LSD Chemical name: D-lysergic acid diethylamide, D-lysergic acid diethylamide Chemical formula: C20H25N3O Street Names: acid, blotter, cubes, microdot, yellow sunshine DEA Schedule: Schedule I History of the Drug: LSD did not receive popular attention until the early 1960s when the late Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert, his colleague at Harvard University, began experimenting with the drug on themselves, other academics, local artists, and students. In 1974 the National Institute of Mental Health concluded that LSD had no therapeutic use. The interest in LSD during the 1960s also prompted users to seek out naturally occurring substances that produced the same experiential effects. In fact, a variety of substances in nature produce transitory visual or auditory distortion, e.g., cannabis, thornapple, peyote, and jimsonweed. One of the oldest hallucinogens known to Western scientists is mescaline, a derivative of the peyote cactus, used for centuries in natural medicines and religious ceremonies. Substances such as peyote, mescaline, and a variety of exotic fungi (e.g., psilocybin mushrooms) can be smoked, brewed in tea, chewed, and incorporated into food. In the 1960s users exchanged and published recipes for preparation of hallucinogens through popular publications of the era. Appearance Blotter The most common form of LSD is paper blotter divided into about 1/4\" squares called tabs. A single tab usually contains between 30 - 100 ug of LSD. Paper blotters are created by taking a sheet of absorbent paper (usually decorated and perforated) and soaking it in a dilution of lysergic acid diethylamide. The dilution can vary greatly from one batch to another, or one chemist to another. Liquid LSD is soluable in water and other solvents, though liquid LSD is usually water based. Liquid LSD is used in the creation of blotter tabs. A single drop of potent liquid LSD could be 50 times a normal dose, although it is generally diluted to the point where a single drop is equal to approximately one dose. Be extremely careful when dealing with it, as there is no way to gauge its potency. It is frequently stored in small dropper bottles, one precaution...when you reach the end of the bottle, don\'t rinse it out and assume that what remains is a small dose. There can still be many doses left along the inside surfaces and taking them all at once can lead to some unexpectedly strong and possibly very uncomfortable experiences. Gelatin Gelatin LSD is made by mixing liquid LSD with gelatin and forming it into small, thin squares. The benefit of this method is that less of the LSD is exposed to sun and air, which break down lysergic acid diethylamide. Do you smoke this? In its most common forms - liquid, soaked into paper, pills or capsules - it is swallowed but LSD can also be injected or inhaled. What\'s gonna happen to me? Like all hallucinogens, LSD affects the senses. Users can hallucinate, or see and hear things that don\'t really exist. Hallucinogens also influence emotions and the ability to think clearly. The effects vary from user to user and a lot depends on the strength of the LSD. Users can experience a sense of wonder and joy or they might get scared and anxious. They can also feel as they are outside their body and able to watch themselves. In general though, the effects are felt within an hour of taking LSD and these can last as long as 12 hours. Risks & Realities: Many LSD users experience flashbacks, recurrence of certain aspects of a person\'s experience, without the user having taken the drug again. A flashback occurs suddenly, often without warning, and may occur within a few days or more than a year after LSD use. Flashbacks usually occur in people who use hallucinogens chronically or have an underlying personality problem; however, otherwise healthy people who use LSD occasionally may also have flashbacks. Bad trips and flashbacks are only part of the risks of LSD use. LSD users may manifest relatively long-lasting psychoses, such as schizophrenia or severe depression. It is difficult to determine the extent and mechanism of the LSD involvement in these illnesses. Most users of LSD voluntarily decrease or stop its use over time. LSD is not considered an addictive drug since it does not produce compulsive drug-seeking behavior, as do cocaine, amphetamine, heroin, alcohol, and nicotine. Fast facts about effects on the body: LSD increases blood pressure and heart rate. It also increases the body\'s temperature and makes the pupil in the eye larger. These physical changes are the first thing users feel and may cause numbness, weakness and a lack of coordination.

