poppies for heroin and cannabis for hashish or marijuana. Now drugs such as Ecstasy or LSD are produced by synthesizing various chemicals. Drugs of abuse fall into three categories: Depressants (e.g. heroin, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines), Stimulants (cocaine, crack, amphetamines, and methamphetamines) and Hallucinogens (Ecstasy, LSD) and all are ingested in tablet form, inhaled, smoked, injected or snorted.
Depressants are sedatives that act on the nervous system. They provide artificial relaxation and relief from anxiety and mental stress but tend to produce psychological dependence; withdrawal from heavy use is severe.
Stimulants are agents that activate, enhance, or increase activity of the central nervous system. They include amphetamines and synthetic appetite suppressants such as phenmetrazine or methylphenidate. Stimulants can give rise to symptoms suggestive of intoxication, including tachycardia, papillary dilation, elevated blood pressure and nausea or vomiting. They can also cause violent and aggressive behaviour, agitation and impaired judgement. A full blown delusional psychosis may occur.
Hallucinogens are chemically divers and produce profound mental changes such as euphoria, anxiety, sensory distortion, vivid hallucinations, paranoia and depression. They include ecstasy and LSD.
MARIJUANA
Mood swings; euphoria, excitability, hallucinations, increased appetite, dryness of mouth; reddening of the eyes; increased pulse rate and blood pressure, dilated pupils, nausea and vomiting, odour of burned rope on the breath.
COCAINE/CRACK
Excitability, anxiety, talkativeness, increased pulse rate and blood pressure, dilation of pupils, faster breathing, temperature, sweating, loss of appetite,
Bizarre, erratic, sometimes violent behaviour and paranoid psychosis, that disappears if discontinued.
HEROIN
Lethargy, drowsiness, confusion, euphoria, slurred speech, flushing of skin on face, neck and chest, nausea and vomiting, chronic constipation, constricted pupils, respiratory depression, scars or abscesses at injection sites, apathy, lessened physical activity.
AMPHETAMINE
Excitability, rapid and unclear speech, restlessness, tremors, insomnia, dry mouth and lips, bad breath, itchy nose, dilated pupils, increased pulse and blood press, hallucinations, psychoses, loss of appetite, faster breathing, increased body temperature.
BENZODIAZIPINES
Amnesia, reduced alertness, impaired driving ability, drowsiness, and confusion and panic attacks. The Pupils will also be mildly dilated. Large doses can induce sleep and very large doses can cause depression of the breathing mechanism and result in death
BARBITURATES
Similar to alcohol intoxication, slurred speech, drowsiness, confusion,
In coordination, tremors, lower pulse rate and blood pressure, mildly dilated pupils, respiratory depression, diminished emotional responses to external stimuli (pain, reduced inhibitions, mental activity and alertness, lethargy).
MORPHINE
Similar to heroin, lethargy, drowsiness, confusion, euphoria, slurred speech, flushing of skin on face, neck and chest, nausea and vomiting, chronic constipation, constricted pupils, respiratory depression, scars or abscesses at injection sites.
METHAMPHETAMINE
Methamphetamine chemical structure is similar to that of Amphetamine, but has more pronounced affects on the nervous system and has a higher potential for abuse and addiction. It causes increased activity, decreased appetite, sense of well-being, and state of agitation that can lead to violent behaviour.
MDMA/ECSTASY
The ecstasy group comprises synthetic substances which are related to that of the Amphetamine chemical structure. Effects are feelings of emotional closeness to others (empathy), increased sociability (used at rave parties) and increased physical and emotional energy. Often followed by fatigue and perhaps depression after the drug is stopped, restlessness, anxiety and pronounced visual and auditory hallucinatory, nausea and vomiting and a rise in blood pressure and heart rate, death from heat stroke.
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