Basic Information on Drugs of Abuse

Any drug that changes the way a person thinks or feels can be abused to some degree. It is easy to see the negative effects of heroin, cocaine and the newer drugs like ecstasy and LSD. However, alcohol, marijuana and prescription drugs all too are damaging in many ways.

Whatever the drug of abuse, all have one thing in common. Bottom line, drugs are toxins. There is an old saying that "A drug is a drug is a drug." When a person uses a drug, something happens in the body. The agents of the drug create a desired effect to a greater or lesser degree. To delve a bit into the mindset of an addict, it is the end of a search for a single "end all, cure all." The problems that are evident in the home, in their interpersonal relationships and in their social setting are all wiped clean for as long as the effects of the drug last. This is the beginning of a long downward spiral of addiction.

ALCOHOLISM

The cost and consequences of alcoholism and drug dependence place an enormous burden on American society. As the nation's number one health problem, addiction strains the health care system, the economy, harms family life and threatens public safety. Substance abuse crosses all societal boundaries, affects both genders, every ethnic group, rich or poor.

One-quarter of all emergency room admissions, one-third of all suicides, and more than half of all homicides and incidents of domestic violence are alcohol-related. Heavy drinking contributes to illness in each of the top three causes of death: heart disease, cancer and stroke. Almost half of all traffic fatalities are alcohol-related.

HEROIN ADDICTION

The statistics of drug use are undergoing a frightening change. Although the use of gateway drugs such as marijuana seem to be leveling out, use of the more permanently debilitating drugs such as heroin are increasing alarmingly fast. There is an epidemic of so-called "casual" use in the United States. While the percentage of heroin users who administer the drug via Intravenous (IV) injection is the same, more and more are smoking or sniffing the drug. It seems America's youth are buying into the misconception that as long as they do not use heroin intravenously, they will not become hooked.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse there are currently 600,000 heroin addicts needing treatment. Heroin has many serious health hazards associated with its use. HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, Fatal Overdose, Collapsed Veins and Infectious Diseases just to name a few.

Aside from the debilitating effects of long-term use the heroin user will most likely suffer from three factors: Tolerance, Addiction and Withdrawal.

COCAINE ADDICTION

Cocaine is a potent and dangerous Central Nervous System stimulant, processed from the South American Coca Plant. Cocaine works by blocking the absorption of dopamine in the brain (a chemical messenger that assists in normal functioning of the Central Nervous System and is associated with pleasure and movement). Cocaine in it's powdered form is sniffed or mixed with water and injected. More recently users are smoking a freebase form of the substance termed Crack (so named for the "crackling" sound produced when the mixture of cocaine and sodium bicarbonate is heated.

Whether cocaine is used by injecting, snorting or smoking the same risks are involved. Although, the onset of addiction to cocaine may be much more rapid in the smoked form. Users will experience dilated pupils, increased body temperature, constricted blood vessels, increased heart rate and blood pressure. The euphoria felt by users is due to hyper-stimulation, reduced fatigue and mental clarity. Other effects of cocaine abuse include restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. In addition to user reported and scientifically backed effects of the drug, sudden death can occur in rare occurrences on the first use.

The tolerance factor (how much it takes to get "high") of cocaine makes the likelihood of compulsive and addictive use very likely within the first few uses, especially when used in the form of crack.

Prolonged abuse of cocaine may cause an acute paranoia that will make users withdrawn, suspicious and highly unpredictable. Alongside these tragic repercussions is the likelihood of death as a result of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory failure.

METHAMPHETAMINE ADDICTION

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that effects the Central Nervous System. It has a very high potential for abuse. Methamphetamine in the last 10 years has become one of the most widely abused street drugs in our nation. It's use and abuse has devastating effects on the user's mind and body and more strikingly to anyone involved in the addict's life.

Short Term Effects: Heightened Senses, Sense of Well-Being, Exaggerated Confidence, Insomnia, Restlessness, Increased Heart Rate, Exacerbated Thought Patterns, Mis-Emotion
Long Term Effects:Chronic Insomnia, Weight Loss, Repetitive Behavior, Paranoia, Hallucinations, Inability to Cope, Halted or regressed personality development, Mal-nutrition, Anti-social Tendencies
Withdrawal Symptoms: Severe Craving, Restlessness, Disrupted sleeping patterns, Mental confusion, Depression

MARIJUANA INFORMATION

Hash, Mary Jane, Pot, Chronic, Bud, 420, The Kind, and various other names given to the cannabis plant are rooted in a sub-culture that began in the 1950's and continues to attract new inductees and centers around the consumption of different varieties of cannabis leaves. These are usually smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes, called joints. The cannabis can also be smoked in pipes or long tubes that use water as a filter, called bongs. There seems to be a consensus of agreement about the dangers of cocaine, heroin, and even cigarettes and alcohol, but not marijuana. What are the real dangers with it and how do you handle responses such as; "marijuana is an herb", "it is harmless", "it is used as a medicine", "it's organic", "it makes me feel creative and I write and perform better!".

What all drugs have in common is that each and every one contain or are a poison. The poison molecule in marijuana is THC. It is the THC that causes the high. It has been stated in the past that marijuana effects "short-term memory". It is more than this. Using marijuana as well as other drugs effect concentration, recording (learning) and recalling (remembering).

ECSTASY INFORMATION

MDMA is most popular among "club kids" or "ravers", although others at rock concerts and with friends are also using it as yet another escape from the rigors of adolescence and early adulthood. MDMA is taken orally in tablets or capsules. The effects last approximately four to six hours, although has been reported to last in some users up to twelve. MDMA (3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a Schedule I synthetic, psychoactive drug possessing stimulant and hallucinogenic properties. MDMA possesses chemical variations of the stimulant amphetamine or methamphetamine and a hallucinogen, most often mescaline.

Ecstasy is said to produce empathy, decreased anxiety, relaxation and heightened senses. MDMA also suppresses appetite, thirst and the need to sleep. Because of this in combination with dancing and increased activity can cause severe dehydration and exhaustion. Adverse effects may include nausea, cold sweats, chills, hallucinations, increased body temperature, tremors, teeth clenching, tremors, double vision and muscle cramps. Long term after-effects of MDMA include anxiety, paranoia and depression. This is most likely attributed to the decreased serotonin levels found in the brain for up to three weeks after their last dose. The National Institute of Mental Health conducted a study in 1998 to support this. It was found that the use of MDMA severely damaged the neurons in the brain that transmit seratonin. Serotonin is the chemical that is used in learning, sleep, and integration of emotion. The study concluded that even recreational users of the drug might be at risk of developing permanent damage that can manifest depression, anxiety, memory loss, and neuro-psychotic disorders.