Drugs 'n' youths

Ecstasy

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Ecstasy which is also known as tab, ecty, happy face, disco burgers, doves etc..... Ecstasy is a tablet that is hand made using very dangerous chemicals. Ecstasy has become a very popular drug taken by hundreds of people around the world. It is mainly taken for the party moods, where you can dance the whole night away.

Ecstasy usually takes effect 20 to 30 minutes after you have taken it, it is taken by the mouth and wears off about 3 to 4 hours after it has been consumed. The taker can feel and see things much nicer then it was and also your hearing sounds are better which put you in a dancing mood particularly when the music has a strong rhythm. Ecstasy puts you in a relaxing mood, sleepiness, sexual behavior and in easy temperment.

Afterward, it can cause exhaustion and depression after ecstasy has been consumed and worn out of the body system. The side effects are sweating constantly, chills, blurry vision, increase of the heart rate, it can also cause internal bleeding, damage the liver and kidney and cause heavy period for girls.

PCP is applied to cigarettes or marijuana and smoked

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Phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP, is the most dangerous of the hallucinogens. It is sold on the streets under at least fifty other names that reflect its range of bi zarre and volatile effects. Included in those names are angel dust, supergrass, killer weed, K J, embalming fluid, rocket fuel and sherms. In some areas of the country, it is called crystal (not to be confused with methamphetamines). PCP is sometimes passed off as other drugs such as mescaline, LSD, THC, or cocaine.

In its pure form, PCP is a white, crystalline powder that readily dissolves in water. Most PCP is manu- factured in makeshift laboratories containing contaminants that cause the drug's color to range from tan to brown and the consistency from powder to a gummy mass. It is seen most often in powder or liquid form, and is commonly applied to dark brown cigarettes or leafy materials such as parsley, mint, oregano, marijuana, or tobacco, and then smoked. When in its liquid form, PCP is packaged in small vials or other small glass containers.

If your child is under the influence of PCP, he or she may show many of the signs of LSD use, such as appearing detached from reality or estranged from his or her surroundings. Other symptoms include rapid and involuntary eye movement, an exaggerated walk, numbness, slurred speech, blocked speech, and a loss of coordination.

PCP is unique because of its power to produce psychosis indistinguishable from schizophrenia. It can cause extraordinary strength, a sense of invulnerability, and extreme image distortion. The user may become violent, causing injury to himself or others. Although such extreme psychotic reactions are usually associated with repeated use of the drug, they have been known to occur in some cases after only one dose. As with LSD, if your child is under the influence of PCP, he or she should be closely supervised so they do not harm themselves or others.

PCP episodes, or flashbacks, may occur long after the drug has left the body.

Narcotics

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Well known for their medical use of relieving severe pain, narcotics are commonly abused drugs because of their euphoric effect and highly addictive quality. Most of the drugs in this category are administered orally or through intramuscular injection, and can be legally obtained under medical supervision. But narcotics such as heroin, opium, morphine, and codeine are frequently sold on the illicit market to addicts. (Not as well known are the narcotics hydromorphone, meperidine, and methadone.)

When narcotics are regularly used, the body eventually demands more of the drug in order to achieve the same high, which is known as developing a drug tolerance. Withdrawal symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, yawning and perspiration will develop only six to eight hours following the last use of the drug. Within 48 to 72 hours, more severe withdrawal symptoms may develop, including restlessness, irritability, appetite loss, tremors, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and chills alternating with excessive sweating. It may take one to two weeks for the body to return to "normal."

LSD comes in liquid form and is applied to paper or pills and swallowed

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LSD comes in liquid form and is applied to paper or pills and swallowed

LSD is an extremely powerful hallucinogen that was popular in the '60s and is becoming popular once again. It is an odorless and colorless chemically manufactured drug. Street names for the drug include acid, blotter acid, microdot, and white lightning, and the street name for the duration of the hallucinogenic effect or high is called a "trip."

Because LSD is so potent, the dosage needed for a trip is incredibly small. A microscopic drop of the drug can be put on paper, small gelatin squares, or any other absorbant material and ingested.

Anything that can be swallowed can be used as a carrier for LSD.

The hallucinogenic effect of LSD can last from two to twelve hours. During this time, judgment may be impaired, visual perception may seem distorted, and hallucinations may occur (the sense of reality may become highly distorted).

Physical effects of LSD include dilated pupils, elevated body temperature, high blood pressure, hallucinations, and a disoriented sense of direction, distance, and time. Bad trips can result in panic, paranoia, anxiety, loss of control, confusion, and psychosis. If your child is under the influence of LSD, he or she should be closely supervised so they do not harm themselves or others.

One possible side effect of LSD is called a "flashback". For several years after taking the drug, the hallucinogenic effect of the drug may reappear temporarily and without warning.

Cocaine

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Cocaine which is also known as coke, or snow. Cocaine is a white crystaline powder mix with talcum powder or fine sugar, it can be sniffed through a straw or a rolled paper or it can also be smoked or injected into the body. Sniffing cocaine can damage the nasal membrane.

Cocaine is know as a medicine used by many doctors around the world as a pain killer.

Cannabis

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Cannabis which is also known on the streets, bars etc...as dope, pot, draw, grass and weed. When you smoke it it makes you talk alot, cheers you up, relaxes you and you can find things much more colourful and beautiful. Many users can also find themselves on the eating buzz.

Cannabis causes bloodshot eyes, toubles your heartbeat and makes your mouth and throat very dry. It can also cause panic attacks and make you very paranoid but the symptoms usually disappear after a few hours.

Heavy cananbis user's can cause brain damage, short term memory, and may cause lung cancer, in some women it can cause irregular periods or even heavy periods, and agressive behaviour.

Alcohol

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Drinking large amounts of alcoholic drinks such as wine, beer and spirits can lead to every day drinking and put you in financial problems. What may seem as a little bit of light fun to loosen you up could end up becoming an every day habit that you may not be able to control. The dangers of consuming alcohol are enormous from kidney and liver damage, cancerous tumors and damage to your brain and eyesight. Consuming alcohol whilst pregnant can be very harmful to the unborn baby causing premature birth and birth defects. In the long run, it can delay the development of the child throughout its growth as well as cause bad behavior, falling back in school, and various health problems. There is a high risk of fetal alcohol syndrome in the offspring of alcoholic women. Smoking cigarettes doesn't help and can cause lung cancer and be harmful to unborn babies.

The effects of alcoholism, both physical and psychological, are devastating with the consequences being harmful to not only the drinker, but those around him or her. From your first drink, the effects are immediately apparent as one's judgment and coordination becomes impaired. It becomes abused when it takes control of one's physical and mental health and negatively impacts on family, social and work responsibilities.

Here are five physical alcohol effects:

Reduced inhibitions

Memory loss/passing out

Losing control of muscles and body coordination

Coma

Stupor

Short term effects include hangovers, fatigue, headaches, nausea and the effects of continued alcohol abuse include malnutrition, brain damage, liver damage, heart muscle damage, high blood pressure, nerve damage, pancreatitis, increased cancer risks, esophagus bleeding, erectile dysfunction in men, insomnia and depression.

Medication bought in super markets

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Taking medication such as painkillers & sleeping pills can make drastic changes to your system, which means that your body can become use to it. If dependency occurs, eventually over time, your body tends to depend on these medications to function normally at all times. When medication (painkillers etc....) are withdrawn, this causes weakness to your body which make you increase the normal dosage.

Drugs in High Schools

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It’s a bright, sunny afternoon. The halls, between class periods, are bustling with anxious high school students conversing excitedly with others. Faintly, a student can be heard asking another peer, “How much for an 1/8 g of chronic?” This isn’t a dark and dangerous alley where this drug exchange is occurring. It’s a relatively middle class high school in suburban San Diego.

There is still a belief among adults that drugs cannot possibly be in schools and are not exchanged among adolescent students. Junior Erika Rubalcaba says that, “ parents are naive because they don’t want to believe that their own child is involved in drugs.”

After all, school is supposed to be a safe haven, right? Wrong. The truth is, it’s not.

It’s not uncommon before school for some students to smoke marijuana after their parents drop them off. Not only that, it is often done right on the school campus often far, like the football field, where faculty don’t consider anything mischievous.

Statistics, by the American Medical Association, show that approximately 76 % of high school students say drugs are kept, used, or sold on school grounds.

One senior said that they do drugs because it was a sort of “false happiness beyond belief. It was a relaxed feeling that can’t be described because it sort of takes you out of reality into a surreal world where everything seems easy going.”

