Download The Drug Information Fact Sheet PDF

GHB

What is GHB?

• GHB (Gamma hydroxybutyrate) is generally found in an odorless liquid form, and more rarely in powder or capsule form. When taken alone it has a somewhat astringent and slightly salty taste, but can have no taste if mixed with any type of beverage. It is usually sold in small bottles and many users of this drug transport it in ordinary water bottles taking “capfuls” of the liquid. It is classified as a sedative-hypnotic and was originally developed as an aid for sleep.

Street Names:

• G, Gib, easy lay

What are the Effects?

• Low doses cause a euphoric effect similar to alcohol, and can make the user feel relaxed, happy and sociable.
• Higher doses generally cause dizziness and sleepiness leading to vomiting, muscle spasms and loss of consciousness.
• Overdoses always cause loss of consciousness and slow breathing and can and have lead to death.
• Effects are generally felt ten minutes to one hour after ingestion. Primary effects last two to three hours, but residual effects can last up to a whole day.
• One dose of GHB can impair motor coordination by as much as six alcoholic drinks. Unlike alcohol, however, the effects are erratic and cannot be controlled or paced.

Whatch out

• A teaspoon of GHB might lead to a high one night and an overdose on another. It depends on a person’s weight, how much food they have eaten and what other chemicals have been ingested. Overdoses are typical and easy to do with this dangerous drug.
• Mixing GHB with alcohol or other depressants is dangerous and has caused many deaths due to respiratory failure.
• GHB has become a popular rape drug. Being colorless and mostly tasteless, it can be easily slipped into any type of beverage. Females especially should never allow anyone else to get a drink of alcohol or soda for them and should never leave their beverage unattended.

Special K

What is Ketamine?

• Ketamine Hydrochloride was originally created for use as a human anesthetic, and is still used, most often by veterinarians as an animal tranquilizer. It is considered a “dissociative” anesthetic due to its ability to separate perception from sensation. It has strong pain relieving properties as well, and usually comes as a liquid in small, pharmaceutical bottles. It is often cooked into a white powder for snorting.

Street Names:

• K, Special K

What are the Effects?

• At lower doses the user experiences a mild dreamy feeling similar to laughing gas. The user may feel “floaty,” slightly outside of his/her body, and may feel some numbness in the extremities.
• Higher doses produce “trips” or hallucinations and may cause the user to feel far away from his/her body; this experience is referred to as the “K-hole” and has been compared to a near-death experience including the sensation of rising above one’s body, inner peace and radiant light.
• While in the K-hole it is quite difficult to move and the user is almost paralyzed.

Whatch Out

• Ketamine at the very least dangerously increases heart rate. In higher doses it depresses consciousness and breathing making it especially dangerous, and potentially lethal, if mixed with alcohol or other depressants (Valium, GHB).
• Ketamine can cause a tremendous psychological dependence leading to many cases of Ketamine addiction.

Hallucinogens
LSD PCP Mushrooms

What are Hallucinogens

• Artificial hallucinogens include LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide), Angel Dust (PCP), and Ecstasy (MDMA) (see separate Ecstasy fact sheet for more information about this popular drug).
• Natural hallucinogens include mescaline (derived from peyote cactus) and psilocybin (found in certain mushrooms).
• LSD is usually found absorbed into a tiny piece of paper (called a “blotter”) but is also found as a pure liquid or absorbed into a sugar cube. It is almost always swallowed with one dose being called a “hit.”
• PCP is often snorted or mixed with marijuana and smoked.
• Other hallucinogens are generally taken in one of the above ways.

Street Names:

• Acid, microdot, phoenix, sugar, sunshine, shrooms, window pane or zen

What are the Effects?

• Major target in brain is the neurotransmitter serotonin, which controls the senses.
• When hallucinogens enter the brain, they act like serotonin and stimulate all the sense receptors, which cause a “trip.” For the user, colors might appear sharper, moving objects can leave “trails” behind them, flat surfaces may appear to “breathe,” and “visions” may appear.
• The effects of these drugs generally stay with the user for up to 6 hours. After 8 hours the trip is usually over although some residual effects may remain until after sleep.

Whatch Out

• It is impossible to know which brain cells will be stimulated (so there are “good” and “bad” trips)
• Eventually, the brain realizes that a hallucinogen has been substituted for serotonin and then reroutes its circuits. This is called cross-wiring and explains what happens when some users experience strange sensations such as “hearing colors” flashbacks may happen hours, days or months after the drug is used.
• It is believed that flashbacks happen because some cross-wired places aren’t repaired; also, hallucinogens are sometimes stored in the brain cells and released at a later time; about 5% remain permanently crossed in some way.
• Hallucinogens can trigger underlying mental problems and produce delusions, paranoia, and schizophrenia-like symptoms; they can also produce extreme anxiety states or panic attacks, not only while under the influence of the drug, but for some time after.

