. Thisrather immediate and euphoric effect is one of the reasons that crackbecame enormously popular in the mid 1980s. Another reason is thatcrack is inexpensive both to produce and to buy. Cocaine is generally sold on the street as a fine, white, crystallinepowder, known as "coke," "C," "snow," "flake," or "blow." Streetdealers generally dilute it with such inert substances as cornstarch,talcum powder, and/or sugar, or with such active drugs as procaine (achemically-related local anesthetic) or with such other stimulants asamphetamines. Cocaineis a powerful central nervous system stimulant that is derived from theleaves of the coca plant. It is among the most psychologically andphysically addictive of all drugs. Hydrochloride salt and “freebase”are the two chemical forms of cocaine. Hydrochloride salt is powderedand taken intravenously or intranasally, while freebase is smokeable. Cocaine produces feelings of euphoria and invigoration. Users who havebehavior disorders may find the drug produces more anxiety, violenttendencies and leads to more compulsive behavior. Once the drug wearsoff, users frequently experience fatigue, depression and confusion. Inextreme cases, users may become suicidal. Cocaine useaffects the cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological andgastrointestinal systems. When the drug enters the bloodstream, itconstricts vessels, causes the heart to beat rapidly, increases bodytemperature and dilates pupils. Cocaine interferes with the electricalsignals the brain sends to the heart and lungs to keep them workingproperly and can cause seizures, heart failure and death. This rapidand often irregular heart rhythm can result in sudden cardiac arrest,even with the first use of cocaine. Repeated snortingof cocaine causes an irritated, chronic runny nose and its chemicalsmay deteriorate the nasal septal tissues resulting in perforation ofthe cartilage of the nose. The major affects of prolonged abuse arebehavioral, psychological, and social dysfunction as well as weightloss, hallucinations, psychosis and death. Cocaine isa Schedule II controlled substance that has high potential for abuse,but may be prescribed by a physician for limited medical purposes. What cocaine does to your: - Brain—affectsthe nerve cells that control body movement, awareness, judgment,motivation and pleasure. Cocaine blocks the normal flow of dopamine tothe brain, causing it to function abnormally.
- Heart— Constricts blood vessels, increases heart rate and increases blood pressure, which may result in death from cardiac arrest.
- Liver—When cocaine and alcohol are combined, the liver manufactures a thirdsubstance, cocaethylene, which intensifies cocaine's euphoric effectsand possibly increases the risk of sudden death.
- Lungs—Prolongedcocaine snorting may result in ulceration of the mucous membrane of thenose and can damage the nasal septum enough that it collapses. Itcauses severe chest pains with lung trauma and bleeding, and smokingcocaine may also cause lesions in lungs and respiratory paralysis.
ECSTASY - Severely dehydrates users
- Causes uncontrollable jaw clenching and teeth grinding
- Induces sweating
- Leads to insomnia
- Othernames for ecstasy include X, XTC, E, Adam, beans, rolls, clarity,lover’s speed, and its medical name MDMA, orMethylenedioxymethamphetamine
- Appears as white or colorful tablets or powder that can be crushed and snorted
- Distinguishing features include colorful designs and stamps with trendy designs on tablets
- Accompanying paraphernalia includes:
- Pacifiers and lollipops to protect users from involuntary jaw clenching and teeth grinding
- glow sticks and laser lights to enhance the sensory experience, leading to possible long-term vision impairment
- vapor inhalers and rubs, to enhance the sensory experience
- painters masks with vapor rub inside for the sensory experience
- water bottles, since ecstasy severely dehydrates users
- Most often found at alcohol-free parties known as raves,a s well as at house parties and late night clubs
- Possible poly-drug combination is “candy flipping” with LSD