Drugs are everywhere. And having them around school makes them feel even more pressured by other kids to do them. Drugs, are often a crutch for people to lean on and make them feel good. In other words adolescents feel it gets rid of worries from their everyday lives. Others begin by trying the illicit substance then become hooked on it.

It’s as easy as walking up to a student and asking where they get their drugs. In high schools everywhere, obtaining drugs are all about having connections, knowing those who sell them. Those who sell them are also the ones who have the major connections.

Many students who use drugs regularly depend on the drug dealers for stashes of marijuana. How exactly do these young kids obtain the drugs to sell?

One such dealer, around 17, with a baby face and hazel eyes isn’t what is typically thought of as selling drugs. The truth be told, dealers range in all shapes and sizes. It just so happens this young faced teen became mixed up in a drug induced world-early in high school.

One student drug dealer revealed that he gets the marijuana from a guy who makes trips to Arizona. He in response passes it on to the young kids who then sell it to their fellow students.

Teens sell drugs because they think its quick cash. There is not real labor involved and they might think they are not old enough to work a real job and need money so they sell it.

It’s a materialist world we live in and kids are influenced to want the best. Money is the only way to reach this high life. And selling drugs is often the easiest and best way to get money.

Recent studies show that, “American teenagers are cutting off their use of marijuana,” according to the Department of Health and Human Services in all age groups from 394 schools. But marijuana still remains as the most “popular” illicit substance among students.

The fact remains that drugs continue to be prevalent in schools. It is hard to say that drugs will one day be wiped out. The reality is its difficult to stop a cycle that has already been consumed in society.

Methamphetamine - Ice

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Ice comes in clear rock crystals of varying sizes and is sold in clear, heat sealed cellophane packets

Ice is the translucent crystal, smokable form of methamphetamine. It is also commonly called glass or crystal and, like other stimulants, is highly addictive. (In terms of molecular structure, ice and methamphetamine are the same). The use of ice results in a longer, more intense high and an enhanced and more rapid onset of the negative effects of other forms of methamphetamine.

Similar in appearance to rock candy or rock salt, ice is sold in clear, heat sealed cellophane packets. It is smoked by using a one-chamber pipe (bong) where the ice is heated until it turns to a gas, and then inhaled by the user.

If your teenager is using ice, he or she may experience increased alertness, euphoria, appetite loss, dilated pupils, elevated heart rate, increased respiration, and elevated body temperature. Prolonged use can cause blurred vision, dizziness, loss of coordination, collapse and toxic psychosis. Prolonged use of ice will also cause damage to other organs, particularly the lungs, liver and kidneys. Heavy short-term or prolonged use can also cause delusional states or even a toxic psychosis similar to paranoid schizophrenia. Acute depression and fatigue may result when the use of ice is stopped. An overdose can result in high blood pressure, fever, stroke, heart failure and death.

Ice and the pocket micro-torch, and the glass pipe used to smoke the drug

Some law enforcement and treatment professionals see ice as a growing problem because of its purity and its immediate and intense effect, which may, depending on the dose, last from 2-14 hours. In addition, its use may become popular because the smoking of ice eliminates the use of a needle, thereby reducing the risk of AIDS and other blood diseases; while the low cost of production results in large profits for the dealers who sell ice and the clan lab operators who produce it.

Teenage Drug Abuse - Effects on schooling

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Drugs have no rightful place anywhere in society; however, they have even less of a place in academic environments where teens are living in their most formative years. That the teen drug/alcohol user's academic performance is severely impaired, along with his or her level of responsibility – such as skipping class, failing to complete assignments, etc. – speaks to the notion that drug and alcohol use is rampant throughout American middle and high schools. This abuse has produced teenage student body's with many abusers whose relationships, reputations, futures, wallets, self-images and especially grades suffer as a direct result of the teen drug abuse.

One might readily argue that teenage drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions on some college campuses and high school facilities. Alcohol – one of the most misused drugs today – is also one of the most popular and readily available of all types of drugs and controlled substances found on high school campuses. Waking in a stupor after the previous night's party, missing classes, falling behind and ultimately losing whatever funding may have accompanied one's higher education is but a single representation of how drugs and/or alcohol can detrimentally impact one's academic experience. Many teens think college is just one big party now that they are on their own at school. However, the soiree does not last long once parents find out the extent to which their teen children have detrimentally impacted their scholastic rating by skipping class, failing to complete assignments and generally neglecting their scholastic responsibilities.

There was once a time when college students represented some of America's most lively, ambitious and energetic population. However, the teenage drug abuse and alcohol abuse of today has severely tarnished that image. "…Attitudes toward society among college students today have changed beyond recognition" (Stockwell, 2001). Being that college and high school is one of the most stressful of all periods in a person's life, students claim that removing their ability to blow off steam has proven even more detrimental than the activities caused by drinking. "When the Man comes along and denies students the right to have fun (like tailgating at Munn field) they're going to be pissed off. It's like taking away some people's purpose in life. It's sad to think that it's the only thing that people do, but that's what's important to them and they'll fight for it" (Alcid, 1998, p. PG).

Common ways to store and conceal marijuana.

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In low doses, marijuana can induce restlessness, a dreamy state of relaxation, red or bloodshot eyes, and increased appetite. Stronger doses can cause shifting sensory images, rapidly fluctuating emotions, a loss of self-identity, fantasies, and hallucinations or image distortions.

Marijuana is smoked in small pipes or rolled into cigarettes which are sometimes held by "roach clips".

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Marijuana is smoked in small pipes or rolled into cigarettes which are sometimes held by "roach clips".

Paraphernalia associated with marijuana includes pipes, bangs, rolling papers, plastic bags, roach clips, "stash boxes" (decorative boxes designed to conceal and store marijuana), and eye drops and breath fresheners used to cover up signs of use of the drug.

Marijuana is sold in plastic bags or in hand rolled cigarettes known as joints.

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Marijuana is sold in plastic bags or in hand rolled cigarettes known as joints.

Following alcohol, marijuana is the second most popular drug with youth. It consists of the leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds of the cannabis plant, which are dried and chopped into small amounts. Marijuana can also be found as Sinsemilla, the potent flowering tops of the female marijuana plant.

Commonly referred to as grass, pot, weed, Acapulco Gold, ganja, and smoke, marijuana is usually sold and stored in small plastic bags, aluminum foil, or small rolled cigarettes. Marijuana is usually smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes called "joints," and has a strong, pungent odor when smoked. Once the marijuana cigarette is partially smoked, it is often held by a small clip called a "roach clip." (Roach clips are made from many items, such as tweezers or electrical clips.) The leaves can also be smoked in small wooden pipes or water-filled pipes called "bongs." And finally, marijuana can also be blended into food, then cooked and eaten, most often in brownies.

Troubled Teens - The teen drug problem

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Troubled Teens - The teen drug problem
The teen drug problem in America has drawn the attention many parents in recent years. According to the 1998 National Household Survey on Teen Drug Abuse, nearly ten percent of teens between the ages of twelve and seventeen used illegal drugs - a number less than 11.4 percent from just the year prior – including marijuana (8.3%), cocaine (0.8%) and inhalants (1.1%) (SAMHSA, 1998). Statistics for 2002 reflect a slight drop in teenage drug usage to 8.3 percent for overall consumption of all illicit drugs. Still heading the list as most commonly used drug for troubled teens was marijuana (75% of all teen users) followed by cocaine (0.9%) and marijuana combined with one or more other drugs (20%). Cigarettes were found to be a strong precursor for troubled teens to who used illicit drugs, representing about eight times the number to those teens who smoked (48.1%) and those teens who did not (6.2%). Gender differences play a role as well amongst teenagers, with a greater majority of male teens using illegal drugs (12.3%) than their female teenage counterparts (10.9%) (SAMHSA, 2002).

Alcohol, a legal drug restricted to teens only by age, proves both plentiful, available and popular among teens aged twelve through seventeen, with both casual and binge drinking reflecting a higher percentage of usage in college-age teens (GDCADA, 2004). This website aims to explore statistics, and problems to the

Drugs in Pragnency

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Pregnancy, whether planned or a pleasant surprise, brings with it important concerns about prescription and over the counter drugs. Not every medication poses a risk to your unborn baby. However, some do. Talk to your doctor. Discuss the relative risks and benefits of any prescribed drug therapy and do NOT take over-the-counter drugs or naturopathic remedies without first consulting your physician.
If you are currently planning your pregnancy, supplement your diet now with appropriate amounts of folic acid.