PCP- Phencyclidine PCP- Phencyclidine Chemical formula: C18H25N Street Names: angel dust, boat, hog, love boat, peace pill DEA Schedule: Schedule I, II History of the Drug: PCP (phencyclidine) was developed in the 1950s as an intravenous anesthetic. Use of PCP in humans was discontinued in 1965, because it was found that patients often became agitated, delusional, and irrational while recovering from its anesthetic effects. PCP is illegally manufactured in laboratories and is sold on the street by such names as \"angel dust,\" \"ozone,\" \"wack,\" and \"rocket fuel.\" \"Killer joints\"and \"crystal supergrass\" are names that refer to PCP combined with marijuana. The variety of street names for PCP reflects its bizarre and volatile effects. Appearance PCP is a white crystalline powder that is readily soluble in water or alcohol. It has a distinctive bitter chemical taste. PCP can be mixed easily with dyes and turns up on the illicit drug market in a variety of tablets, capsules, and colored powders. It is normally used in one of three ways: snorted, smoked, or eaten. For smoking, PCP is often applied to a leafy material such as mint, parsley, oregano, or marijuana. Do you smoke this? As a powder it is snorted. When it is in a liquid form, it can be injected and when it is a pill or capsule, it is simply swallowed. The powder form of PCP is often mixed with tobacco, dried parsley or marijuana, and then smoked. What\'s gonna happen to me? Like all hallucinogens, PCP has an effect on the mind and the senses. Users can hallucinate, or see and hear things that don\'t really exist. Hallucinogens also influence emotions and the ability to think clearly. PCP has different effects on different people. It causes some people to feel joy and others can feel nothing but anxiety and panic. In some cases, this panic can lead to violent behavior. Risks & Realities: PCP is addicting; that is, its use often leads to psychological dependence, craving, and compulsive PCP-seeking behavior. It was first introduced as a street drug in the 1960s and quickly gained a reputation as a drug that could cause bad reactions and was not worth the risk. Many people, after using the drug once, will not knowingly use it again. Yet others use it consistently and regularly. Some persist in using PCP because of its addicting properties. Others cite feelings of strength, power, invulnerability and a numbing effect on the mind as reasons for their continued PCP use. Many PCP users are brought to emergency rooms because of PCP\'s unpleasant psychological effects or because of overdoses. In a hospital or detention setting, they often become violent or suicidal, and are very dangerous to themselves and to others. They should be kept in a calm setting and should not be left alone. Fast facts about effects on the body: PCP produces many changes in the body including faster breathing and an increased heart rate. It also increases body temperature and can lead to numbness in the legs and arms. Higher doses can produce a quick drop in blood pressure, vomiting, blurred vision, dizziness and an inability to feel pain.

DMT-Ayahuasca DMT-Ayahuasca Chemical name: N,N-dimethyltryptamine Chemical formula: C12H16N2 Street Names: Dimitri DEA Schedule: Schedule I History of the Drug: N,N-DMT use has been documented as early as the 8th Century AD in snuffs found in burial sites, but its use is believed to be much older. Cohoba snuffs (from the Yopo tree) were documented in Columbia in the 16th through 19th Centuries. N,N-DMT and 5-MeO-DMT were finally identified as the active constituents of cohoba in the early 1950s and in 1954 N,N-DMT was isolated as an active ingredient in A. peregrina. Appearance DMT is a chemical neurotransmitter present naturally in the human body as well as in many plants. Do you smoke this? It can be smoked, or used orally...producing very different results. When ingested orally (usually from plant material)...it is often referred to as Ayahuasca. Pure DMT is most often found in crystal form. What\'s gonna happen to me? When smoked, DMT effects are short-lived and intense and the smoke is harsh and plastic tasting. Onset is fast and furious, sometimes compared to being launched from a cannon. It is a fully engaging and enveloping experience of visions and visuals, which varies greatly from one individual to the next. Users report visiting other worlds, talking with alien entities, profound changes in ontological perspective, fanciful dreamscapes, frightening and overwhelming forces, complete shifts in perception and identity followed by an abrupt return to baseline. Risks & Realities: One of the primary physical problems encountered with smoked N,N-DMT is the harsh nature of the smoke which can cause throat and lung irritation. Integration of the smoked DMT experience can also cause difficulties for some individuals, especially at higher doses. Difficult integration periods can lead to anxiety, difficulty focusing on daily tasks, preoccupation with the experience, difficulty sleeping, etc. Generally these effects dissipate on their own over the course of a few days but there are reports of persisting problems. DMT is neither physically addicting nor likely to cause psychological dependence. Fast facts about effects on the body: Some say the DMT is hard on the lungs to smoke. They also report slight stomach discomfort, difficulty integrating experiences, and overwhelming fear.

Alcohol Alcohol A product that is only legal for those that are 21 years of age, alcohol is a depressant that comes from organic sources including grapes, grains and berries. These products are fermented and distilled into a liquid. Alcohol affects every part of the body. It is carried through the bloodstream to the brain, stomach, internal organs, liver, kidneys, muscles – everywhere. It is absorbed very quickly (as short as 5 - 10 minutes) and can stay in the body for several hours.1 Alcohol affects the central nervous system and brain. It can make users loosen up, relax, and feel more comfortable, or can make them more aggressive. Unfortunately, it also lowers their inhibitions, which can set them up for embarrassing or dangerous behavior. In fact, each year approximately 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking. This statistic includes about 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle accidents; 1,600 homicides; 300 suicides; and hundreds of others stemming from injuries such as falls, burns and drownings.2 A standard drink is: One 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler; One 5-ounce glass of wine; or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.3 Health Hazards It’s no secret that society gives children mixed messages about alcohol. As a parent, you should know that underage drinking can have serious consequences. The teenage brain is still developing. Did you know that alcohol can impair the parts of the brain that control the following: • Motor coordination. This includes the ability to walk, drive and process information.4 • Impulse control. Drinking lowers inhibitions and increases the chances that a person will do something that they will regret when they are sober.5 • Memory. Impaired recollection and even blackouts can occur when too much alcohol has been consumed.6 • Judgment and decision making capacity. Drinking may lead young people to