Methamphetamine

What is Speed?

• Speed (amphetamine and methamphetamine) is a stimulant.
• Speed can be swallowed, snorted, smoked or injected.
• Prescription amphetamines: Ritalin and Cylert

Street Names:

• Crystal, rock, meth, speed, crank, black beauties, white crosses, uppers, dexies, bennies, RJs, ice (which is a smokable form of crystal methamphetamine)

What are the Effects?

• Up, bouncing, excited, talkative, and confident are the first words to describe the user. Overall, Speed produces alertness and raises levels of energy and stamina.
• Speed also reduces appetite and lessens the desire or ability to sleep.
• Other symptoms of use include: dry mouth, sweating, headache, blurred vision, dizziness and anxiety.

Whatch Out

• With continued use even more symptoms appear: irregular heartbeat, tremors, loss of coordination, and hallucinations.
• Speed use can also lead to seizures, heart attacks, strokes and death from overdose.
• Speed users are at higher HIV and Hepatitis risk through unsafe sex and needle sharing.
• Extended use of speed can cause psychosis. The user generally becomes paranoid, thinking everyone is out to get them or that they are being followed or watched.

Ecstasy

What is Ecstasy?

• Ecstasy is MDMA or 3,4-Methylene-dioxy-methamphetamine and belongs to a family of drugs called “entactogens” (which literally means, “touching within”).
• MDMA was originally created by the U.S. Army as a drug of war but deemed too cruel to use in such a way. It was then modified and used as a therapeutic tool for psychologists and therapists. However, much in the same way that Sigmund Freud used cocaine as a therapeutic tool and then realized the terrible error of his ways, MDMA is NOT considered an appropriate mechanism for therapists.
• MDMA is almost always swallowed as a tablet or capsule and comes in many different colors and sizes, generally with a signature stamp on the front.

Street Names:

• Ecstasy, E, the sex or love drug

What are the Effects?

• MDMA produces a relaxed, euphoric state. It does not generally produce hallucinations.
• Due to a huge serotonin “dump” in the body, sensations seem enhanced, music sounds better and feelings of empathy and well-being are common.

Whatch Out

• Frequent or high doses have been linked to neurotoxic damage in laboratory animals.
• Some users experience depression after taking MDMA.
• Much of what is sold as Ecstasy actually contains other drugs, many of which are dangerous, such as DXM or PCP.
• There have been many deaths associated with MDMA which causes such a severe spike in body temperature that there have been cases of users have body temperatures of 107, three hours after death.

Marijuana

What is Marijuana?

• Scientific name: cannabis sativa.
• Combination of 421 chemicals, 61 of which affect the brain.
• The tar content in one joint equals the amount of tar in twelve tobacco cigarettes.

Street Names:

• Acapulco gold, bang, ganja, grass, hemp, joint, Mary Jane, pot, THC, weed, reefer, hoochie, maui wowie, hash, keif, tai sticks

What are the Effects?

• THC is the chemical in marijuana that most affects the brain.
• 280 of the chemicals in marijuana are believed to cause cancer.
• Causes amotivation or a loss of interest in doing most activities including school work and sports.
• Causes memory lapses and difficulty with concentration.
• THC affects nine of the brain’s neurotransmitters. The major chemical affected is serotonin which controls sleep, the senses, aggression and hunger.
• Marijuana almost doubles the action of serotonin which raises the user’s perception of, and reaction to, everything he or she senses.
• It generally lowers aggression, creating mellowness.
• A feeling of well-being comes from marijuana’s action on dopamine, the neurotransmitter that controls feelings of pleasure.

Whatch Out

• THC (which is black and tar-like) is deposited in the spaces between the brain cells of marijuana smokers. The deposits disrupt the natural flow of neurotransmitters resulting in memory lapses.
• Of all drug users, recovering marijuana smokers have the longest wait for memory and concentration to return.
• Also affects the reproductive organs of both male and female users.
• Male marijuana users have been shown to have deformed sperm and lower testosterone levels.
• Female users may have irregular menstrual cycles and reduced production of growth hormones.
• Causes muscle rigidity and coordination difficulties. Anyone playing sports should not smoke marijuana.

Alcohol

What is alcohol?

• Beverage alcohol is ethyl alcohol or ethanol; it is made from fermenting sugars, usually grains such as hops, barley or rice and/or fruits.
• Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant.
• A “standard drink” is defined as 12 oz. of beer, 5 oz. of wine, or 1.5 oz. of liquor

What are the Effects

• Low to moderate amounts can produce feelings of relaxation, lowered inhibitions, impaired judgment and increased sociability.
• Larger amounts can cause dizziness, nausea, slurred speech, slower reflexes, sleepiness and dehydration.