Ecstasyis a synthetic chemical that is similar to the stimulant amphetamineand the hallucinogen mescaline. This drug is toxic to the brain andproduces long-lasting, perhaps permanent, damage to the neurons thatrelease serotonin. The loss of this essential chemical results inmemory impairment. Ecstasy may appear as a tablet withtrendy designs pressed into the surface including smurfs, Buddhas,doves, smiley faces and playboys. Users refer to the ecstasy experienceas X-ing, rolling, tripping and wigging. In moderateamounts ecstasy can produce both stimulant and psychedelic effectslasting up to eight hours. Onset of the drug occurs quickly and resultsin elevated heart rate, blood pressure and increased sweating. Itcauses jaw clenching and, in some cases, muscle cramping. Ecstasy’sstimulating effects may enable users to stay awake and alert, talk anddance for extended periods of time. Many users suffer from depression,confusion, sleep problems, anxiety and paranoia immediately followinguse. Symptoms may persist for months after taking the drug. In higher doses ecstasy can be extremely dangerous, causing excessivesweating, dehydration, hypertension and elevating body temperature sohigh that muscles break down. In combination with these effects, thissevere increase in body temperature can lead to kidney andcardiovascular failure as well as being linked to heart attacks,strokes and seizures. Ecstasy is a Schedule I controlledsubstance in the United States and in most other countries. It has noaccepted medical use and has a high potential for abuse. What ecstasy does to your: - Brain—Affects cognitive functions such as memory, attention span and the ability to reason verbally.
- Heart—Increasesheart rate and blood pressure, a special risk for people withcirculatory or heart disease. Ecstasy may also cause overheating(hyperthermia), which directly stresses the heart and can injure it.
- Liver—People who develop a rash that looks like acne after continued use ofMDMA may be risking severe side effects, including liver damage.Ecstasy has produced liver and kidney damage that doesn’t show up untildays or weeks after the drug is consumed.
- Lungs—Causes rapid breathing.
HEROIN / MORPHINE Heroin/Morphine is a highly addictive drug, and its use is a serious problem in America. Recent studies suggest a shift from injecting heroin to snorting or smoking because of increased purity and the misconception that these forms of use will not lead to addiction. Heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seedpod of the Asian poppy plant. Heroin usually appears as a white or brown powder. Street names for heroin include "smack," "H," "skag," and "junk." Other names may refer to types of heroin produced in a specific geographical area, such as "Mexican black tar." - Severely addicts users
- Causes panic attacks, tremors, sweating, vomiting and insomnia
- Street names for heroin include smack, mud, junk, white horse, china white, tar, black, dope and nod
- Appears as black tar, brown or white powder
- Distinguishing scars/marks of user consist of:
- track marks and collapsed veins from injecting
- continual runny noses from snorting
- bleeding from the nose due to snorting
- Accompanying paraphernalia includes:
- needles for injecting the drug
- burned spoons from cooking down the drug
- razor blades for separating the powder form of the drug
- straws for snorting the powder form of the drug
- pipes for smoking the drug
- Possiblepoly-drug combinations and consequences include speedballing withcocaine and spreading HIV and hepatitis through dirty needles
Heroin is processed from morphine, which is a naturally occurringsubstance extracted from the seedpod of the Asian poppy plant. Thisdrug is a very powerful narcotic and one of the most physically andpsychologically addictive drugs on Earth. Heroinactivates regions of the brain that are responsible for producing bothpleasurable sensations and physical dependence. It depresses thecentral nervous system and makes the user appear tired, drowsy or drunkrather than energetic or hyperactive. Heroin abusers havea need for persistent, repeated use of the drug because of the painfulphysical withdrawal symptoms that result from non-use. These symptomsare typically quite severe and include panic attacks, tremors,sweating, nausea, muscle cramps and insomnia. Abusingheroin leads to serious health risks, including fatal overdose,spontaneous abortion, collapsed veins and risky behavior that may leadto HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and other infectious diseases. Users are also athigh risk of pulmonary and respiratory complications. Heroin has a high potential for abuse and is classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States. What heroin does to your: - Brain—Entersthe brain quickly and slows down thinking, reaction time and memory.After a short period of use, many addicts no longer experience thehigh—they use heroin only for relief of painful withdrawal symptoms.