engage in risky behaviors that can result in illness, injury and even death.7 Risky Behavior Many kids start drinking in middle school. In fact, one out of every two 8th graders has tried alcohol.8 Additionally, more kids use alcohol than use tobacco or illicit drugs and more children are killed by alcohol than all illegal drugs combined.9 But the risky behavior does not end there. • Dependence. People who reported starting to drink before the age of 15 were four times more likely to also report meeting the criteria for alcohol dependence at some point in their lives. In fact, new research shows that the serious drinking problems (including what is called alcoholism) typically associated with middle age actually begin to appear much earlier, during young adulthood and even adolescence.10 • Illicit drug use. More than 67 percent of young people who start drinking before the age of 15 will try an illicit drug. Children who drink are over 7 times more likely to use any illicit drug, are over 22 times more likely to use marijuana, and 50 times more likely to use cocaine than children who never drink.11 • Sexual activity. Alcohol use by teens is a strong predictor of both sexual activity and unprotected sex. A survey of high school students found that 18 percent of females and 39 percent of males say it is acceptable for a boy to force sex if the girl is high or drunk.12 • Violence. Children who start drinking before age 15 are 12 times more likely to be injured while under the influence of alcohol and 10 times more likely to be in a fight after drinking, compared with those who wait until they are 21 to drink.13 • School. Student substance use precedes, and is a risk factor for, academic problems, such as lower grades, absenteeism and high dropout rates. Alcohol can interfere with a student’s ability to think, making learning and concentration more difficult and ultimately impeding academic performance. In fact, the more a student uses alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, the lower his grade point average is likely to be and the more likely he is to drop out of school.14 • Driving. When young people drink and get into a car, they tend to make poor decisions that impact their safety. Traffic crashes are the number one killer of teens and over one-third of teen traffic deaths are alcohol-related.15 Protecting Children Parents can take the following steps to encourage their children to abstain from alcohol: • Spend time together regularly. • Listen and talk with your children. Try to understand the pressures placed on them and don\'t criticize their beliefs. • Keep track of where your children are, what they are doing, and who their friends are. • Get them involved in after-school activities so they won’t be able to just \"hang out\" with friends in the afternoon. This is when children are most likely to experiment. • Praise or reward children often. If they feel good about themselves, they will be more confident and better able to resist peer pressure. • Be a positive role model for your children. Don\'t abuse alcohol or drugs.

Cocaine Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug of abuse. Individuals who have tried cocaine have described the experience as a powerful high that gave them a feeling of supremacy. However, once someone starts taking cocaine, one cannot predict or control the extent to which he or she will continue to use the drug. The major ways of taking cocaine are sniffing or snorting, injecting, and smoking (including free-base and crack cocaine). Health risks exist regardless of whether cocaine is inhaled (snorted), injected, or smoked. However, it appears that compulsive cocaine use may develop even more rapidly if the substance is smoked rather than snorted. Smoking allows extremely high doses of cocaine to reach the brain very quickly and results in an intense and immediate high. The injecting drug user is also at risk for acquiring or transmitting HIV infection/AIDS if needles or other injection equipment are shared. Health Hazards Physical effects. Physical effects of cocaine use include constricted peripheral blood vessels, dilated pupils, and increased body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Some cocaine users report feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety, both while using and between periods of use. An appreciable tolerance to the high may be developed, and many addicts report that they seek but fail to achieve as much pleasure as they did from their first exposure. Paranoia and aggression. High doses of cocaine and/or prolonged use can trigger paranoia. Smoking crack cocaine can produce particularly aggressive paranoid behavior in users. When addicted individuals stop using cocaine, they may become depressed. This depression causes users to continue to use the drug to alleviate their depression. Long-term effects. Prolonged cocaine snorting can result in ulceration of the mucous membrane of the nose and can damage the nasal septum enough to cause it to collapse. Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest. Added Danger. When people mix cocaine and alcohol, they are compounding the danger each drug poses and unknowingly causing a complex chemical interaction within their bodies. Researchers have found that the human liver combines cocaine and alcohol to manufacture a third substance, cocaethylene, which intensifies cocaine\'s euphoric effects and possibly increases the risk of sudden death.

Ecstasy MDMA, called \"Adam,\" \"ecstasy,\" or \"XTC\" on the street, is a synthetic, psychoactive (mind-altering) drug with hallucinogenic and amphetamine-like properties. Its chemical structure is similar to two other synthetic drugs, MDA and methamphetamine, which are known to cause brain damage. Beliefs about MDMA are reminiscent of similar claims made about LSD in the 1950s and 1960s, which proved to be untrue. According to its proponents, MDMA can make people trust each other and can break down barriers between therapists and patients, lovers, and family members. Health Hazards Physical and psychological symptoms. Many problems users encounter with MDMA are similar to those found with the use of amphetamines and cocaine. They are: • Psychological difficulties, including confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, severe anxiety, and paranoia during and sometimes weeks after taking MDMA (in some cases, psychotic episodes have been reported). • Physical symptoms such as muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, rapid eye movement, faintness, and chills or sweating. • Increases in heart rate and blood pressure, a special risk for people with circulatory or heart disease. Long-term effects. Recent research findings also link MDMA use to long-term damage to those parts of the brain critical to thought and memory. It is believed that the drug causes damage to the neurons that use the chemical serotonin to communicate with other neurons. MDMA is also related in structure and effects to methamphetamine, which has been shown to cause degeneration of neurons containing the neurotransmitter dopamine. Damage to dopamine containing neurons is the underlying cause of the motor disturbances seen in Parkinson\'s disease. Symptoms of this disease begin with lack of coordination and tremors, and can eventually result in a form of paralysis.

