Drugs What they are and what they do

Marijuana Marijuana is a mixture of the dried and shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the cannabis sativa plant. The mixture can be green, brown, or gray. Marijuana has a chemical in it called delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC. A lot of other chemicals are found in marijuana, too— about 400 of them, many of which could affect your health. But THC is the main psychoactive (i.e., mind altering) ingredient.

Marijuana The Brain Using marijuana has negative consequences. Your ability to do complex tasks could be compromised, as well as your pursuit of academic, athletic, or other life goals that require you to be 100-percent focused and alert. People who use marijuana over the long term report less life satisfaction, poorer education, and job achievement. Studies show that early marijuana use may increase your risk of developing psychosis if you have a genetic vulnerability to the disease. Psychosis is a severe mental disorder in which there is a loss of contact with reality, including false ideas about what is happening (delusions) and seeing or hearing things that aren’t there (hallucinations).

Medical Marijuana Studies have shown cannabis does have several well- documented beneficial effects. Among these are: the amelioration of nausea and vomiting, stimulation of hunger in chemotherapy and AIDS patients, lowered intraocular eye pressure (shown to be effective for treating glaucoma), as well as gastrointestinal illness. The United States Supreme Court has ruled in United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Coop and Gonzales v. Raich that the federal government has a right to regulate and criminalize cannabis, even for medical purposes. A person can therefore be prosecuted for a cannabis-related crime even if it is legal medical use according to state laws.

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Methamphetamine What Is Crystal Meth? The chemical n-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-2- amine is called methamphetamine, methylamphetamine, or desoxyephedrine. The shortened name is simply ‘meth'. When it is in its crystalline form, the drug is called crystal meth, ice, Tina, or glass.

Methamphetamine Usually crystal meth is smoked in glass pipes, similar to how crack cocaine is used. It may be injected (either dry or dissolved in water), snorted, swallowed, or inserted into the anus or urethra. Some people take meth because of the long- lasting high that it gives. Methamphetamine causes numerous neurotransmitters to be released in the brain, producing a sense of euphoria that may last as long as 12 hours, depending on how the drug was taken.

Methamphetamine

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Cocaine Cocaine is a powerful drug that stimulates the brain. People who use it can form a strong addiction. They may have to use more and more of the drug to get high. Crack is the street name of a smoke-able form of cocaine. No matter how cocaine is taken, it is dangerous. Some of the most common serious problems include Heart problems, including heart attacks Respiratory effects, including respiratory failure Nervous system problems, including strokes Digestive problems Any of these can be fatal. Using cocaine with alcohol is a common cause of drug-related death.

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Heroin Heroin is a highly addictive drug derived from morphine, which is obtained from the opium poppy. It is a “downer” or depressant that affects the brain’s pleasure systems and interferes with the brain’s ability to perceive pain. Heroin can be used in a variety of ways Heroin can be injected into a vein (“mainlining”), injected into a muscle, smoked in a water pipe or standard pipe, mixed in a marijuana joint or regular cigarette, inhaled as smoke through a straw, or snorted as powder via the nose.

Effects of Heroin The short-term effects of heroin abuse appear soon after a single dose and disappear in a few hours. Warm flushing of the skin, a dry mouth, and heavy extremities. Following this the user goes “on the nod,” an alternately wakeful and drowsy state. Mental functioning becomes clouded due to the depression of the central nervous system. Other effects included slowed and slurred speech, slow gait, constricted pupils, droopy eyelids, impaired night vision, vomiting, constipation.

Effects of Heroin Long-term effects appear after repeated use for a period of time. Chronic users may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulites, and liver disease. With regular heroin use, tolerance develops. This means the abuser must use more heroin to achieve the same intensity or effect.

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LSD LSD is the most common hallucinogen and is one of the most potent mood-changing chemicals. It is manufactured from lysergic acid, which is found in ergot, a fungus that grows on rye and other grains. LSD is usually found on “blotter” paper (paper that is perforated into small squares). The squares or “tabs” may be colored or have images printed on them. Liquid LSD is a clear liquid, usually in a small container, tube or flask. LSD can also be found in thin squares of gelatin.

LSD Some LSD users experience flashbacks, recurrence of certain aspects of a person’s experience even if the user doesn’t take the drug again. A flashback occurs suddenly, often without warning, and may occur within a few days or more than a year after LSD use. Most users of LSD voluntarily decrease or stop its use over time.

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