- Heart—Chronicusers may develop collapsed veins and infection of the heart lining andvalves. Pulmonary complications may also result from the poor healthcondition of the abuser.
- Liver—Chronicusers may develop liver disease. Street heroin has additives that donot readily dissolve and clog the blood vessels that lead to the liver.This can cause infection or even death of small patches of cells in theorgan. Hepatitis B and C are very prevalent in IV drug users and cancause fatal liver failure.
- Lungs—Heroindepresses the central nervous system and may slow breathing to thepoint of respiratory failure. Pulmonary complications, includingvarious types of pneumonia, may also result.
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
- Causes overdose and dangerous poly-drug interactions
- Incites users to commit prescription fraud and/or burglary of pharmacies across the U.S.
- Also known as:
- painkillers such as Oxycontin (oxy, ox, oc, oxycotton) and Demerol
- tranquilizers like Valium, Xanax and Diazepam
- ADHD and sleep disorder medicines such as Dexedrine and Ritalin
- cold and flu medications
- “Pharming”is the term used by some youth to describe the act of taking severalprescription pills at once, to see what happens when they interact.
- Seen with/in blister packs, prescription pill bottles and syringes
- Dangersigns include prescriptions at multiple pharmacies and an excessivenumber of bottles in medicine cabinet or around the home
- Foundin the medicine cabinet and local drug store, abused by more than 3million 12 to 17 year olds in 2001 because of their availability
Prescription drugs relieve suffering for millions of people, makecomplex surgery possible and enable individuals with chronic medicalconditions to control their symptoms and lead productive lives. Thesedrugs prescribed by healthcare professionals can help patients managesevere pain, restore emotional or behavioral imbalance, control sleepdisorders or fight obesity. Responsible prescription use includesfollowing the advice of a doctor or pharmacist, learning about possibleside effects and understanding the potential interactions onemedication may have with another. Addiction rarelyoccurs when prescription drugs are used properly. The non-medical useof prescription drugs is a serious public health concern and can leadto abuse, addiction and death. The most commonly abused drugs areopiods given for pain management, depressants used to treat anxiety orsleep disorders and stimulants prescribed to treat narcolepsy andattention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. In 2001, ofan estimated seven million current users of illicit drugs, nearly 2.1percent of the population aged 12 years and older were currently usingprescription drugs for non-medical purposes. The National HouseholdSurvey on Drug Abuse statistics indicate the sharpest increases inprescription drug abuse occur among 12 to 17 year-olds. MARIJUANA Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of a plant. You may hear marijuana called by street names such as pot, herb, weed, grass, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, or chronic. There are more than 200 slang terms for marijuana. Sinsemilla (sin-seh-me-yah; it's a Spanish word), hashish ("hash" for short), and hash oil are stronger forms of marijuana. All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. In other words, they change how the brain works. They all contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana. They also contain more than 400 other chemicals. Marijuana's effects on the user depend on the strength or potency of the THC it contains.(5) THC potency of marijuana has increased since the 1970s but has been about the same since the mid-1980s. - Steals short-term memory and attention span
- Breaks down resistance to infection (especially dangerous to immune-suppressed individuals)
- Causes lung disease and paranoia
- Makes users lazy and unmotivated
- Also known as pot, reefer, herb, weed, dope, joints, blunts, ganja, Mary Jane, chronic, hash, hashish, hash oil and cannabis
- Appears as a green, brown or gray mixture of leaves and buds of the cannabis plant, and are usually dried and cured
- Distinguishing features include (lately) being disguised as an herbal medicine
- Marijuana paraphernalia includes:
- pipes, bongs and rolling papers, for smoking marijuana
- plastic bags, for transporting the drug
- roach clips, for holding smoldering joints
- stash boxes, for hiding the drug
- eye drops to cover up signs of use (bloodshot eyes)
- incense, to mask the distinctive smell of marijuana
- Commonly, but dangerously, mixed with alcohol. When a user bingedrinks and smokes pot, a chemical in marijuana suppresses the stomach’sneed to purge when dangerous levels of alcohol build up. Consequently,users may suffer alcohol poisoning.