Heroin Years ago, thoughts of using a needle kept many potential heroin users at bay. Not anymore. Today\'s heroin is so pure, users can smoke it or snort it, causing more kids under 18 to use it. Kids who snort or smoke heroin face the same high risk of overdose and death that haunts intravenous users. Yet 40% of high school seniors polled do not believe there is great risk in trying heroin. Recent studies suggest a shift from injecting to snorting or smoking heroin 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 seed-pod of the Asian poppy plant. Heroin usually appears as a white or brown powder. Street names associated with 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.\" The short-term effects of heroin abuse appear soon after a single dose and disappear in a few hours. After an injection of heroin, the user reports feeling a surge of euphoria (\"rush\") accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, a dry mouth, and heavy extremities. Following this initial euphoria, the user goes \"on the nod,\" an alternately wakeful and drowsy state. Mental functioning becomes clouded due to the depression of the central nervous system. Reports from the Drug Abuse Warning Networks (DAWN) Annual Medical Examiner Data from 1997 show that heroin/morphine was the top-ranking drug among drug-related deaths in 14 US major metro areas. It ranked second in another eight. According to DAWNs Year End 1998 Emergency Department Data, 14 percent of all emergency department drug-related episodes had mentions of heroin/morphine in 1998. From 1991-1996, the number of heroin/morphine mentions more than doubled. Health Hazards Irreversible effects. Heroin abuse is associated with serious health conditions, including fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, collapsed veins, and infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Long-term effects. Long-term effects of heroin include collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulitis, and liver disease. Pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may result from the poor health condition of the abuser, as well as from heroin\'s depressing effects on respiration. Infection. In addition to the effects of the drug itself, street heroin may have additives that do not readily dissolve and result in clogging the blood vessels that lead to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain. This can cause infection or even death of small patches of cells in vital organs.

Inhalants Inhalants are common products found right in the home and are among the most popular and deadly substances kids abuse. Inhalant abuse can result in death from the very first use. About one in five kids report having used inhalants by the eighth grade. Teens use inhalants by sniffing or “snorting” fumes from containers; spraying aerosols directly into the mouth or nose; bagging, by inhaling a substance inside a paper or plastic bag; huffing from an inhalant-soaked rag; or inhaling from balloons filled with nitrous oxide. Inhalants are breathable chemical vapors that produce psychoactive (mind-altering) effects. Although people are exposed to volatile solvents and other inhalants in the home and in the workplace, many do not think of \"inhalable\" substances as drugs because most of them were never meant to be used in that way. Young people are likely to abuse inhalants, in part, because inhalants are readily available and inexpensive. Parents should see that these substances are monitored closely so that children do not abuse them. Inhalants fall into the following categories: Solvents • industrial or household solvents or solvent-containing products, including paint thinners or solvents, degreasers (dry-cleaning fluids), gasoline, and glues • art or office supply solvents, including correction fluids, felt-tip-marker fluid, and electronic contact cleaners Gases • gases used in household or commercial products, including butane lighters and propane tanks, whipping cream aerosols or dispensers (whippets), and refrigerant gases • household aerosol propellants and associated solvents in items such as spray paints, hair or deodorant sprays, and fabric protector sprays • medical anesthetic gases, such as ether, chloroform, halothane, and nitrous oxide (laughing gas) Nitrites • aliphatic nitrites, including cyclohexyl nitrite, which is available to the general public; amyl nitrite, which is available only by prescr iption; and butyl nitrite, which is now an illegal substance Health Hazards Short Term Effects. Nearly all abused inhalants produce effects similar to anesthetics, which act to slow down the body\'s functions. When inhaled in sufficient concentrations, inhalants can cause intoxicating effects that can last only a few minutes or several hours if inhalants are taken repeatedly. Initially, users may feel slightly stimulated; with successive inhalations, they may feel less inhibited and less in control; finally, a user can lose consciousness. Irreversible hazards. Inhalants are toxic. Chronic exposure can lead to brain damage or nerve damage similar to multiple sclerosis; damage to the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys; and prolonged abuse can affect thinking, movement, vision and hearing. Sniffing highly concentrated amounts of the chemicals in solvents or aerosol sprays can directly induce heart failure and death. Heart failure results from the chemicals interfering with the heart\'s rhythm regulating system, causing the heart to stop beating. This is especially common from the abuse of fluorocarbons and butane-type gases. High concentrations of inhalants also cause death from asphyxiation, suffocation, convulsions or seizures, coma, choking or fatal injury from accidents while intoxicated. Other irreversible effects caused by inhaling specific solvents are: • Hearing loss - toluene (paint sprays, glues, dewaxers) and trichloroethylene (cleaning fluids, correction fluids) • Peripheral neuropathies or limb spasms - hexane (glues, gasoline) and nitrous oxide (whipping cream, gas cylinders) • Central nervous system or brain damage - toluene (paint sprays, glues, dewaxers) • Bone marrow damage - benzene (gasoline) • Liver and kidney damage - toluene- containing substances and chlorinated hydrocarbons (correction fluids, dry- cleaning fluids) • Blood oxygen depletion - organic nitrites (\"poppers,\" \"bold,\" and \"rush\") and methylene chloride (varnish removers, paint thinners) Prevention. Parents can keep their teens away from inhalants by talking to them and letting them know the dangers of inhalants. Most young users don’t realize how dangerous inhalants can be. Inhalants are widely available and inexpensive, and parents should be mindful about how and where they store common household products.