If you are already pregnant, Motherisk's published research can help you and your doctor make informed decisions about possible drug therapy. Since 1985, Motherisk has reviewed data from around the world, conducting controlled, prospective studies to determine the potential risks of therapeutic drugs during pregnancy. It is now clear that there are many drugs that are safe for use in pregnancy.

दृग्स इन pragnency

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what's that?

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view this

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click here

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Inhalants

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Common inhalants include some types of model cement, cooking sprays, hair spray, deodorant, liquid paper, aerosol sprays, paint, paint thinner, gasoline, and solvents. Inhalants are used by spraying or pouring the substance on a rag and the vapors (fumes) inhaled. This induces a short-lived, light-headed euphoric state in the abuser.

Hashish

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Hashish is produced from the THC-rich secretions of the Cannabis plant (marijuana plant). Hashish is the resinous substance taken from the tops of female plants, which contains the highest concentration of THC. "Hash" is usually sold in balls or cakes. Most commonly used by smoking (pipe, bong) or ingesting (eating foods containing hash).

Hashish

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Depressants

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Depressants As the name implies, depressants interact to depress the activities of the central nervous system. There are three categories of depressants: hypnotics--which induce sleep; sedatives--which do not induce sleep but produce a relaxing effect; and tranquilizers, such as Valium and Xanax. Depressants can be synthetic (barbiturates) or occur naturally in plants. Depressants can also be referred to as benzodiazepines. Trade names include Valium, Librium, Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Tranxene, and Dalmane.

Crack Cocaine Powder

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Powder cocaine cannot be smoked unless chemically altered--thus crack cocaine. A chemically altered form of powder cocaine that is a hard, rock-like substance that is easy to handle and conceal. Crack cocaine is smokeable and creates an intense, immediate high. Because crack cocaine is nearly pure cocaine, doses are smaller and cheaper to obtain than cocaine. Crack cocaine can be instantly addictive.

Cocaine

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Cocaine is one of the most powerful stimulants found in nature. Cocaine is derived from Coca plant leaves. The leaves are treated with salt and gasoline and allowed to sit. The liquid is later drained and refined into cocaine base. Cocaine base can be smoked but typically is refined into a powder form. Powder cocaine (HCL) is inhaled into the nasal passages or can be dissolved in water and injected into the body via a syringe. Because of cocaine's high melting point, it cannot be smoked. In order to be smoked, it must be altered using the chemical process known as freebasing. Freebasing involves mixes the cocaine with other solvents over a heat source. This process can (and often is) deadly for the abuser.

Amphetamine/Methamphetamine

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Both are chemical stimulants were primarily developed to treat various medical conditions. However, the street versions of these compounds are cooked up in clandestine "kitchens" using a variety of hazardous and volatile chemicals. Both stimulants can be inhaled, smoked, and injected by the abuser.

Alcohol

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Any number of intoxicating beverages, including beer, wine, whiskey, gin, vodka, etc. Primary effect is as a sedative.
Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse:
Alcohol affects the central nervous system as a depressant, resulting in a decrease of activity, anxiety, tension, and inhibitions. Even a low level of alcohol within the body slows reactions. Concentration and judgment become impaired, and in excessive amounts, intoxication or poisoning results.
Alcohol irritates the gastrointestinal tract, causing an erosion of the stomach lining, resulting in nausea and vomiting. Liver disease (hepatic cirrhosis) may develop with long-term use of alcohol. The cardiovascular system is compromised and sexual dysfunction can occur. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause problems for the developing fetus known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Changes in tolerance occurs as the alcohol dependence develops and memory lapses related to drinking episodes may follow.
Signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse may include:
» Tolerance to the effects of alcohol» Need for daily or frequent use of alcohol» Lack of control over drinking/intake» Solitary drinking» Making excuses to drink» Episodes of memory loss associated with drinking» Episodes of violence associated with drinking» Behavioral problems » Absenteeism» Shaking in the morning» Neglect of appearance or personal needs» Redness and enlarged capillaries in the face (especially the nose)» Difficulty focusing» Availability and consumption of alcohol becomes focus of social activities» Changes in peer-group associations » Tremors» Rapid heart rate» Unexplained mood swings» Hostility when confronted about drinking» Neglect of food intake

Ease of Obtaining Illicit Drugs

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Overall, 55 percent of all youths aged 12 to 17 reported it would be easy to obtain marijuana. More than one in four youths felt that it would be easy to obtain crack, compared to 25 percent for cocaine, 19 percent for LSD, and 16 percent for heroin.3 Females were more likely than males to report that LSD, cocaine, crack, and heroin were easy to obtain, but females and males were equally likely to report that marijuana was easy to obtain (Figure 1). Youths aged 16 or 17 were more likely to indicate that marijuana, LSD, cocaine, crack, and heroin were easy to obtain than youths aged 12 to 15 (Figure 2).
Youths in metropolitan areas were more likely to report that LSD or cocaine were easy to obtain than youths in non-metropolitan areas. Youths living in large metropolitan areas were more likely to report that heroin was easy to obtain than those living in small metropolitan or non-metropolitan areas. Perceptions of the ease of obtaining marijuana or crack were similar among youths living in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas.

Prevalence of Illicit Drug Use among Youths

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In 2002, almost 3 million youths (12 percent) aged 12 to 17 used an illicit drug in the past month. Marijuana was the illicit drug used most frequently by youths in the past month (8 percent). During the past month, 4 percent of youths used prescription-type drugs nonmedically, 1 percent used inhalants, and 1 percent used hallucinogens, including LSD. Cocaine (including crack) and heroin were each used by less than 1 percent of youths.

Cannabis

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Cannabis which is also known on the streets, bars etc...as dope, pot, draw, grass and weed. When you smoke it it makes you talk alot, cheers you up, relaxes you and you can find things much more colourful and beautiful. Many users can also find themselves on the eating buzz.
Cannabis causes bloodshot eyes, toubles your heartbeat and makes your mouth and throat very dry. It can also cause panic attacks and make you very paranoid but the symptoms usually disappear after a few hours.
Heavy cananbis user's can cause brain damage, short term memory, and may cause lung cancer, in some women it can cause irregular periods or even heavy periods, and agressive behaviour.

Cocaine

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Cocaine which is also known as coke, or snow. Cocaine is a white crystaline powder mix with talcum powder or fine sugar, it can be sniffed through a straw or a rolled paper or it can also be smoked or injected into the body. Sniffing cocaine can damage the nasal membrane.
Cocaine is know as a medicine used by many doctors around the world as a pain killer.

Ecstacy

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Ecstacy which is also known as tab, ecty, happy face, disco burgers, doves etc..... Ecstacy is a tablet that is hand made using very dangerous chemicals. Ecstacy has become a very popular drug aken by hundreds of people around the world. It is mainly taken for the party moods, where you can dance the whole night away.
Ecstacy usually takes effect 20 to 30 minutes after you have taken it, it is taken by the mouth and wears off about 3 to 4 hours after it has been consumed. The taker can feel and see things much nicer then it was and also your hearing sounds are better which put you in a dancing mood particularly when the music has a strong rythm. Ecstacy puts you in a relaxing mood, sleepiness, sexual behaviour and in easy temperment.
Afterwards, it can cause exhaustion and depression after ecstacy has been consumed and worn out of the body system. The side effects are sweating constantly, chills, blurry vision, increase of the heart rate, it can also cause internal bleeding, damage the liver and kidney and cause heavy period for girls.

Smoking

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Smoking - effects on your body.Nicotine is the addictive substance in tobacco that causes smokers to continue their habit. When they get their dose of nicotine, smokers also inhale about 4,000 other chemicals. These chemicals trigger profound changes in the body.

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Inhalants.Some chemical substances release fumes at room temperature. Breathing in these fumes produces a quick 'high', which is similar to feeling drunk.

Heroin.

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Heroin is an illegal drug that slows down the brain and nervous system. It is seductive and highly addictive because its immediate effects include feelings of intense pleasure and a cessation of all physical pain.

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Hallucinogens.Hallucinogens are illegal drugs that alter the user's perception of reality by distorting their experience of sight, sound, taste and touch. These drugs are either synthetically manufactured or derived from plants.

GHB.

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Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is also known as 'fantasy', 'grievous bodily harm' ('GBH'), 'liquid ecstasy' and 'liquid E'.

FReeZA

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FReeZA - The Line Up.The Line Up is an online multimedia database of all ages event performers, developed by the FReeZa Program to assist young people in booking entertainment for all ages drug and alcohol free events across Victoria.

