ROHYPNOL (Date Rape Drug)
Classification: Depressant
" Roofies
" Treatment of insomnia
" Pre-anesthetic
EFFECTS:
" Sedation
" Muscle relaxation
" Reduction in anxiety
" Prevention of convulsions
" Appear 7-10 times more potent than Valium (diazepam)
" Lasts 4-6 hrs.
" Residual effects can be found 12 hrs. or more after
" Causes partial amnesia
USERS:
" High school, college students, street gang members, rave party attendees, and heroin and cocaine abusers to produce profound intoxication, boost the high of heroin & modulate the effects of cocaine.
ROUTES OF ADMINISTRATION:
" Consumed orally
" Often combined with alcohol
" Crushing tablets and snorting powder

ADVERSE EFFECTS:
" Drowsiness
" Dizziness
" Loss of motor control
" Lack of coordination
" Slurred speech
" Confusion
" Gastrointestinal disturbances
" Higher doses produce respiratory depression
" Chronic use can result in physical dependence
" Impairs cognitive and psychomotor functions
" Affecting reaction time and driving skill
" Using with alcohol -both substances potentiate each other's toxicity.

MDMA (ECSTASY)
Classification: Stimulant
" Psychoactive (mind-altering) drug with amphetamine-like and hallucinogenic properties.

EFFECTS:
Psychological difficulties:
" Including confusion
" Depression
" Sleep Problems
" Drug craving
" Severe anxiety
" Paranoia
" All effects during and sometimes weeks after taking MDMA

Physical symptoms:
" Muscle tension
" Involuntary teeth clenching
" Nausea
" Blurred vision
" Rapid eye movement
" Faintness
" Chills or sweating
" Increases in heart rate and blood pressure, a special risk for people with circulatory or heart disease
" ***Increases body temperature over 102 degrees or more causing dehydration (from sweating at raves)
Also death by drowning not sweating enough and drinking excessive amounts of water ( body can not eliminate water fast enough)

Long-term damage
" Parts of the brain critical to thought and memory
" Causes damage to the neurons that use chemical serotonin to communicate with other neurons.
" Exposure to MDMA for 4 days caused brain damage that is evident 6-7 years later.
" Risking permanent brain damage
" Rash resembling acne symptom of severe side effects, including liver damage

KETAMINE
Classification: Depressant
Anesthetic agent-hypnotic, analgesic and amnesic effects
Street names "Special K", "Khat", "K" -Liquid or pill form
EFFECTS:
" Dissociative Anesthesia-detached from their surroundings
" Eyes often remain open and constantly move from side to side (termed nystagmus)
" Rise in intracranial pressure
" Increase of blood pressure
" Stop breathing when used in large amounts
" Salivation is increased
" Spontaneous movements of muscle
" Hallucinations
" Feeling combative and violent
" Stroke
" Partial Paralysis
" Affects senses, judgment and coordination for 18-24 hrs.
" High doses causes seizures and schizophrenic symptoms
" Taken in small doses (1 gram can cause death by Oxygen starvation to the lungs)

GHB-GAMMA HYDROXYBUTYRATE
Classification: Depressant (Sedative Hypnotic Drug)
Order less liquid, also in powder.

EFFECTS
" Lower doses have a euphoric effect similar to alcohol.
" Higher doses can make the user feel dizzy and sleepy-can cause vomiting, muscle spasms and loss of consciousness
" Overdoses will slow down breathing rate and can lead to coma and death (1 dose of GHB is equal to 6 alcoholic drinks).
" When mixed with alcohol GHB it can have a multiplier effect.
" Effects coordination, your mood, your degree of body relaxation and your overall emotional state.
" Damage parts of the brain that control sense organs.
WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS:
" Difficulty sleeping
" Anxiety
" Edginess
" Chest pain and tightness
" Muscle and bone aches
" Sensitivity to external stimuli---sound, light, touch
" Dysphoria
" Mental Dullness
***These symptoms last for a few days as the body comes back into balance.

METHAMPHETAMINE--- AMPHETAMINE
Classified as a stimulant drug chemically related to amphetamine but with stronger effects on the Central Nervous System.

Street names "speed", "meth", "crank"
Used in pill form or in powdered form by snorting or injecting.
Crystallized methamphetamines know as "ice", "crystal" or "glass" is a smokable and more powerful form of the drug.

EFFECTS:
" Increased Heart rate and blood pressure
" Increased wakefulness; insomnia
" Increased physical activity
" Decreased appetite
" Respiratory problems
" Extreme anorexia
" Hyperthermia, convulsions, and cardiovascular problems which can lead to death
" Euphoria
" Irritability, confusion, tremors
" Anxiety, paranoia, or violent behavior
" Can cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, producing strokes.

AMPHETAMINES
A stimulant drug, which is colorless and may be inhaled, injected or swallowed.
Used medically to treat depression, obesity, and other conditions.