Inhalants: Quick Facts What are inhalants Inhalants are volatile substances that produce chemical vapors that can be inhaled through the nose or mouth to induce a psychoactive, or mind-altering, effect. Although other abused substances can be inhaled, the term \"inhalants\" is used to describe a variety of substances whose main characteristic is that they are rarely, if ever, taken by any route other than inhalation. Hundreds of everyday household products are being used by kids to get a quick high by sniffing directly from an open container or \"huffing\" from a rag soaked in the substance held to the face. Common inhalants used to get high include rubber cement, paint thinner, nail polish remover, gasoline, correction fluids and bleach. Statistics • Use of inhalants increased in 2005 among eighth graders. This trend is troubling, since these substances are being abused by younger students. • According to the 2005 Monitoring the Future Study, the proportion of young people who believe it is dangerous to use inhalants has declined among eight and 10th graders over the past five years. (Table 5) • Research indicates a correlation between early inhalant use and delinquent behaviors, substance abuse and other problems later in life. (National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Section 1, Tables 1.19 to 1.27.) Effects of inhalants Inhalant use can cause a number of health problems, including suffocation and even death. • Short-term: heart palpitations, breathing difficulty, dizziness, headaches and possibly death. • Long-term: damage to the brain, nerve cells, heart, lungs, liver, kidney, and possibly death. Severe health consequences of inhalant use: • Suffocation - from inhaling fumes when head is covered in a plastic bag • Convulsions or seizures - caused by abnormal electrical discharges from the brain • Coma - brain shuts down almost all but most vital functions • Choking - occurs after inhalation of vomit following inhalant use • Fatal injury - from accidents suffered while intoxicated Physical signs of inhalant use • Unusual breath odor or chemical odor on clothing • Spots and/or sores around the mouth • Nausea and/or loss of appetite • Slurred or disoriented speech • Drunk, dazed or dizzy appearance • Red or runny eyes or nose Why do young people use inhalants instead of other drugs? The products are widely available, inexpensive, easy to conceal and legal. Most users do not realize how dangerous inhalants can be. Many young people start because they don\'t think these substances can hurt them. Once hooked, they find it a tough habit to break. Who is at risk for using inhalants? Inhalants are second only to marijuana in terms of adolescent drug use, and all kids are at risk. Youth drug use cuts across all geographic, socio-economic, racial and ethnic boundaries.

Marijuana What is marijuana Marijuana (grass, pot, and weed) is the common name for a crude drug made from the plant Cannabis sativa. The main mind-altering (psychoactive) ingredient in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), but more than 400 other chemicals also are in the plant. A marijuana \"joint\" (cigarette) is made from the dried particles of the plant. The amount of THC in the marijuana determines how strong its effects will be. The type of plant, the weather, the soil, the time of harvest, and other factors determine the strength of marijuana. The strength of today\'s marijuana is as much as ten times greater than the marijuana used in the early 1970s. This more potent marijuana increases physical and mental effects and the possibility of health problems for the user. Hashish, or hash, is made by taking the resin from the leaves and flowers of the marijuana plant and pressing it into cakes or slabs. Hash is usually stronger than crude marijuana and may contain five to ten times as much THC. Pure THC is almost never available, except for research. Substances sold as THC on the street often turn out to be something else, such as PCP. What are some of the immediate effects of smoking marijuana? Some immediate physical effects of marijuana include a faster heartbeat and pulse rate, bloodshot eyes, and a dry mouth and throat. No scientific evidence indicates that marijuana improves hearing, eyesight, and skin sensitivity. Studies of marijuana\'s mental effects show that the drug can impair or reduce short-term memory, alter sense of time, and reduce ability to do things which require concentration, swift reactions, and coordination, such as driving a car or operating machinery. Are there any other adverse reactions to marijuana? A common bad reaction to marijuana is the \"acute panic anxiety reaction.\" People describe this reaction as an extreme fear of \"losing control,\" which causes panic. The symptoms usually disappear in a few hours. What about psychological dependence on marijuana? Long-term regular users of marijuana may become psychologically dependent. They may have a hard time limiting their use, they may need more of the drug to get the same effect, and they may develop problems with their jobs and personal relationships. The drug can become the most important aspect of their lives. What are the dangers for young people? One major concern about marijuana is its possible effects on young people as they grow up. Research shows that the earlier people start using drugs, the more likely they are to go on to experiment with other drugs. In addition, when young people start using marijuana regularly, they often lose interest and are not motivated to do their schoolwork. The effects of marijuana can interfere with learning by impairing thinking, reading comprehension, and verbal and mathematical skills. Research shows that students do not remember what they have learned when they are \"high\". How does marijuana affect driving ability? Driving experiments show that marijuana affects a wide range of skills needed for safe driving -- thinking and reflexes are slowed, making it hard for drivers to respond to sudden, unexpected events. Also, a driver\'s ability to \"track\" (stay in lane) through curves, to brake quickly, and to maintain speed and the proper distance between cars is affected. Research shows that these