Commonly Abused Drugs
Commonly Abused Drugs Charts by NIDA & NIH
Recommended: The National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute of Health offer a fully comprehensive list. It is both exhaustive and up to date. You can find the list here. Each listing expands to an in-depth explanation of the drug, street names, common forms, commercial use, ways taken as well as the possible health effects and treatment options. It's also available to download as a PDF.
Commonly Abused Drugs Charts
Commonly Abused Drugs Charts PDF
Commonly Abused Drugs and Withdrawal Symptoms
Also from NIH: PillBox.com has a comprehensive database of descriptions and images to identify pills.
EROWID
Erowid is a member-supported organization providing access to reliable, non-judgmental information about psychoactive plants, chemicals, and related issues. We work with academic, medical, and experiential experts to develop and publish new resources, as well as to improve and increase access to already existing resources.
SAMHSA's Quick Facts Drug Information
Quick Facts Drug Information has street names and basic information on all drugs.
The following quick facts are provided as a resource to learn about some of the more common drugs of abuse and not as a means of diagnosing substance abuse or addiction.
When you're done with this, you can find a lot more info on the SAMSHA website on their "Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs" page.
Alcohol
Alcoholism is a family disease touching not only the individual struggling with addiction, but their family as well. A standard drink is defined as containing 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol. Excessive drinking includes binge drinking, heavy drinking and drinking by pregnant women or young people under the age of 21. (Source: CDC)
Alcoholism is defined as the compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages or any other source of alcohol regardless of consequences. Alcoholism is classified as an addictive illness and treated as a disease.
Effects on the Family Include: Suspicion —The alcoholic’s actions often lead to accusations and conflicts over whether or not he or she has been drinking.
Insecurity — Drinking puts jobs and financial security at risk.
Guilt—Family members blame themselves for the drinking and often believe their shortcomings are driving the alcoholic to drink.
Fear—Family members fear the unpredictable consequences of drinking: mood changes, irritability, anger, sometimes even violence. They also fear that matters will get worse and the family unit will disintegrate.
Disappointment—Family members are constantly disappointed by broken promises and unfulfilled expectations.
Isolation—Family members become isolated from one another by the unwritten rule against discussing the “problem.” Each is forced to find his or her way of coping with the pain. Normal family communications break down.
Embarrassment—Embarrassment often causes family members to avoid attending events where drinking is likely to occur, and to avoid bringing people into the house. It also prevents going outside the family to seek help.
Resentment—As more unfair demands are placed on the family, members become angry and resentful. This puts a strain on relationships and threatens to destroy the unity of the family.
BATH SALTS (Synthetic Cathinones)
Marketed as “Bath Salts” and sometimes as “Plant Food” synthetic stimulants are labeled “not for human consumption.” Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) is a psychoactive drug with stimulant effects similar to cocaine. It’s a “crystalline” powder that tends to clump to itself, resembling powdered sugar and color can range from pure white to a yellowish-tan. Bath Salts have a slight odor that strengthens as it colors.” (Source: Wikipedia). The DEA issued a ban on the drug in October, 2011, but like other designer drugs, MDPV has many variants making enforcement difficult. In 2012, Congress permanently placed 26 substances into Schedule I of the CSA. MDPV remains available for purchase on the internet, in convenient stores and in “head shops.”
Common Street Names: Plant Food, MTV, Magic, Super Coke, Cloud Nine, Bliss, Blue Silk, White Lightening, Ivory White, Pure Ivory, White Dove, Snow Leopard, Lunar Wave and White Knight
Effects: Extreme euphoria, increased alertness and awareness, increased energy and motivation, decreased concentration, increased sociability, sexual stimulation/aphrodisiac effects and a diminished perception of the requirement for food and sleep. Other effects include agitation, panic attacks, insomnia, dizziness, depression, suicidal thoughts and seizures.
CLUB DRUGS
The term “club drugs” refers to mostly illegal drugs that are popular among young people who frequent all-night dance parties or “raves.” Included in the club drug category are the commonly called “date rape” drugs, which are primarily strong sedative drugs that put the user into a very deep sleep. As the following information shows, use of any of these drugs is very dangerous. The dangers increase with how and where the drug was made, how much of the drug is taken, and whether the user ingests alcohol or other drugs along with the club drug.