Drugs

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Drugs - teenagers.Teenagers try drugs for many reasons, including relaxation, socialising, curiosity or peer pressure. Alcohol and tobacco are the most commonly used drugs. Around two thirds of teenagers have tried marijuana at least once.

Cocaine.

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Cocaine is an illegal stimulant drug. It is highly addictive because it 'hijacks' the brain's chemical reward system. This means that, over time, the user can no longer feel any pleasurable sensations without the trigger of cocaine.

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Amphetamines.Amphetamines are psychostimulant drugs that speed up the workings of the brain and prompt the 'fight or flight' response. Long term abuse of amphetamines can lead to serious problems, such as risk of brain damage, malnutrition and psychosis.

Alcohol

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Drinking large amounts of alcoholic drinks such as wine, beer and spirits can lead to every day drinking and put you in financial problems. What may seem as a little bit of light fun to loosen you up could end up becoming an every day habit that you may not be able to control. The dangers of consuming alcohol are enormous from kidney and liver damage, cancerous tumors and damage to your brain and eyesight. Consuming alcohol whilst pregnant can be very harmful to the unborn baby causing premature birth and birth defects. In the long run, it can delay the development of the child throughout its growth as well as cause bad behavior, falling back in school, and various health problems. There is a high risk of fetal alcohol syndrome in the offspring of alcoholic women. Smoking cigarettes doesn't help and can cause lung cancer and be harmful to unborn babies.
The effects of alcoholism, both physical and psychological, are devastating with the consequences being harmful to not only the drinker, but those around him or her. From your first drink, the effects are immediately apparent as one's judgment and coordination becomes impaired. It becomes abused when it takes control of one's physical and mental health and negatively impacts on family, social and work responsibilities.
Here are five physical alcohol effects:
Reduced inhibitions
Memory loss/passing out
Losing control of muscles and body coordination
Coma
Stupor

Things to remember

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Moderate alcohol intake can be beneficial for your heart. Heavy and binge drinking can cause serious health effects. Drinking while pregnant may affect your baby.

How to drink responsibly

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You can monitor your drinking if you: Start with a non-alcoholic drink. Eat before and while drinking to slow the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. Avoid salty snacks that make you thirsty and make you drink more. Make every second or third drink non-alcoholic. Try low alcohol drinks. Always keep your drink with you to minimise the risk of drink spiking.

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How to drink responsiblyYou can monitor your drinking if you: Start with a non-alcoholic drink. Eat before and while drinking to slow the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. Avoid salty snacks that make you thirsty and make you drink more. Make every second or third drink non-alcoholic. Try low alcohol drinks. Always keep your drink with you to minimise the risk of drink spiking.

Alcohol and driving

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It is safest to avoid drinking alcohol if you need to drive or operate heavy machinery.
If you do drink, the following is a general guide for staying under 0.05 BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration): Men – no more than two standard drinks in the first hour. After that, one standard drink per hour for a maximum of three hours. Women – no more than one standard drink in the first hour. After that, one standard drink per hour for a maximum of three hours.These are guidelines only. The rate of alcohol absorption in the body varies depending on several factors including body size, gender, body fat and amount of food in the stomach. If in doubt, don't drink if you are going to drive or operate heavy machinery.
Learner and probationary drivers, and drivers of trucks, buses, trams and trains must maintain a zero blood alcohol limit.
Remember that alcohol takes time to leave the body. You may still have alcohol in your body several hours or even the day after drinking

Alcohol and breastfeeding

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Alcohol is excreted into breast milk and can reduce milk supply. During the first 12 months of a baby's life, alcohol can cause damage to the developing brain.
Women who are breastfeeding are advised to avoid consumption of alcohol.
If you choose to drink alcohol while breastfeeding, it is suggested that for each standard drink you wait up to two hours before breastfeeding your baby. For example, if you have two standard drinks, you should wait four hours before you breastfeed.

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Alcohol and breastfeeding Alcohol is excreted into breast milk and can reduce milk supply. During the first 12 months of a baby's life, alcohol can cause damage to the developing brain.
Women who are breastfeeding are advised to avoid consumption of alcohol.
If you choose to drink alcohol while breastfeeding, it is suggested that for each standard drink you wait up to two hours before breastfeeding your baby. For example, if you have two standard drinks, you should wait four hours before you breastfeed.

Drinking alcohol could affect your unborn baby

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Women who drink alcohol while pregnant are more likely to give birth to babies who are: Smaller Premature Born with abnormalities, including foetal alcohol syndrome.It may be that even a low intake of alcohol - up to two standard drinks per day - is harmful to your unborn baby. Therefore pregnant women are advised to drink no alcohol.

Health benefits of alcohol

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Very moderate amounts of alcohol may contain health benefits for older people by reducing the risk of some types of cardiovascular disease. Research suggests the benefits are limited to men over the age of 40 who consume no more than two standard drinks daily, and women over the age of 50 who drink one standard drink daily or less.
The risk of cirrhosis, some cancers and other diseases becomes greater with increased alcohol consumption.
These benefits do not extend to younger people. Alcohol may severely impair development in young people.

Effects of alcohol on your health

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Alcohol can affect a number of body systems, including:
Cardiovascular system – raised blood pressure and triglycerides (especially after binge drinking), damage to the heart muscle and stroke.
Nervous system – brain damage, tremors, dementia and nerve damage. Alcohol is a depressant drug and affects your coordination, self-control, judgment and reaction times.
Gastrointestinal system – stomach inflammation (gastritis) and bleeding.
Liver – cancer, hepatitis (inflammation), fatty changes, cirrhosis and liver failure.
Endocrine system – problems controlling blood sugar, loss of libido and reduced fertility.
Nutrition – malnutrition (alcohol displaces nutrients from your body) and obesity.
Women who drink alcohol are at a higher risk of breast cancer and other gynaecological problems.
"Binge drinking" or drinking heavily over a short period of time or drinking continuously over a number of days or weeks can be very harmful to a persons health and wellbeing. Large amounts of alcohol can result
in confusion, blurred vision, poor muscle control, nausea, vomiting, sleep, coma or even death.

Large amounts of alcohol can impair a persons judgement and decision-making skills which may increase the risk that they may do silly things and put themselves in dangerous situations.

considerable risk,

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Alcohol intake guidelinesThe following guidelines can help you determine if your alcohol intake is harmful. Men – up to four standard drinks a day puts you at low risk for health problems. Five to six standard drinks a day puts you at considerable risk, while seven or more standard drinks a day is considered high risk for developing health problems. Women – up to two standard drinks a day puts you at low risk for health problems. Three to four standard drinks a day puts you at while five or more standard drinks a day is considered high risk for developing health problems. Men and women should have one or two days free of alcohol a week.How alcohol is absorbed and removed from the bodyAlcohol gets into the bloodstream through the stomach and the small intestine. If a person has food in their stomach it will slow down the rate at which the alcohol is absorbed, but it will not stop a person becoming drunk. Eventually all the alcohol that was consumed will reach the bloodstream.
Most of the alcohol in the body (about 91 percent) is broken down by the liver. A small amount also leaves the body in urine, sweat and the breath. Since the liver can only break down of about three-quarters of a standard drink an hour, sobering up takes time. Cold showers, exercise, black coffee, fresh air or vomiting will not speed up the process.

Standard drinksA standard drink contains 10 grams of alcohol.

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However the size of a ‘standard’ drink can vary according to the type of alcohol. The size of a drink served in some hotels, restaurants or even at home may be much bigger than a ‘standard’ drink.
One standard drink equals:
285ml or approximately one pot of regular beer (4.9% alcohol content) 375ml or one stubbie of mid-strength beer (3.5% alcohol content) 100 ml or one small glass of table wine (12% alcohol content) 30ml of spirits plus mixer (40% alcohol content).Cocktails can contain as much alcohol as five or six standard drinks, depending on the recipe.

Alcohol

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Alcohol is the most widely used social drug in Australia. Moderate use may be beneficial to the heart for some people. However, a moderate intake of alcohol may not benefit all people, and heavy alcohol use or binge drinking can cause a number of serious health problems.

Binge drinking is particularly a problem among younger people. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy may affect your baby.