skills are impaired for at least 4-6 hours after smoking a single marijuana cigarette, long after the \"high\" is gone. If a person drinks alcohol, along with using marijuana, the risk of an accident greatly increases. Marijuana presents a definite danger on the road. Does marijuana affect the human reproductive system? Some research studies suggest that the use of marijuana during pregnancy may result in premature babies and in low birth weights. Studies of men and women may have a temporary loss of fertility. These findings suggest that marijuana may be especially harmful during adolescence, a period of rapid physical and sexual development. How does marijuana affect the heart? Marijuana use increases the heart rate as much as 50 percent, depending on the amount of THC. It can cause chest pain in people who have a poor blood supply to the heart - and it produces these effects more rapidly than tobacco smoke does. How does marijuana affect the lungs? Scientists believe that marijuana can be especially harmful to the lungs because users often inhale the unfiltered smoke deeply and hold it in their lungs as long as possible. Therefore, the smoke is in contact with lung tissues for long periods of time, which irritates the lungs and damages the way they work. Marijuana smoke contains some of the same ingredients in tobacco smoke that can cause emphysema and cancer. In addition, many marijuana users also smoke cigarettes; the combined effects of smoking these two substances creates an increased health risk. Can marijuana cause cancer? Marijuana smoke has been found to contain more cancer-causing agents than is found in tobacco smoke. Examination of human lung tissue that had been exposed to marijuana smoke over a long period of time in a laboratory showed cellular changes called metaplasia that are considered precancerous. In laboratory test, the tars from marijuana smoke have produced tumors when applied to animal skin. These studies suggest that it is likely that marijuana may cause cancer if used for a number of years. How people are usually introduced to marijuana? Many young people are introduced to marijuana by their peers - usually acquaintances, friends, sisters, and brothers. People often try drugs such as marijuana because they feel pressured by peers to be part of the group. Children must be taught how to say no to peer pressure to try drugs. Parents can get involved by becoming informed about marijuana and by talking to their children about drug use. What is marijuana \"burnout\"? \"Burnout\" is a term first used by marijuana smokers themselves to describe the effect of prolonged use. Young people who smoke marijuana heavily over long periods of time can become dull, slow moving, and inattentive. These \"burned-out\" users are sometimes so unaware of their surroundings that they do not respond when friends speak to them, and they do not realize they have a problem. How long do chemicals from marijuana stay in the body after the drug is smoked? When marijuana is smoked, THC, its active ingredient, is absorbed by most tissues and organs in the body; however, it is primarily found in fat tissues. The body, in its attempt to rid itself of the foreign chemical, chemically transforms the THC into metabolites. Urine tests can detect THC metabolites for up to a week after people have smoked marijuana. Tests involving radioactively labeled THC have traced these metabolites in animals for up to a month.

Cocaine Addiction Cocaine addiction is a serious condition that is difficult to treat effectively due to its addictive properties. Clinically it can be used as a local anesthetic though it is more often used recreationally. It is used recreationally by those with cocaine addiction because it is a stimulant of the central nervous system giving rise to what has been described as a euphoric sense of happiness and increased energy. This sense of well-being and contentment is a result of cocaine’s positive effect on the brain’s reward system. Continued stimulation of this centre can cause cocaine addiction. Cocaine in its purest form is a white, pearly product. Street market cocaine is frequently altered or “cut” with various powdery fillers to increase its weight before sale to those with cocaine addiction. The commonly added compounds in this process are baking soda, sugars and local anesthetics which mimic or add to cocaine\'s numbing effect on mucous membranes. Cocaine may also be \"cut\" with other stimulants such as methamphetamine or more dangerously, strong toxins producing vasodilatory effects. For example a nosebleed is incorrectly regarded by those with cocaine addiction as a sign of purity. Cocaine Addiction Cocaine is readily absorbed through any mucous membrane such as those found in the mouth, nose, and lungs via chewing, snorting, or smoking respectively. Alternatively, many with a cocaine addiction inject it directly into their blood stream. It can only be smoked if it is in a form where it doesn’t dissolve in water. Smoking cocaine is preferred by many with cocaine addiction because the cocaine is absorbed immediately into blood without the need for needles. When in the blood it can reach the brain very quickly. The rush is much more intense than snorting, but does not last as long. The rush from smoking is over almost as soon as the person with the cocaine addiction exhales the vapor. However, the high often lasts up to ten minutes. The side effects of cocaine addiction are many and diverse. They range from chronic runny nose to hyperthermia, muscle damage respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest, and brain damage. These side effects are related both to the size of dose and to how long cocaine has been used. Smoking or injecting cocaine can be particularly dangerous as those with cocaine addiction typically continue to smoke cocaine until none is left or inject too much resulting in an overdose. The specific treatment of cocaine overdose is either the intravenous administration of a short-acting barbiturate, such as adrenaline, or diazepam by a licensed medical professional. There is no antidote for overdose. Regardless, death is often the end result of a person’s cocaine addiction.