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)
Other names: Ecstasy, XTC, X, Adam, Clarity, Lover’s Speed, Molly (pure)
MDMA was developed and patented in the early 1900s as an appetite suppressant, although it was never tested on people. MDMA is taken orally, usually in a tablet or capsule form. Because MDMA is similar to the stimulant amphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline, it can produce both stimulant and psychedelic effects in users. MDMA’s effects last approximately three to six hours. However, the confusion, depression, sleep problems and other associated effects can last weeks after the drug is taken. One’s sense of touch and sexual pleasure is reportedly greatly intensified when under the influence of MDMA, hence the origin of one of its street names—ecstasy—and one of the reasons it is cited as a “date rape” drug. Chronic use of MDMA can produce long-lasting, perhaps permanent, brain damage and memory impairment. MDMA use may lead to heart attacks, strokes and seizures. In high doses, it can be extremely dangerous, even fatal. The stimulant effect of MDMA enables users to dance or perform other physical activity for extended periods. This may lead to dehydration, hypertension and heart or kidney failure.
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
Other names: G, Liquid Ecstasy, Grievous Bodily Harm, Georgia Home Boy, Easy Lay, Goop, Liquid X, Scoop
GHB is often manufactured in homes or clandestine laboratories from recipes and ingredients found and purchased on the Internet. It is manufactured as either a clear liquid or a white powder that can be made into a tablet or capsule. It is typically sold by the capful or “swig.” GHB is a central nervous system depressant. In low doses, it relaxes the body and relieves anxiety. As the dose increases, the sedative effect causes deep sleep, which is why GHB is grouped with the “date rape” drugs. Larger doses will result in dangerously slowed breathing and heart rates, as well as in coma and/or death. There is no way to tell how much GHB will cause adverse physical reactions that will lead to death—each person’s tolerance is different. The drug is usually abused either for its intoxicating/sedative/euphoric properties or for its growth hormone-releasing effects, which can build muscles. GHB’s intoxicating effects begin 10 to 20 minutes after the drug is taken. The effects typically last up to four hours, depending on the dosage. GHB is cleared from the body relatively quickly, so it is sometimes difficult to detect in emergency rooms and other treatment facilities. GBL and BD are sometimes substituted analogues for GHB and sold as “fish tank cleaner,” “ink stain remover,” “ink cartridge cleaner” and “nail enamel remover.”
Ketamine
Other names: K, Special K, Vitamin K, Super K, Jet K, Cat Valium, Cat Tranquilizer, Kit Kat, La Coke, Super Acid.
Ketamine is an anesthetic that has been approved for medical use with both humans and animals. About 90% of the Ketamine legally sold today is intended for veterinary use. Ketamine comes in liquid or as a white powder that can be smoked with marijuana or tobacco. It also can be injected. Powdered Ketamine is cut into lines known as bumps and snorted. Liquid Ketamine can be mixed into drinks. Ketamine is found by itself or often in combination with MDMA, amphetamine, methamphetamine, or cocaine. Large doses of the drug can cause dream-like states and hallucinations. At higher doses, it can cause delirium, amnesia, impaired motor function, high blood pressure, depression and potentially fatal respiratory problems. Lower doses of the drug can impair attention, learning ability and memory.
Rohypnol®
Other name: Roofies, Rophies, Roche, The Forget-Me Pill, The Date Rape Drug
Rohypnol® (flunitrazepam) belongs to the class of drugs known as benzodiazepines, which include Valium®, Halcion®, Xanax® and Versed®. It is not approved for prescription use in the U.S., although it is approved in Europe and is used in more than 60 countries as a treatment for insomnia, as a sedative and as an anesthetic. Rohypnol® is tasteless and odorless, and it dissolves easily in carbonated beverages. It’s usually taken orally, although it can be ground up and snorted. The drug can cause amnesia. Individuals may not remember events they experienced while under the influence of the drug. This may be why one of the street names for Rhypnol® is “the date rape drug”—the drug has been used in sexual assaults. A dose of Rohypnol® as small as 1 mg. can impair a user for 8 to 12 hours. The sedative and toxic effects are intensified if taken with alcohol. Other adverse effects associated with Rohypnol® include decreased blood pressure, drowsiness, visual disturbances, dizziness, confusion, gastrointestinal disturbances and urine retention.