PCP

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PCP is applied to cigarettes or marijuana and smoked
Phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP, is the most dangerous of the hallucinogens. It is sold on the streets under at least fifty other names that reflect its range of bi zarre and volatile effects. Included in those names are angel dust, supergrass, killer weed, K J, embalming fluid, rocket fuel and sherms. In some areas of the country, it is called crystal (not to be confused with methamphetamines). PCP is sometimes passed off as other drugs such as mescaline, LSD, THC, or cocaine.
In its pure form, PCP is a white, crystalline powder that readily dissolves in water. Most PCP is manu- factured in makeshift laboratories containing contaminants that cause the drug's color to range from tan to brown and the consistency from powder to a gummy mass. It is seen most often in powder or liquid form, and is commonly applied to dark brown cigarettes or leafy materials such as parsley, mint, oregano, marijuana, or tobacco, and then smoked. When in its liquid form, PCP is packaged in small vials or other small glass containers.
If your child is under the influence of PCP, he or she may show many of the signs of LSD use, such as appearing detached from reality or estranged from his or her surroundings. Other symptoms include rapid and involuntary eye movement, an exaggerated walk, numbness, slurred speech, blocked speech, and a loss of coordination.
PCP is unique because of its power to produce psychosis indistinguishable from schizophrenia. It can cause extraordinary strength, a sense of invulnerability, and extreme image distortion. The user may become violent, causing injury to himself or others. Although such extreme psychotic reactions are usually associated with repeated use of the drug, they have been known to occur in some cases after only one dose. As with LSD, if your child is under the influence of PCP, he or she should be closely supervised so they do not harm themselves or others.
PCP episodes, or flashbacks, may occur long after the drug has left the body.

Hallucinogens

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Hallucinogens cause distortions of reality, particularly with sight, smell, and touch. Included in this category are LSD, mescaline, peyote, psilocybin mushrooms, and phencyclidine (PCP). Hallucinogens are normally swallowed, but PCP is usually smoked.
There is no evidence that hallucinogens cause a physical dependence; however, extended use may result in permanent brain damage. The most commonly abused hallucinogens are LSD and PCP.

Stimulant

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Stimulant (say: stim-yuh-lunt) - A stimulant speeds up a person's body and brain. Stimulants, such as methamphetamines and cocaine, have the opposite effect of depressants. Usually, stimulants make a person feel high and energized. When the effects of a stimulant wear off, the person will feel tired or sick.

Narcotic

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Narcotic (say: nar-kah-tik) - A narcotic dulls the body's senses (leaving a person less aware and alert and feeling carefree) and relieves pain. Narcotics can cause a person to sleep, fall into a stupor, have convulsions, and even slip into a coma. Certain narcotics - such as codeine - are legal if given by doctors to treat pain. Heroin is an illegal narcotic because it is has dangerous side effects and is very addictive.

Inhalant

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Inhalant (say: in-hay-lunt) - An inhalant, such as glue or gasoline, is sniffed or "huffed" to give the user an immediate rush. Inhalants produce a quick feeling of being drunk - followed by sleepiness, staggering, dizziness, and confusion.

High

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High - A high is the feeling that drug users want to get when they take drugs. There are many types of highs, including a very happy or spacey feeling or a feeling that a person has special powers, such as the ability to fly or to see into the future.

Hallucinogen

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Hallucinogen (say: huh-loo-sun-uh-jun) - A hallucinogen is a drug, such as LSD, that changes a person's mood and makes him or her see, hear, or think things that aren't really there.

Depressant

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Depressant (say: dih-preh-sunt) - A depressant is a drug that slows a person down. Doctors prescribe depressants to help people be less angry, anxious, or tense. Depressants relax muscles and make people feel sleepy, less stressed out, or like their head is stuffed. Some people may use these drugs illegally to slow themselves down and help bring on sleep - especially after using various kinds of stimulants. (See below.)

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Addiction (say: uh-dik-shun) - A person has an addiction when he or she becomes dependent on or craves a drug all of the time. "Addiction is defined as an overuse of any substance that changes the natural chemical balance of the brain. It is basicallygirl_face.jpg agreed upon that addiction encompasses both biological, psychological, and behavioral factors.
At 1800nodrugs.com we believe the best prevention and catalyst to recovery from addiction is education. We understand addiction and we can help you get the tools and information you need to help you or your loved one’s recovery from addition."

Why Do People Use Illegal Drugs?

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Sometimes kids and teens try drugs to fit in with a group of friends. Or they might be curious or just bored. A person may use illegal drugs for many reasons, but often because they help the person escape from reality for a while. If a person is sad or upset, a drug can - temporarily - make the person feel better or forget about problems. But this escape lasts only until the drug wears off.
Drugs don't solve problems, of course. And using drugs often causes other problems on top of the problems the person had in the first place. A person who uses drugs can become dependent on them, or addicted. This means that the person's body becomes so accustomed to having this drug that he or she can't function well without it.
Once a person is addicted, it's very hard to stop taking drugs. Stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as vomiting (throwing up), sweating, and tremors (shaking). These sick feelings continue until the person's body gets adjusted to being drug free again.

Illegal Drugs

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When people talk about the "drug problem," they usually mean abusing legal drugs or using illegal drugs, such as marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, LSD, crystal meth and heroin. (Marijuana is generally an illegal drug, but some states allow doctors to prescribe it to adults for certain illnesses.)

Illegal Drugs

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Cigarettes and Alcohol

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Cigarettes and alcohol are two other kinds of legal drugs. (In the United States, adults 18 and over can buy cigarettes and those 21 and over can buy alcohol.) But smoking and excessive drinking are not healthy for adults and off limits for kids.

Medicines Are Legal Drugs

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If you've ever been sick and had to take medicine, you already know about one kind of drugs. Medicines are legal drugs, meaning doctors are allowed to prescribe them for patients, stores can sell them, and people are allowed to buy them. But it's not legal, or safe, for people to use these medicines any way they want or to buy them from people who are selling them illegally.

Introduction

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Drugs are chemicals that change the way a person's body works. You've probably heard that drugs are bad for you, but what does that mean and why are they bad?

Tips for using more safely

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If you are new to LSD, or just want to be a bit sensible, check out these main points. They are just the basics though; you should fully read this whole article and visit our links page for all the info.
First timers - try taking a quarter or half a tab; as with all drugs, it's better to go easy than have a full on freak-out the first time you take it. Because LSD makes you very, very sensitive to your environment, you should always be in a safe, comfortable space, preferably with a friend you trust. The higher you fly, the softer the landing pad should be. Be in a nice place: No phone calls. No visitors. Sorry to sound like an old hippy, but see if you can be near nature, or surround yourself with nice plants, pictures, fruit etc. Have a selection of nice, cruisy music within reach. This will help you relax and bring on a good trip. Trip on an empty stomach. This will help you avoid feeling sick at the acid starts to take effect. Don't do it alone: An experienced and trusted friend should either be your tripping partner, or stay sober to help you if you get into black spider land. If you are taking with a group of friends, make sure you all take the same amount, at the same time, in full view of everyone else. This will decrease any chance of paranoia and ensure you are all on the same level. Wait - always hang back at least two hours before deciding a tab is not working. The come-up period can sometimes take this long. Do not take another tab as you may well end up in the asteroid belt. Remember, you really don't want to have a bad trip, so always try to follow this advice as much as possible. from:

Benefits

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Apparently, LSD has been successfully used in some countries to treat serious drug addiction. Of course, the boffins don't just hand over a few tabs and say 'good luck'; like other experimental drug treatment programmes (including ecstasy), everything is strictly controlled and monitored with lots of counselling included.

Mixing

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LSD is powerful and unpredictable, so it's not such a good idea to use it with other mind-altering drugs, especially if you're a newb, or far from home. But hey, if you still want to know what might happen, visit our mixing section for more info.

Tolerance

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This builds up rapidly with LSD, so that the same amount the next day will be noticeably less interesting. This wears off after three to four days, but to be honest, you're not going to be that keen on tripping so soon again anyway.

Addiction

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LSD has zero physical addiction potential. It's not physically addictive and it's not a drug that you will want to do again right away. But, as with any substance, people can and do become psychologically addicted to LSD, and it can become very hard to function if you are taking acid on a regular basis. That, by the way, is the understatement of the fucking century.

Problems

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As an actual drug, LSD is amazingly safe. It has no known physical side-effects, other than fatigue and a lingering sensation that your head has been messed with. However, as you will have guessed by now, acid is a powerful mental amplifier. That means that if you are feeling bummed or uptight, or deeply pissed off with commercial radio thrashing the same songs over and over, you should probably stay away from acid.