The Effects Of Cocaine The effects of cocaineon the body are multiple. Three areas that are acutely affected are the central nervous system, the gastrointestinal system, and the cardiovascular system. The effects of cocaine on the central nervous system are perhaps the most severe and the most damaging. Cocaine inhibits the release of dopamine and other neurochemicals in the brain. This is what causes the euphoric high that users often feel. However, one of the long-term effects of cocaine is that the brain slows down and eventually stops producing these neurons because it is getting them artificially. This can lead to mood and behavior alterations that include paranoia, irritability, restlessness, and auditory hallucinations. Effects of Cocaine A decreased appetite, which can lead to malnutrition, is one of the other effects of cocaine on the central nervous system. The effects of cocaine on the gastrointestinal system, while not as common, may include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. The cardiovascular system is another area that suffers from the effects of cocaine. Cocaine causes blood vessels to constrict. This leads to dilated pupils, increased body temperature and heart rate, and blood pressure since there is an increased demand for oxygen by the heart. The most commonly reported cardiovascular problems related to the effects of cocaine are Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), commonly known as a heart attack, and various arrhythmias. Strokes, seizures, and convulsions are also some of the cardiovascular effects of cocaine. Finally, the effects of cocaine are serious and by causing significant damage to the central nervous, the gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular systems, can even be fatal.

Side Effects Of Cocaine The side effects of cocaine tend to affect the entire body, especially the central nervous system and cardiovascular system. The side effects of cocaine are thought to be due to excessively high plasma levels resulting from excessive ingestion of the drug and the subsequent rapid absorption into the blood stream. Often this leads to overdose and death due to respiratory and cardiovascular failure. The active component of cocaine must enter the brain by crossing a protective covering known as the blood brain barrier. Once across this barrier, effects and side effects of cocaine due to central nervous system activity can be seen. The central nervous system reactions are both excitatory and/or depressant. These side effects of cocaine are characterized by nervousness, restlessness, and excitement. As these side effects of cocaine progress, tremors and eventually epileptic-like convulsions may occur. Vomiting is also common. Following the excitatory side effects of cocaine is the depressive and more dangerous side effects of cocaine. Respiratory depression results displaying slowed rate of breathing and decreased sensitivity to increasing carbon dioxide levels in the blood. Eventually, at high doses, respiratory related side effects of cocaine result in respiratory failure and death Side Effects of Cocaine In the cardiovascular system, small doses actually cause the heart rate to slow down. With increasing doses, the side effects of cocaine are stimulatory causing increasing heart rate and increasing sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight responsiveness) to increase. Part of this response is to cause blood vessels to constrict. These side effects of cocaine result in increasing blood pressure and body temperature. Other side effects of cocaine include the shedding of corneal epithelium layers. This causes clouding, pitting, and occasionally ulcer formation on the eye. Due to the side effects of cocaine, this drug is not meant for ophthalmic use.

Addiction: \&Quot;Drugs, Brains, And Behavior - The Science Of Addiction\&Quot How Science Has Revolutionized the Understanding of Drug Addiction Throughout much of the last century, scientists studying drug abuse labored in the shadows of powerful myths and misconceptions about the nature of addiction. When science began to study addictive behavior in the 1930s, people addicted to drugs were thought to be morally flawed and lacking in willpower. Those views shaped society\'s responses to drug abuse, treating it as a moral failing rather than a health problem, which led to an emphasis on punitive rather than preventative and therapeutic actions. Today, thanks to science, our views and our responses to drug abuse have changed dramatically. Groundbreaking discoveries about the brain have revolutionized our understanding of drug addiction, enabling us to respond effectively to the problem. As a result of scientific research, we know that addiction is a disease that affects both brain and behavior. We have identified many of the biological and environmental factors and are beginning to search for the genetic variations that contribute to the development and progression of the disease. Scientists use this knowledge to develop effective prevention and treatment approaches that reduce the toll drug abuse takes on individuals, families, and communities. Despite these advances, many people today do not understand why individuals become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. This booklet aims to fill that knowledge gap by providing scientific information about the disease of drug addiction, including the many harmful consequences of drug abuse and the basic approaches that have been developed to prevent and treat the disease. At the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), we believe that increased understanding of the basics of addiction will empower people to make informed choices in their own lives, adopt science-based policies and programs that reduce drug abuse and addiction in their communities, and support scientific research that improves the Nation\'s well-being. Nora D. Volkow, M.D.