Crack & Cocaine
Cocaine in its pure form is a white crystalline powder extracted from the leaves of South America’s coca plant. On the street, it is a mixture of the pure substance and various additives used to increase the quantity, and thereby, the seller’s profit. Cocaine can be inhaled (snorted) through the nose, smoked in the forms of free-base cocaine (which is particularly dangerous because the substance used to process it is highly flammable) or crack, and may also be injected.
The use of cocaine is very dangerous in all of its forms. Even small amounts can cause convulsions, heart and respiratory failure or death. Using free-base, crack or injected cocaine increases the risk of overdose because very large amounts of the drug reach the brain within seconds. Injecting cocaine also carries the additional hazards of HIV/AIDS infection, hepatitis and reactions to impurities in the drug.
Physical fitness or good health does not impact a person’s tolerance for cocaine. Sensitivity can also develop in those who have used the drug before, so prior use is no guarantee that a person will not be fatally affected by continued use.
Effects: Weight loss, chronic runny nose with damage to the nose and sinus, lowered resistance to infections and disease, high blood pressure, seizures, irritability, short temper, paranoia, memory loss, loss of sex drive, panic attacks, chronic depression, hallucinations, fast or irregular heartbeats, heart attack and death. Symptoms of cocaine withdrawal include exhaustion, irritability, sleepiness, energy loss, depression and an intensive craving for more cocaine.
What to Look For: Frequent and extreme mood swings, from self-confidence and euphoria to depression and paranoia, what seems like a complete change in personality, compulsive behavior, anxiety, jitteriness, loss of interest in normal activities, constant lateness or absence from school or work, a new circle of friends, large withdrawals of money from the bank; frequent requests for loans, selling something of value with nothing to show for it, significant weight loss in a short time, constant stuffy or runny nose, nose bleeds, trouble sleeping, yet seems exhausted all the time, little interest in sex.
Cocaine paraphernalia may include a small mirror (provides a smooth surface for snorting), spoon, razor (for chopping the cocaine into “lines”), tooter, straw or rolled-up dollar bill, beaker or petri dish (to head the cocaine for free-basing), supply of ether (mixed with street cocaine and then evaporated to purify the drug), rounded water pipe with several layers of screens, syringes (for injection).
Energy Drinks
While energy drinks are marketed as healthy ways to hydrate, they are in fact counterproductive to anyone who is looking for healthy ways to quench their thirst while playing sports, working out or involved in any strenuous activity.
Some of the more common energy drinks are MonsterTM, Red BullTM, and Rock StarTM and typically include Caffeine, Guarana Berry, Tuarine, Ginseng, Ginko and other supplements and sometimes vitamins.
Effects: Ingredients are considered “supplements” therefore not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Many of them have stimulant effect and may cause increased heart rate, insomnia, anxiety, high blood pressure and dehydration. A person can become dehydrated quickly if drinking these products while engaged in any activities that are strenuous, especially if outside on a hot day. If a person has problems with high blood pressure or heart disease, these products can worsen these conditions. Caffeine and Guarana make it harder for Diabetics to control their blood sugar levels.
Energy drinks are not recommended for children because the long-term effects are unknown, yet it is estimated that 30% to 50% of children, teens and young adults consumed them regularly.
Energy drinks are used as mixers in bars. Some of the more common alcohol drinks combined with energy drinks include Jaeger Bombs and Electric Screwdriver’s. Alcohol Energy Drinks are no longer sold in supermarkets and convenient stores.
Mixing energy drinks with alcohol appear to put a person at risk of being hurt or injured and needing medical attention, driving while intoxicated or riding in a car with an intoxicated driver and being taken advantage of sexually or taking advantage of someone else sexually. The effects of the stimulants cause a person to feel more alert. Users drink more and for longer periods of time and do not realize the level of their impairment. The combination of stimulant effects of the energy drinks and the sedative effects of the alcohol send mixed signals to the central nervous system.
Because of the stimulant effects and the potential to abuse these drinks, it is recommended that people recovering from substance abuse problems should refrain from using these products.
Cold and Cough Medicines
Some over the counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines contain active ingredients that are psychoactive (mind-altering) when used at higher-than-recommended dosages. Dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant and expectorant found in many OTC cough and cold medicines, is why many are misused. It may produce euphoria and dissociative effects or even hallucinations when taken in quantities greater than the recommended therapeutic dose.