Whatch Out

• It affects as many as eight of the brain’s neurotransmitters at one time which results in damaged reflexes and behavior which can be violent or aggressive
• It also changes senses and may cause hallucinations
• It causes body temperature and blood pressure to rise and fall and breathing to change
• It damages memory and concentration. Alcoholics often suffer long-term memory loss
• Consistent use of alcohol lowers the production of the neurotransmitter GABA, which controls seizures and depression. Continued drinking covers up the effects of the low level of GABA, but once person stops drinking, seizures or depression may be seen
• Overdoses can cause loss of motor control, black outs, passing out, coma or even death.
• Drinking during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
• Alcohol is highly addictive and tolerance develops relatively quickly with severe withdrawal symptoms from which one can die without proper medical care.

2C-T-7

What is 2C-T-7

2,5-dimethoxy-4-(n)-propylthiophenethylamine is a synthetic chemical in the (psychedelic) phenethylamine class developed by Alexander Shulgin (who lives in Lafayette, CA and is a former UC Berkeley professor)around 1980; generally found in powder form although it is also produced and sold in pill format (7 mg. tablets which are generally blue and sometimes pink); sold at parties for $15-$20 a dose; sold from chemical suppliers for approximately $400 per gram. It is unscheduled and uncontrolled in the U.S. making it technically legal to possess. Although it could be prosecuted under the Analog Act (see below), there are no known cases of prosecution at this time.

Street Names:

• Blue Mystic, T-7, 7-Up, Tripstasy, The Substance, Beautiful

What are the Effects?

Depending on dosage, generally takes 1-2.5 hours to take effect; acts on body similar to psychedelics such as Ecstasy and LSD with the effects lasting from 10 to 12 hours and after effects of 4-6 hours; gram for gram it is a dozen times more psychoactive than mescaline; causes delirium and dissociation in higher doses as well as side effects including nausea and vomiting, anxiety and panic attacks; at least 3 deaths have been directly attributed to the drug since April 2001.

Whatch Out

T-7 is sold on the internet. To get around drug analog laws (which stipulate that a substance that is both similar to an already known illegal drug ad sold for human consumption is, de facto, illegal), T-7 was billed as a “research chemical” of a “nonconsumptive, noningestive, nonculinary, nonfood, nonmedicinal nature” and sold in bulk form. This means that T-7 users end up having to gauge dosages themselves which is nearly impossible to do with the naked eye, since the difference between a sage dose and an overdose is no more than a few specks.

DXM

What is DXM?

DXM, or Dextromethorphan, is a legal cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medicines, although it can also be purchased in capsule or powder form. In high doses it acts as a “dissociative anesthetic.”

Street Names:

• Dixie, Dixie X, Mason line

What are the Effects?

Initial effects can include a lift in mood, dissociation of the mind from the body, “dreamlike” experiences; pupil dilation, and decreased sexual functioning.

Whatch Out

Visual and aural hallucinations can happen even at low doses; Other side effects can include vomiting, body itching or rashes, diarrhea, fever and tachycardia (racing or pounding heart) and heatstroke; DXM should never be used in combination with other drugs, especially alcohol which can lead to death; DXM or products containing DXM should never be used if you are taking an MAO inhibitor (i.e. many antidepressants); it is easy to become addicted to DXM; dissociative drugs such as DXM definitely cause brain damage if used heavily (such as Onley’s Lesions which are tiny holes in the brain).

Nitrous Oxide

What is Nitrous Oxide?

Nitrous Oxide, laughing gas, is a gas that has been used as a mild anesthetic in combination with oxygen, most notably by dentists. Nitrous Oxide is classified as a dissociative anesthetic and is legally available for over-the-counter sale in most states although it is illegal to sell it to a minor. Nitrous is most commonly sold in small canisters for use in making whipped cream, although it can also be purchased in large tanks. Nitrous can also be found in regular whip cream cans such as Redi-Whip or other household products such as computer cleaners and Endust.

How is Nitrous Oxide Used?

It is always inhaled; users either inhale the gas directly from a tank or release the nitrous into a balloon and then suck the contents out of the balloon. A device called a “cracker” is often used for this second method. The “cracker” looks like a small black film canister with a pin in the middle sticking straight up. The nitrous cartridge is placed in this canister and then twisted or “cracked” to release the stream of gas into a balloon.

Street Names:

• Whippits, NO

What are the Effects?

Nitrous inhalation results in temporary loss of motor control and a “dissociative” psychological effect, in which perceptions and sensations become disconnected. Users report a dreamlike mental state and may experience mild audio or visual hallucinations. The effects are immediate and usually last less than a minute.

Whatch Out

Nitrous Oxide produces an immediate loss of motor control as it sucks all the oxygen out of the brain. There have been many injuries and deaths from people falling down after inhaling nitrous. Nitrous can also be extremely cold when released from the tank and can burn the skin as well as the lips and throat. Nitrous is also psychologically addictive and regular use can cause long-lasting numbness in the extremities and other neurological problems

Cocaine/Crack

What is it?