Street names "speed", "uppers"

EFFECTS:
" Increased talkativeness
" Increased aggressiveness
" Increased breathing rate
" Increased heart rate
" Increased blood pressure
" Reduced appetite
" Dilated pupils
" Visual Hallucinations
" Auditory Hallucinations

LONG TERM EFFECTS:
" Mental illness similar to paranoid schizophrenia
" Malnutrition due to suppression of appetite
" Increased susceptibility to illness due to poor diet, lack of sleep and unhealthy environment.
" Violence and aggression
" Multiple drug users may use other drugs to counter unwanted side effects of amphetamines
" Infections resulting from IV injections
" Blockage of blood vessels
" Tolerance and dependence
" Addictive

COCAINE---CRACK
Classification: Stimulant

White powder comes from the South American Coca plant.
A "rush" is followed by a feeling of heightened alertness, suppressed appetite and sleep and provides intense feelings of pleasure. Leaves user feeling depressed and craving more
Street names: "coke", "crack", "flake", "snow", "stardust"
Used as a local anesthetic for eye, nose and throat surgery

PHYSICAL RISKS
" Increases in blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and body temperature
" Heart attacks, strokes, and respiratory failure
" Hepatitis or HIV through shared needles
" Brain seizures
" Reduction of the body's ability to resist and combat infection

PSYCHOLOGICAL RISKS
" Violent, erratic, or paranoid behavior
" Hallucinations and "coke bugs"-a sensation of imaginary insects crawling over the skin
" Confusion, anxiety and depression, loss of interest in food or sex
" "cocaine psychosis"-losing touch with reality, loss of interest in friends, family, sports, hobbies, and other activities

Cocaine and crack addicts often become unable to function sexually.
Even first time users may experience seizures or heart attacks, which can be fatal.

HEROIN
Classified as a Narcotic Analgesic (Painkiller) Depressant
Relieves pain and numbs the body
Several seconds after injection, a sensation of warmth is felt throughout the body, followed by drowsiness. Next comes a high that can last for several hours, followed by a feeling of relaxation.
Street Names-"dust", "Horse", "smack", "scag"

SHORT-TERM EFFECTS
" The "rush" following an injection creates an intensely pleasurable sensation
" Feeling of relaxation, drowsiness
" Suppression of the sensation of pain
" Decreases physical activity
" Nausea and vomiting
" Acute Fatal Reaction---death strikes so fast user found with needle still in vein

LONG-TERM EFFECTS
" Unsterile needles put the user at a great risk of many life threatening diseases ( Hepatitis-HIV)
" Reduction of sex hormones
" Weight Loss
" Difficult pregnancy and childbirth
" Most addictive of all Narcotics
" Psychological dependency followed by a physical dependency
" Central Nervous System-regular users may cause permanent damage to the spinal cord leading to paralysis
" Kidney Disease-blood in urine---renal shutdown
" Endocrinologic Disturbances-men may suffer from sexual disfunctioning, such as the inability to attain an erection

HALLUCINOGENS
Classification: Hallucinogens

Substances that distort the perception of objective reality.
Hallucinogens include PCP (phencyclidine), "angel dust"; LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), "acid"; Mescaline and peyote; and psilocybin (magic mushrooms)
Under the influence of hallucinogens, the senses of direction, distance and time become disoriented.
Can produce unpredictable, erratic and violent behavior that sometimes leads to serious injuries and death.
Effect of drug can last for 12 hrs.

PHYSICAL RISKS
" Increased heart rate and blood pressure
" Sleeplessness and tremors
" Lack of muscular coordination
" Sparse, mangled, and incoherent speech
" Decreased awareness of touch and pain that can result in self-inflicted injuries
" Convulsions
" Coma; heart and lung failure

PSYCHOLOGICAL RISKS
" A sense of distance and estrangement
" Depression, anxiety, and paranoia
" Violent behavior
" Confusion, suspicion, and loss of control
" Flashbacks
" Behavior similar to schizophrenic psychosis
" Catatonic syndrome whereby the user becomes mute, lethargic, disoriented, and makes meaningless repetitive movements
Everyone reacts differently to hallucinogens-there is no way to predict if you can avoid a "bad trip."

INHALANTS
Classification: Inhalants
Substances that are sniffed or huffed to give the user an immediate head rush or high.
Can cause a number of physical and emotional problems, and even one-time use can result in death.