Marijuana comes from dried buds and leaves of the hemp plant(Cannabis Sativa). It is a psychedelic drug containingtetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and more than 400 other chemicals includingtar and other cancer-causing agents. It also contains some of alcohol’sdepressant properties and has its major effects on the central nervoussystem in the form of neurological and psychological abnormalities. The effects of marijuana depend upon the level of THC found in theplant, how it is ingested, the frequency of use, the duration of useand whether it is taken with other drugs or alcohol. The THC content oftoday’s marijuana is 5 to 15 times stronger than the marijuana of the1960s and 1970s. Unlike alcohol, which is water soluble, THCaccumulates in fatty tissues and is very slowly eliminated from thebody. Recurrent or frequent use of marijuana can suppress the immunesystem, damage brain cells and decrease short-term memory, attentionspan and motivation. Low levels of THC make the user feel relaxed,silly and sleepy. Higher amounts may cause mild sensory distortions, analtered sense of time, loss of short-term memory, loss of balance anddifficulty in completing thought processes. Extremely high amounts canresult in anxiety, panic, hallucinations, delusions and paranoia.Physical effects can include an increase in heart rate, tightness ofthe chest, difficulty breathing, lack of muscle coordination andreddened eyes. Chronic smokers are susceptible to significantrespiratory problems including recurring chest cold, bronchitis,emphysema and bronchial asthma and potentially lung cancer. Hashish and hash oil also come from the marijuana plant and areoften more potent than marijuana. Hashish is made from concentratingthe resin from the plant and hash oil is extracted from the resin ofhashish. Like marijuana, hashish and hash oil can be smoked or eaten.Both forms produce intoxicating effects similar to marijuana. Marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance and is illegal in theUnited States. This drug has a high potential for abuse and is notcurrently accepted for medical use at the federal level. What marijuana does to your: - Brain—Affects nerve cells in the brain that control emotions, memory and judgment and causes these areas to function abnormally.
- Heart—Causes rapid heartbeat. The drug can speed the heart rate up to 160 beats per minute, increasing the risk of heart attack.
- Liver—THC in marijuana impairs the immune system’s ability to fight off infectious diseases and cancer, including liver cancer.
- Lungs—Smoking three joints damages your lungs asmuch as smoking 20 cigarettes (one pack). Marijuana contains 50 percentmore tar than tobacco. Long-term heavy use of marijuana is associatedwith chronic lung disease and lung cancer.
Other Drugs Barbiturates Barbiturates fall under the depressant category, and are used medicinally to relieve anxiety, irritability, and tension. They have a high potential for abuse and development of tolerance. Depressants produce a state of intoxication similar to that of alcohol. When combined with alcohol, the effects are increased and risks are multiplied. Other drugs that fall under the depressant category include barbiturates, methaqualone, tranquilizers, chloral hydrate, and glutethimide. Ketamine Ketamine is a central nervous system depressant that produces a rapid-acting dissociative effect. It was developed in the 1970s as a medical anesthetic for both humans and animals. Ketamine is often mistaken for cocaine or crystal methamphetamine because of a similarity in appearance (NCADI, 2000). Also known as K, Special K, Vitamin K, Kit Kat, Keller, Super Acid, and Super C, Ketamine is available in tablet, powder, and liquid form. So powerful is the drug that, when injected, there is a risk of losing motor control before the injection is completed. In powder form, the drug can be snorted or sprinkled on tobacco or marijuana and smoked. The effects of Ketamine last from 1 to 6 hours, and it is usually 24-48 hours before the user feels completely "normal" again. |