Comedown

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The trip wears off gradually after 8 to 12 hours, but you might continue to feel a bit messed up and weird until you get a full night's sleep. Physically, you can feel tired and drained right into the next day. Psychologically, any thoughts or feelings you had during your trip will stay with you. A positive experience can give you a kind of happiness lasting hours, days, or even weeks afterwards. A bad trip could freak you out for the same length of time.

How does it feel?

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Taking acid is described as 'a trip' because it can last as long as 8 to 12 hours from start to finish. Kicking in anywhere between 20 minutes and two hours after taking, the first signs are a sense of euphoria and expectation, along with a tingling body. Once you start to feel these effects, you'll be peaking within half an hour to 45 minutes. At this stage it's pretty common to feel a bit sick.
The actual peak lasts anywhere from two to five hours. A lame tab might make you feel relaxed, laughing, a bit like being stoned but with super hero vision; colours may seem brighter, patterns on the surface of things more eye-grabbing. Take a better tab, and you'll have rich visual hallucinations; colours will seem more vibrant, flat surfaces may ripple and shimmer. You may notice tiny details on objects. Music sounds better and louder. At the same time, you might feel blissed out, have flashes of insight into yourself or the world, feel yourself dissolving, or see objects merging into one another.
LSD works by diddling with, or completely removing the normal filters your mind creates between it and the outside world. With these filters down, more information comes in: You sense more, think more, and feel more. At higher doses, the rush becomes a flood, and your senses actually begin to merge until you can see sounds or smell colours. The experts (a bunch of very experienced 'travellers') have recognised four levels of trip. The strength of the tab is the biggest factor, but how relaxed and comfortable you are also plays a big part.
+One: Strong visual hallucinations. Bright colours stand out, objects appear to ripple or breathe. Coloured patterns behind the eyes are vivid, more active. Moments of reflection and distractive thought patterns. Thoughts and thinking become enhanced. Creative urges. Euphoria. Connection with others, empathy. Sense of time distorted or lost.
+Two: Very obvious visual effects. Curved or warped patterns. Familiar objects appear strange as surface details distract the eye. Imagination and 'mind's eye' images become vivid and three dimensional. Some confusion of the senses. Some awareness of background mental processes such as balance systems or auditory visual perception. Old memories becomes accessible. Images or experiences may rise up. Music is powerful and can affect your mood. Sense of time lost.
+Three: Very strong hallucinations such as objects morphing into other objects. Intense depersonalisation - the barriers between you and the universe begin to break down. You feel you have connection with everything around you. You can experience contradictory feelings simultaneously. Some loss of reality. Time meaningless. Senses blend into one. Feeling of being born. Multiple splitting of the ego. Powerful awareness of your own mental processes and senses. Highly symbolic visions when eyes are closed.
+Four: A very rare experience. Total loss of visual connection with reality. The senses cease to function in the normal way. Total loss of self. Merging with space, other objects, or the universe. The loss of reality becomes so severe that it defies explanation. Pure white light.

What is it?

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Mostly known as acid, LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide) is the most powerful mind-altering substance known to man. Normally only used for having fun, this psychedelic drug comes from a very bizarro fungus called ergot. Measured in micrograms (millionths of a gram), it would only take a half a kilo to send every single man, woman and child in the country off to the land of vibrating rainbows.
LSD is colourless, tasteless and odourless, that's why it comes soaked into little squares (tabs) of paper with with lame hippy designs like sunflowers, strawberries or rockets on them.
Street LSD varies massively in quality (anywhere between 40 and 150 micrograms). Heat, air and light all degrade the tiny amounts involved, so you can never be sure how much you are actually taking until it's too late, and like it or not, you're on your trip.
As you might expect, this powerful and often unpredictable drug is against the law in New Zealand. What you might not know is that it is a Class A. That means that if you are caught using, selling or giving it to friends you could end up in the big, bad High Court instead of the usual District Court.

HIV/AIDS Prevention

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At the end of 2002, an estimated 42 million people around the world were living with HIV/AIDS. During the same year, five million new infections were reported, while the epidemic claimed and estimated 3.1 million lives. One third of the people living with HIV/AIDS are between 15 and 24 years old. Injecting drug abuse is among the major forces driving the epidemic, attributing to around five per cent of HIV transmission. UNODC, a cosponsor of UNAIDS since 1999, has been mainstreaming HIV/AIDS prevention into its demand reduction activities globally, with an emphasis on promoting skills development and helping young people live a healthy, drug-free life. UNODC also supports prevention activities to limit the spread of HIV/AIDS among injecting drug abusers, and through them, to their spouses, children and the general population.

Global Youth Network

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The Global Youth Network project is creating a network of participatory youth organizations that work for drug abuse prevention. Our activities include experience-sharing meetings, how-to guides on innovative techniques on drug abuse prevention written for and by young people and an active e-mail listserv. The Youth Network web site also provides an on-line resource for groups who want to improve their projects or who want to start new drug abuse prevention programmes.HIV/AIDS Prevention At the end of 2002, an estimated 42 million people around the world were living with HIV/AIDS. During the same year, five million new infections were reported, while the epidemic claimed and estimated 3.1 million lives. One third of the people living with HIV/AIDS are between 15 and 24 years old. Injecting drug abuse is among the major forces driving the epidemic, attributing to around five per cent of HIV transmission. UNODC, a cosponsor of UNAIDS since 1999, has been mainstreaming HIV/AIDS prevention into its demand reduction activities globally, with an emphasis on promoting skills development and helping young people live a healthy, drug-free life. UNODC also supports prevention activities to limit the spread of HIV/AIDS among injecting drug abusers, and through them, to their spouses, children and the general population.

Access to Treatment and Rehabilitation

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People with drug abuse problems have different needs. Women, the young, the poor, refugees and ethnic and religious minorities need easier access to early intervention and services. Once in treatment, drug abusers may need job training and referral, assistance in finding housing and reintegrating into society. Drug abusers who commit crimes require alternative treatment in order to break the cycle of drug abuse and crime.

Access to Treatment and Rehabilitation

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Partners in Prevention

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Drug abuse cuts across age, class, ethnic and gender lines. By working with grass-roots groups, private businesses and other community partners, UNODC supports projects addressing the needs of specific populations, such as street children and those trying to cope with neglect, violence and sexual abuse. These strategies help disadvantaged groups to avoid high-risk behaviour and settings that give rise to a range of problems, including the use of illicit drugs and alcohol.

Global Assessment Programme on Drug Abuse

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To reduce or eliminate drug abuse, governments and UNODC need up-to-date statistics on who is taking drugs and why. The Global Assessment Programme on Drug Abuse (GAP) was launched in 1998. GAP has established one global and nine regional systems to collect reliable and internationally comparable drug abuse data and to assess the magnitude and patterns of drug abuse at the country, regional and global levels.

Drugs of Abuse: the Facts

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Reliable and up-to-date information on selected drugs of abuse, including drug histories, how they are ingested, effects on the mind and body and medical uses, if any.

Drug Abuse & Demand Reduction

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Drug abuse is a global phenomenon. It effects almost every country, although its extent and characteristics differ from region to region. Drug abuse trends around the world, especially among youth, have started to converge over the last few decades.The most widely consumed drug worldwide is cannabis. Three-quarters of all countries report abuse of heroin and two-thirds report abuse of cocaine. Drug-related problems include increased rates of crime and violence, susceptibility to HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, demand for treatment and emergency room visits and a breakdown in social behaviour.Demand reduction strategies seek to prevent the onset of drug use, help drug users break the habit and provide treatment through rehabilitation and social reintegration.At the 1998 UN General Assembly special session on the world drug problem, Member States recognized that reducing the demand for drugs was an essential pillar in the stepped-up global effort to fight drug abuse and trafficking. They committed themselves to reduce significantly both the supply of and demand for drugs by 2008, as expressed in the Political Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction

Marijuana Brain Scans Prove Damage

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Marijuana Brain Scans Prove Damage Anti-Marijuana Video PSA. The effects on the brain from substances like alcohol, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana are shown in brain scans. Studying the effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain has clearly been one of the most informative and fascinating parts of my work. I had a sense growing up that drugs and alcohol weren't helpful to my overall health. I might add, this notion was helped along by getting drunk on a six pack of Michelob and half a bottle of champagne when I was sixteen years old - I was sick for three days. After that, I've been lucky enough to stay away from drugs and alcohol. After doing this work there's no way you could get me to do marijuana, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD, PCP, inhalants or any more than a glass or two of wine or beer. These substances damage the patterns in your brain, and without your brain you are not you. There is really quite a bit of scientific literature on the physiological effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain. SPECT has demonstrated a number of abnormalities in substance abusers in brain areas known to be involved in behavior, such as the frontal and temporal lobes. There are some SPECT similarities and differences between the damage we see caused by the different substances of abuse. There tends to be several similarities seen among classes of abused drugs. The most common similarity among drug and alcohol abusers is that the brain has an overall toxic look to it. In general, the SPECT studies look less active, more shriveled, and overall less healthy. A "scalloping effect" is common amongst drug abusing brains. Normal brain patterns show smooth activity across the cortical surface. Scalloping is a wavy, rough sea-like look on the brain's surface. I also see this pattern in patients who have been exposed to toxic fumes or oxygen deprivation. My research assistant says that the drug brains she has seen look like someone poured acid on the brain. Not a pretty site. SPECT can be helpful in evaluating the effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain. On 3D surface images several substances of abuse appear to show consistent patterns. For example, cocaine and methamphetamine abuse appear as multiple small holes across the cortical surface; heroin abuse appears as marked decreased activity across the whole cortical surface; heavy marijuana abuse shows decreased activity in the temporal lobes bilaterally and heavy alcohol abuse shows marked decreased activity throughout the brain. These findings tend to improve with abstinence, although long term use has been associated with continued SPECT deficits seen years after abstinence. SPECT can be helpful in several ways in drug and alcohol abuse. First, 3D surface SPECT images of drug and alcohol abusers can be used in drug prevention education. Second, SPECT studies can help break though the denial that often accompanies substance abuse. When one is faced with their own abnormal cerebral perfusion it is hard to remain in denial. Third, SPECT may help evaluate if there is an underlying neuropsychiatric condition that needs treatment. Marijuana usage typically causes decreased activity in the posterior temporal lobes bilaterally. The damage can be mild or severe, depending on how long a person used, how much use occurred, what other substances were used (nicotine is a powerful vasoconstrictor) and how vulnerable a particular brain is. For more information see Dr. Amen's article High Resolution Brain SPECT Imaging in Marijuana Smokers with AD/HD, Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, Volume 30, No. 2 April-June 1998. Pgs 1-13. Producer: AEGIS; Production Company: AEGIS; Keywords: drug addiction, substances abuse, alcoholism; Creative Commons license: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs from

Say NO TO DRUGS berour ti's too late

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teens try alcohol, tobacco, or drugs, but using these substances is not safe or legal. Some teens try these substances only a few times and stop. Others can't control their cravings for them. This is substance abuse.
Teens may try a number of substances, including cigarettes, alcohol, household chemicals (inhalants), prescription and over-the-counter medicines, and illegal drugs. Marijuana is the illegal drug that teens use most often.
Why do teens abuse drugs and alcohol?
Teens use alcohol and other drugs for many reasons. They may do it because they want to fit in with friends or certain groups. They may also take a drug or drink alcohol because they like the way it makes them feel. Or they may believe that it makes them more grown up. Teens tend to try new things and take risks, and they may take drugs or drink alcohol because it seems exciting.
Teens with family members who have problems with alcohol or other drugs are more likely to have serious substance abuse problems. Also, teens who feel that they are not connected to or valued by their parents are at greater risk. Teens with poor self-esteem or emotional or mental health problems, such as depression, also are at increased risk.
What problems can teen substance abuse cause?
Substance abuse can lead to"

T-Cell Infusion Therapy Boosts Melanoma Survival

2008-10-23T03:08:00.001-07:00

Melanoma patients treated with a special tumor-fighting T-cell have a greater chance to survive the disease without relapse, a new study says.
A French research team, led by Nathalie Labarriere, used adoptive immunotherapy, a process in which natural cancer-fighting T-cells are removed from the tumor of a patient with late-stage melanoma. The T-cells are put in culture dishes and allowed to expand in number, and then re-infused into the patient.
This strategy, detailed online Oct. 20 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, caused tumor regression in about half the patients treated, some of whom survived for years without relapse.
Those in the study, who received adoptive immunotherapy between 1994 and 1998, and remained tumor-free for more than a decade, had naturally arising T-cells in their systems that recognized a new protein, called "meloe-1." Meloe-1, the researchers found, is highly expressed in melanoma cells but not in normal skin cells or in other types of cancer.
Meloe-1-specific T-cells were found in five of the nine relapse-free patients but not in any of the 21 patients who relapsed. This suggests that amplifying these meloe-1-specific T-cells in a lab setting may be one way to improve the success of adoptive immunotherapy, the researchers said.

Most Youths Tried as Adults Had Psychiatric Disorders

2008-10-23T03:06:00.001-07:00

The majority of youths who are tried in criminal courts as adults have a psychiatric disorder, researchers report.
Juveniles who are transferred to adult court, known as "transferred youths," are a growing population. Between 1983 and 1998, the number of transferred youths in the United States almost quadrupled.
In a study in the September issue of Psychiatric Services, Jason J. Washburn of Chicago's Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and colleagues examined the cases of 1,715 youths, aged 13 to 18, who were processed in the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Chicago. Of the youths, 275 were transferred to adult court.
The researchers found that more than two-thirds (68 percent) of the transferred youths had a psychiatric disorder, and almost half (43 percent) had two or more types of disorders. The transferred youths who were eventually sentenced to prison had even higher rates of psychiatric disorders.
Another finding was that black and Hispanic males were more likely than non-Hispanic whites to be transferred, even when the researchers controlled for violent crime. This is important, since there is evidence that males from minority groups are among the least likely to receive mental health treatment, either in the community or in prison.
"This finding suggests an urgent situation in which the largest numbers of transferred youths in need of psychiatric services are also the least likely to receive them," the study authors wrote

2008-10-23T03:05:00.001-07:00

Gardasil, the two-year-old vaccine that's designed to prevent cervical cancer, is safe, U.S. officials said Wednesday.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Immunization Safety Office said a study of 370,000 doses given to girls and young women over the past two years found no evidence that the vaccine causes an increased risk of blood clots or other serious conditions, Bloomberg News reported.
The CDC, which recommends the vaccine for girls starting at ages 11 and 12, based its findings on statistics from the Vaccine Safety Datalink, which uses medical data to test hypotheses about vaccine safety, the news service said.
"There were no associations found that suggested an elevated risk," said John Iskander, acting director for the Immunization Safety Office, told Bloomberg.
Critics of the vaccine, including some groups that worry that the inoculation could promote promiscuity, have contended that Gardasil may not be safe and could give women a false sense of security about sexually transmitted diseases.
Gardasil protects against four types of genital human papillomavirus, HPV, which is spread through sexual contact and can cause cervical cancer in women.
The U.S. study covered 190,000 girls and young women who received at least one dose of the vaccine's three-shot regimen. The CDC researchers compared medical data on those girls who got the vaccine with data for girls and young women who received other vaccines or none.
"The results are really reassuring," said Dr. Paul Offit, chief of the infectious diseases division at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "There's a public perception that the vaccine is not safe. This is important for countering negative information."
CDC officials had announced earlier this month that an estimated 25 percent of girls aged 11 to 17 have gotten the vaccine.
"This is very good for a first-year measurement of a new vaccine," Dr. Lance Rodewald, director of the Division of Immunization Services at the CDC' National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during a Oct. 9 teleconference announcing the survey. "It usually takes six to nine years to achieve the desired 90 percent coverage."
Rodewald noted that because the survey covered only young teens, many more young women have probably received the vaccine. The vaccine has been very well-tolerated, and its protection, especially when given at a younger age, is expected to last at least six years, he noted. Whether a booster shot will be needed isn't known yet.
The hope for the vaccine is that it will reduce the almost 4,000 cervical cancer deaths each year in the United States. Barriers to getting the vaccine include cost, which is about $375, although it is covered under many health insurance plans.
One side effect associated with the vaccine, fainting, resulted in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last month requiring that vaccine manufacturer Merck & Co. add a warning to the package insert, advising doctors to watch patients for 15 minutes after the shot to be sure they don't faint.
In July, news stories said that almost 8,000 reports of adverse reactions to Gardasil -- including injection site pain and nausea -- had been filed with the CDC.
The reactions included 15 reports of death and 10 confirmed deaths, but none of the deaths has been tied to the vaccine, according to a CNN report.
After the CDC study results were released Wednesday, Merck issued the following statement: "Gardasil is an important tool to help prevent cervical cancer caused by HPV types 16 and 18 for girls and young women. About 30 women every day are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the United States. An estimated 8 out of 10 women will become infected with HPV in their lifetime. For most people, HPV clears on its own. But for some women who don't clear certain types of the virus, cervical cancer can develop. And there's no way to predict who will or won't clear the virus."