How To Give Up Smoking Some smokers accost by saying \"Do not tell me why I should stop smoking, but tell me how to stop. It is worth mentioning that 5 - 16 % of smokers are able to stop for six months at least with out aid means or medical treatments. But, the studies pointed out that the smokers who use medical treatments are able to stop for more than six months from those who do not use them. Besides, the supportive behavioral programs increase the proportion of the success average of giving up smoking program. It can be said that it is not only one correct way to follow in order to stop smoking, but there are some keys for the success of giving up smoking program. There are 4 major factors: - Making the decision to give up smoking. - Choosing a specific appointment and a giving up plan. - Dealing with the withdrawal symptoms. -The constancy of giving up smoking. Making the decision: This decision must come from the person himself, that there could be some around this person who want him to stop smoking. But the true decision comes from inside this person. There are some points that the more belief in them increases the success proportion of making the decision such as: the convention that there is proportion of being infected with smoking complications, that this person will make a serious and honest attempt to stop, and finally the convention that the benefits he could make out of giving up are more than those of smoking \"if they are found\". Choosing a specific appointment and a giving up plan: Whenever the decision is made, this person becomes able to specify an appointment, which is considered a very important step. Usually, the appointment is made through the next days that this person can be given a chance to think deeply, to have an interlocution with him, and to discover all about smoking inside him: why does he smoke? Why should he stop? What makes him smoke? And other questions. The smoker can use pen and paper to record his thoughts that he can use them later. There are many ways to give up smoking, one of them is by reducing the cigarettes he smokes gradually, usually this way is not recommended because practically it looks hard to implement. Another way is to completely give up smoking not gradually. There are some steps that help in the preparation for this stage and in its success: - Telling family and friends about the giving up decision and the specific day (announcement for him). - Specifying the plan which will be followed..... Is he going to use Nicotine alternatives? Is he going to join special programs for giving up? - Starting to make himself get used to the expression \"no ... thank you .... I do not smoke\" - Trying to find himself a supportive system (friend, family member, it is better if this person gave up smoking before) - It is preferred that the appointment synchronizes with appropriate circumstances not with incidental life troubles (family, work problems, tests .....etc) that the timing dose not fail and in order not to lose the bet with himself and get frustrated. Totally, it can be said that the success to give up is a commitment and a plan issue not a coincidence. In the day specified for the giving up, this person should: - Never smoke - Get ride of everything related to smoking (cigarettes, lighter, ashtray, and others). - Try to remain active by practicing sport or loved hobbies. - Drink a lot of liquids. - Avoid places or gatherings that could increase his desire to smoke. Dealing with the withdrawal symptoms: After giving up smoking, some people suffer from some symptoms that could be physical such as (headache and feeling tired) or psychological such as (worry and additional nervousness). Usually those are simple symptoms that do not threaten life and could be passed by using suitable treatments or by practicing relaxation exercises. Some consider it hard to lose the connection between smoking and doing a specific behavior (smoking while watching television or smoking while drinking coffee....etc ).So, this person should think quietly about how to lose these wrong justifications connected to this behavior, specially as they do not depend on a correct base. Besides, there are another wrong justifications that smoker use to continue smoking \"I will have this cigarette until this crisis pass\" \"today is not the right day, I will start tomorrow\". This happens with no clear reason or a justification to delay. He also says \"I do not have failings except for smoking\" or \"how could smoking be harmful while my grandfather smoked for his whole life and had nothing\" and other justifications that could bring him back to smoking again. Smoker can write these justifications to discuss it quietly and neutrally. Avoiding people whom he used to smoke with or places where he used to smoke in and changing some of his habits such as changing his way to work or having juice instead of coffee, helps in getting over the first stage successfully. Besides, he can use other alternatives such as a gum free of sugar, nuts, or siwak. This person who gave up smoking must restrict commit to the promise he made with him self after a deep thinking, The constancy of giving up smoking: It is the most important step that the person seeks. A lot of people say \"we gave it up for many times then smoked again \". We should pay attention that one cigarette means that you smoke again. Here, we should mention that the desire to smoke after giving it up is not usually continuous, but comes and goes quickly and keeping yourself busy helps in getting these moments over. Gaining weight after giving up smoking: The expected gained weight makes some think of not giving up smoking, although their weight increases slightly and its dangerous can not be compared to smoking dangerous. Besides, such increase can be overcomes by following instructions such as eating as lot of fruits and vegetables, reducing fats, and exercising regularly specially walking which reduces tension and keeps them physically active. What are the benefits someone makes out of giving up smoking? Luckily, the physical changes occurred because of smoking begin to retrograde during the first minutes. For example, after twenty minutes, blood pressure and heartbeat come back to their normal average. During the next hours, carbon dioxide decreases and oxygen increases. Later, smell and taste senses improve. The positive changes continue for days and weeks. As a result, the infection average of cancer, stroke, and heart failure decrease. Celerity and skin appearance improve. These are some of the most important reasons that one should seek to improve his life and enjoy it clear from diseases. Thus, we notice that there are many benefits one can make just by giving up smoking. The available treatments: The treatments used for helping those who want to give up smoking vary .For example: nicotine alternatives, medicinal and psychological treatment. Nicotine alternatives are used for saving a particular proportion of nicotine during the day. They are better than cigarettes that they only contain of nicotine and are free from the other harmful substances. These alternatives have many forms. Stickers which last for 16 - 24 hours and then replaced by another one, usually the treatment using stickers last for two months. The nicotine gum which is considered one of the quickest alternatives for its effect. It is used according to this person need and the treatment last for 1 - 3 months. Also, there is the nicotine spray .They began to use it on 1998 by using a particular quantity and the treatment last for 6 months. In addition to other alternatives nicotine sweet and the nasal spray. But for the medicinal treatments, there is the Bupropion Zypan, a medicine used for treating depression, which was discovered to help in giving up smoking. It reduces both the withdrawal symptoms and the desire for nicotine. This medicine is given by a medical prescr iption after the doctor evaluates the case. The treatment last for 12 weeks. One of the medicines that are used recently is the Chantix which reduces the withdrawal symptoms, this medicine led to a lot of positive results. The Chinese needles and the silver abutting treatments are also used. Their benefits lie in reducing the withdrawal symptoms and the desire for nicotine by instigating the brain to excrete particular substances. Usually, it is recommended to participate in more than one treatment method to get the best results. Dr.Moubarak Ghareib combating smoking clinic doctor