Cocaine Hydrochloride is a white powder derived from the leaves of the coca plant, which grows mainly in South America. Cocaine is usually sold by the gram in glassine baggies.

Crack cocaine is made by altering cocaine powder chemically into “rocks” or crystals, which can be smoked easily.

How is it Used?

Cocaine is generally sniffed/inhaled in small lines, but it can also be smoked, but can or injected intravenously.

Crack cocaine is smoked.

Street Names:

• coke, blow, powder

What are the Effects?

Cocaine is a stimulant with a relatively short acting time, generally peaking after about 15 or 30 minutes; cocaine causes a sudden increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing; “positive” feelings can include confidence, alertness, and euphoria, while “negative” feelings tend to include paranoia, depression, agitation, anxiety and paranoia

Whatch Out

Cocaine and crack are both highly addictive, physically and psychologically; repeated snorting damages nose membranes; high or frequent doses can cause seizures, hear attacks, strokes, and death.

OXYCONTIN

What is OxyContin?

• OxyContin is trade name product for the generic narcotic “oxycodone hydrochloride,” an opiate agonist, and prescription pain medicine; it was patented in 1996 by Purdue Pharma.
• Opiate agonists provide pain relief by acting on opioid receptors in the spinal cord, brain, and possibly in the tissues directly.
• Oxycodone is a common drug used in pain relievers, but in OxyContin it is at much higher levels than other prescription drugs (i.e. Percocet, Percodan).
• Designed in pill form to be taken orally; abusers generally chew the tablets or crush them and snort the powder. Can also be dissolved in water and injected.
• OxyContin is available in 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 mg. tablets

Street Names:

• Oxy, OC

What are the effects?

• Being an opiate derivative, it has effects similar to heroin or morphine.
• OxyContin is a central nervous system depressant, with possible effects being analgesia (insensitivity to pain), respiratory depression and euphoria.
• OxyContin is a controlled-release oxycodone that acts for 12 hours, making it the longest lasting oxycodone on the market.

Whatch Out

• The illegal use of OxyContin and other prescription drugs has increased recently. The 1999 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse showed that approximately 9% of the US population (19.9 million people) have used pain relievers illegally in their lifetime.
• Among youth age 12-17 the incident rate increased from 6.3 per 1000 potential new users in 1990 to 32.4 per 1000 potential new users in 1998.
• Because it is designed as a pill to be swallowed orally (the medication is time-released), when it is chewed or crushed, a large amount of oxycodone is released all at once, potentially resulting in a dangerous or fatal drug overdose.

SALVIA DIVINORUM

What is Salvia Divinorum?

Salvinorin A is the primary psychoactive component of Salvia Divinorum (Diviner’s Sage), a member of the sage family found naturally in the Mexican state of Oaxaca but grown in the Northeast in the United States; Salvinorin A is the most potent naturally occurring psychedelic known and is completely legal at this time.

How is it used?

Salvia Divinorum is consumed either by smoking the dried leaf or by chewing the fresh leaves; Salvinorum A can be taken either sublingually, by inhaling the vaporized crystal (usually by placing the drug on a piece of tin foil and heating it from below, then inhaling the vapor through a glass tube), or by smoking (Salvinorin A is dissolved onto dried and powdered Salvia Divinorum leaf); effects can be felt from as little as 200 to 500 micrograms and has been used, in extreme cases, in doses up to 1 mg.

Street Names:

• sage, Maria Pastora, Hierba Maria, Sal D, Divine Sal

What are the effects?

• Effects at lower doses are similar to other hallucinogens which enter the brain and act like serotonin and stimulate all the sense receptors, which cause a “trip.” For the user, colors might appear sharper, moving objects can leave “trails” behind them, flat surfaces may appear to “breathe,” and “visions” may appear.
• Often a complete separation of consciousness from the body and personality
• Other types of visual and auditory hallucinations
• Overlapping realities (feelings of being in several locations at once)
• Effects are shorter acting than with other hallucinogens and generally last 2 hours

Whatch Out

• Salvinorin A (the major active principal of the plant) is an extremely powerful consciousness altering compound
• When the dose of Salvinorin A goes above 500 mcg there are often alarming and dangerous effects – the difference between a “good trip” and a “bad trip” can be the difference between 1 or 2 micrograms and most people do not have the expensive equipment needed to make such minute measurements, so “bad trips” are plentiful.
• At doses over 500 mcgs anecdotal reports include; babbling incomprehensibly, the user banging his/her head against walls repeatedly, lunging about and knocking into obstacles such as furniture if walking, or getting into accidents if driving. Accidental deaths have been reported for using Salvinorin A.