USING INHALANTS EVEN ONE TIME CAN PUT YOU AT RISK FOR:
" Sudden death
" Suffocation
" Visual Hallucinations and severe mood swings
" Numbness and tingling of the hands and feet

PROLONGED USE CAN RESULT IN:
" Headache, muscle weakness, abdominal pain
" Decrease or loss of sense of smell
" Nausea and nosebleeds
" Hepatitis
" Violent behaviors
" Irregular heartbeat
" Liver, lung and kidney impairment
" Irreversible brain damage
" Nervous system damage
" Dangerous chemical imbalances in the body
" Involuntary passing of urine and feces

SHORT-TERM EFFECTS:
" Heart palpitations
" Breathing difficulty
" Dizziness
" Headaches

DEATH CAN OCCUR IN AT LEAST FIVE WAYS:
1. asphyxia-solvent gases can significantly limit available oxygen in the air, causing breathing to stop
2. suffocation-typically seen with inhalant users who use bags
3. choking on vomit
4. careless behaviors in potentially dangerous settings
5. sudden sniffing death syndrome-SSDS-from cardiac arrest

MARIJUANA
Classified as a stimulant and a hallucinogen.

Blocks messages going to your brain and alters your perceptions and emotions, vision, hearing, and coordination.

SHORT-TERM EFFECTS
" Sleepiness
" Difficulty keeping track of time, impaired or reduced short-term memory
" Reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, such as driving a car
" Increased heart rate
" Potential cardiac dangers for those with preexisting heart disease
" Bloodshot eyes
" Dry mouth and throat
" Decreased social inhibitions
" Paranoia, hallucinations

LONG-TERM EFFECTS
" Enhanced cancer risk
" Decrease in testosterone levels for men; also lower sperm counts and difficulty having children
" Increase in testosterone levels for women; also increased risk of infertility
" Diminished or extinguished sexual pleasure
" Psychological dependence requiring more of the drug to get the same effect

STEROID
Anabolic steroids made to resemble the male hormone testosterone.
Originally developed and used to treat people suffering from a blood condition called anemia, as well as certain bone and joint disorders.

SOCIAL EFFECTS
" Recent change in friends
" Obsession with health, exercise, weight lifting

PHYSICAL EFFECTS
" Rapid weight gain and muscle development
" Increased body hair
" Deepening of voice
" Acne-blistering/ cystic acne on back and chest
" Hair loss
" Breast enlargement (males)
" Difficulty urinating
" Elevated blood pressure
" Stomach upset
" Jaundice
" Swelling of extremities
" Shrinkage of male genitalia

MENTAL CHANGES
" Increased aggression (Roid Rages)
" Hyperactivity, irritability
" Auditory hallucinations
" Paranoid delusions
" Manic episodes
" Depression and anxiety
" Panic disorders
" Suicidal thoughts

ALCOHOL
Classification: Depressant
1 glass of 5oz. wine, 1 can of 12oz beer, 1oz glass of hard liqueur, 12oz wine cooler all equal ½ oz of alcohol.

SHORT-TERM EFFECTS
" Distorted vision, hearing, and coordination
" Altered perceptions and emotions
" Impaired judgment
" Bad breath; hangovers

LONG-TERM EFFECTS
" Loss of appetite
" Vitamin deficiencies
" Stomach ailments
" Skin problems
" Sexual impotence
" Liver damage
" Heart and Central Nervous System damage
" Memory loss

***Multiplier Effect: Alcohol taking in combination with any other drug including Over The Counter Drugs causes the drug to multiple the effects of the drug. Also a synergistic effect can occur-drugs can work opposite each other, and cancel each other out.

QUICK CLUES HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM
" Inability to control drinking-it seems that regardless of what you decide beforehand, you frequently wind up drunk
" Using alcohol to escape problems
" A change in personality-turning from Dr. Jekyl to Mr. Hyde
" A high tolerance level-drinking just about everybody under the table
" Blackouts-sometimes not remembering what happened while drinking
" Problems at work or in school as a result of drinking
" Concern shown by family and friends about drinking

BARBITURATES & TRANQUILIZERS
Classification: Depressant

Effects the Central Nervous System by slowing down the body and mind.
They are addictive depressants. Prescriptions by Doctor only.
Taken orally in pill form, of various colors , also injectable form
The combination of barbiturates and another drug can be fatal.
Used as Sleeping Pills and to relieve anxiety and tension.

Short term effects
" Decreased heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate
" Sedation and somnolence (sleepiness)
" Decreased attention span
" Memory problems
" Impaired thinking
" Fainting
" Nausea and vomiting
" Impaired motor coordination
" Slurred speech
" Coma

Long term effects
" Chronic tiredness
" General uncoordination
" Vision problems
" Dizziness
" Slowed reflexes and response
" Sexual Dysfunction
" Menstrual irregularities
" Breathing disorders

*Tranquilizers are used to treat mental illnesses characterized by hallucinations or delusions, such as schizophrenia. They are also used to treat anxiety, reduce tension, and relax muscles. Minor tranquilizers like Valium, Librium and Xanax are
addictive.

**Barbiturates are sleeping pills. Stronger sedative than tranquilizers.