When do people first start using cannabis?

2008-10-23T02:48:00.001-07:00

The average age for starting to use cannabis in Western countries seems to be around 14-15 years of age. It appears that the average age of first use in developing countries may be a bit older, but it's hard to tell because there's not much information. The idea that cannabis is a gateway drug that leads to other drug use has been proposed for years. It remains a controversial idea, because while it is true that most users of other illegal drugs (e.g. cocaine, heroin) have used cannabis, the vast majority of young cannabis users do not use any other illegal substance.
Some other points:
Age makes a difference: In the higher-use Western countries, recent use increases from under 5% in Grade 7 to 30-40% by the later grades. Gender makes a difference: Boys are generally much more likely to use cannabis than girls, although as with tobacco and alcohol, the gap in several countries is closing. Boys are more likely to use frequently and heavily and (according to one study) in public places. Social and economic status makes a difference: Street youth are more likely to use cannabis and to use it heavily than are "mainstream" youth. But even among mainstream youth, heavy, risky use is not unusual. One study in North America showed that one-third of youth between 14 and 17 years of age had used an illegal substance (mostly cannabis) more than five times, and among them:

Cannabis:

2008-10-23T02:47:00.001-07:00

A Few IssuesCannabis (including marijuana, hash, hash oil) continues to be a controversial drug in many countries as people try to figure out the place that the drug has in their society. In the Western world, marijuana smoking by young people has become a very common activity - in some countries even more common than tobacco smoking. The UN's international conventions require countries to treat cannabis and other drug offences as criminal offences. However, these conventions leave the door open for countries to establish alternative measures as a substitute for criminal prosecution. Consequently, much of the debate about cannabis is around the legal status of the drug.
These questions are not simple. For that reason through the month of November, the Global Youth Network is going to review what is known about cannabis use and young people in a four- part series dealing with: (i) the level of use worldwide; (ii) why some young people use cannabis/why some have problems; (iii) the harms associated with cannabis use; and (iv) the effect of cannabis laws.

The level of use by young people

2008-10-23T02:46:00.000-07:00

The level of use by young people around the worldInformation is sketchy in many countries, particularly in developing regions, but it's clear that while cannabis is not as popular as alcohol and tobacco in most countries, it is usually the first illegal drug used and is the most commonly used illegal drug by youth around the world.
Worldwide it accounts for the vast majority of illicit drug use by young people (for example, cannabis use represents about 90% of all illicit drug use among students in the US and Australia and almost 95% in Europe). In the highest using countries (Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, UK and the US), cannabis use is quite common, with more than 25% of all high school students reporting use in the past year. In Europe past year rates for Grade 10 students range from 1% in Romania to 35% in France. In sub-Saharan Africa cannabis is considered the main illicit drug of concern, with increasing use by young people being cited in several countries. In Asia, there are few studies, but two showed lifetime prevalence of 4.5% and 6% among youth populations.
Lifetime use of cannabis among 15-16-year-old (Gr. 10) students in 1999: Asia 4.5-6% Europe - low (Romania) 1% Europe - high (France) 35% USA 40.9% Australia 42.8% Ontario, Canada 42.7%
In the last couple of years, use of cannabis and other illegal drugs in "high-use" countries (i.e., the US, Canada, Australia and certain countries in Western Europe) has levelled off - and in some cases declined - after rising through the mid- to late-'90s. At the same time, use rates in lower-use European countries (particularly in Central and Eastern Europe) have continued to increase, so patterns in all countries are merging to an extent. For example, while cannabis use increased among lower-use countries (e.g., Finland and Norway), it decreased in higher-use countries (e.g., the UK and Ireland).

Why do some young people use cannabis?

2008-10-22T22:44:00.000-07:00

When looking at why young people might use any drug, the first thing to keep in mind is that today's young people - more than in any other period in history - are growing up in an environment that encourages various forms of substance use, both medical and non-medical. The pharmaceutical and alternative medicine industries are huge and use their "mega" presence in the market-place to promote a climate of "solution by ingestion".
Another huge factor is the big $$ that the tobacco and alcohol industries put into marketing their products - much of which is aimed at young people. Add to these factors a Western dominated pop culture that young people around the world "consume" and that mostly tolerates drug use. We also need to remember that people have used a wide variety of substances throughout history to satisfy some need or another (ranging from enhancing pleasure, to stress relief, to helping with working longer hours). Young people use substances for many of the same reasons as adults. But when we look at a list of the tasks that young people need to take on to develop their identity, tasks that are a normal part of adolescent development, such as ...
showing independence; developing their own values (apart from parental and societal authority); developing strong peer connections; seeking new and exciting experiences; and taking risks and satisfying curiosity
... we begin to see why cannabis might be popular with young people today. Couple this with the spirit of the times, which one person describes as "a runaway world" filled with uncertainty and a lack of direction, and the importance of substances to some young people is even more understandable.
As with most drug use, the reasons young people give for using cannabis are a mixture of the symbolic and reasons related to cannabis' drug effects. Young people are most often introduced to cannabis by friends. Most use cannabis for the first time out of curiosity and to be sociable. Reasons they report for continuing to use include to relax, feel good, enjoy music and movies, and to be sociable. Those who do not choose to use say they're just not interested or that they fear the adverse health effects. They do not tend to mention the penalties associated with use. Only about 50% of users report that they liked their first experience - many don't feel anything - while some experience unpleasant psychological effects (see next week).
Why some have problems with cannabis use. The reasons for a person developing problems as a result of cannabis use usually stems from a combination of personal, family and school-related factors (for example, having mental health issues, poor family life and/or doing poorly in school). An indicator of likely problems is daily use. A small but important percentage of students report using cannabis daily, and in one survey, over half of all cannabis users reported that they had experienced at least one of three indicators of dependence. Heavy use of cannabis is more likely among street youth. A review of studies shows that frequent use and cannabis use problems are linked with*:

2008-10-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

Youth Against Drugs

2008-10-22T22:41:00.000-07:00

YAD (Youth Against Drugs) is a Finnish preventive anti-drug organisation, founded in 1988. YAD has activities in over 20 locations, from the south in Hanko to the north in Tornio, and from the east in Joensuu to the west in Kalajoki.

The activities of the organisation rely on young volunteers, who want to participate in preventing youngster’s drug habit and supporting clean living. YAD’s purpose is to support a healthy lifestyle, providing more options, new social contacts, increasing people’s knowledge in relation to questions of drugs, and to affect decision-making. YAD is politically and religiously neutral.

INFORMATION

YAD works in centres of young peoples attention - in the summertime in music festivals, in the winter in discos and raves. YAD volunteers visit schools to raise awareness about drug-related issues. The purpose of this is to offer new viewpoints to the question of drug usage and have discussions with equal peers. Appearing sober in different social occasions sets an example, that it is possible to have fun without being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In the last couple of years YAD has raised awareness of the negative effect of the drug trade on the world economy. Drug trade leads to a widening gap between the rich and the poor in socio-economic terms. To provide information YAD use leaflets, books and five times a year an ENo magazine that is aimed at young people.

SUPPORT

The members of YAD support each other. Support is available also for those that need it. Family- and small group activity aims to form support groups, where families and youngsters are provided with new ways of thinking and new ways to occupy their spare time. This is carried out in co-operation with local community, church, or with other such organisations. Family- and small groups are run by YAD trained volunteers who are over the age of 18.

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY

YAD provides various spare time activities for its members: Annual camps, hikes, concerts and other social occasions. Members can arrange their own events, such as discos, concerts, even writing competitions to pupils according to their own interest.

PROJECTS

At the moment YAD is managing two preventive anti-drug projects. In 1999 started a preventive co-ordination project consisting of six southern and central Finnish locations. The idea is to look for socially challenged children and arrange activities that develop their social skills. ?Keetu? -cultural experience helping in life management, is a project whereby the young people trying to kick the drug habit go to the theatre, cinema or art exhibitions etc with their support friends. This project takes place in the Helsinki region.

LOCAL DIVISIONS

Local division are formed out of the local youngsters’ initiatives and interests. Local divisions function in terms of the members’ interests. These interests can include concerts, camps or drug-awareness training in the location of the division. Maybe you could start a new YAD local division where you live? New local sections are welcomed with open arms. YAD’s work is nationally recognised. In 2002 The Finnish Medical Association awarded YAD for distributing accurate information.