Data from SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports on the misuse of OTC cough and cold medications and showed:
In 2006, about 3.1 million people aged 12 to 25 (5.3%) used an OTC cough and cold medication to get high (that is, “misused” the drug), and nearly 1 million (1.7%) had done so in the past year.
Among youths aged 12 to 17, females were more likely than males to have misused OTC cough and cold medications in the past year, but among young adults aged 18 to 25, males were more likely than females to have misused these medications.
Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens alter mood, thought, perception and brain function. This group of drugs includes such substances such as LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), ololiuqui (morning glory), psilocybin, mescaline (peyote) and PCP (phencyclidine). Ecstasy, MDMA, Spice, Ketamine, Marijuana, Steroids and Inhalants are classed by the DEA as hallucinogens. MDMA, or ecstasy, are tablets sold in many colors with a variety of logos to attract young abusers. LSD is sold as paper imprinted with colorful graphic designs.
The most commonly abused hallucinogens among youth are mushrooms, LSD, and MDMA or ecstasy. Hallucinogens can be taken orally, absorbed through the skin (LSD blotters) or smoked.
Use of hallucinogens produces changes in time and space perception, delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (experiencing unreal or distorted sensations) and the effect may be mild or overwhelming. Effects vary from person to person and use to use.
Many natural and synthetic hallucinogens exist. LSD, a synthetic, is the most potent and best studied. Mescaline (from the peyote cactus), psilocybin (from a mushroom found in Mexico), morning glory seeds, DMT, SOM (STP), PMA, MDA, and others have similar effects. Phencyclidine (PCP) is sometimes considered a hallucinogen, although it does not fit easily into any one category.
Types of Hallucinogens
Phencyclidine
Steet names; PCP, hog, angel dust, love boat, lovely, killer weed, embalming fluid, rocket fuel, supergrass, boat, tic tac, zoom, shermans
Appearance: Liquid, white crystalline powder, pills, capsule
Lysergic acid diethylamide
Street Names: Acid, microdot, white lightning, blue heaven, sugar cubes
Appearance: Colored tablets, blotter paper, clear liquid, thin squares of gelatin
Mescaline, Peyote, San Pedro cactus
Street names: Mesc, buttons, cactus, Peyote
Appearance: Hard brown discs, tablets, capsules, cucumber type slices
Psilocybin
Street names: Magic mushrooms, ‘shrooms
Appearance: Fresh or dried mushrooms
LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide)
LSD was first formulated (from a fungus called “ergot”) in 1938. LSD’s psychoactive properties were discovered in 1943. Though some people who have taken these drugs say that they feel more creative, research has failed to show significant changes. New perceptions of the body and self have been reported, but these can be frightening as well as gratifying.
Nearly all LSD comes from illegal laboratories, both domestic and abroad. The quality of the drug varies. Some LSD is fairly pure, but most street samples contain impurities and adulterants. The user generally has no way of knowing the quality of LSD or any other street drug. Hallucinogens are extremely powerful drugs and taking them is a very risky proposition.
Under the influence of LSD, a person loses some control over normal thought processes. Although some perceptions are pleasant, others may cause panic or may make the user believe that he or she cannot be harmed. Either reaction may bring about behavior that can be harmful to the user. Longer-term harmful reactions include anxiety, depression or “breaks with reality” which may last from a few days to months. The exact cause-and-effect relationship between hallucinogens and emotional disruption is not known. When a person has experienced emotional disturbance before using, the drug may simply act to trigger the breakdown.
Common Street Names: Acid, Blotter, Blotter Acid, Cubes, Does, Fry, Mind Candy, Boomers, Mellow Yellow, Window Pane, Yellow Sunshine.
Effects: Effects vary widely according to dosage, personality of the user and conditions under which it is taken. Basically, LSD causes altered sensations. Vision alterations include changes in depth perception and in the meaning of a perceived object. Hallucinations are common. Sense of time and self are altered. Sensations may “cross over” (for example, music may be seen or color heard). Physical reactions range from such minor changes as dilated pupils, a rise in temperature and heartbeat or slight increase in blood pressure, to violent tremors. A user’s emotional response to LSD can vary widely. High does can significantly alter the state of consciousness.
PCP (Phencyclidine, 1-(1-phencyclohexy) piperdine
PCP is a synthetic drug that distorts sight and sound. It is available as a powder, crystal, tablet, capsule or liquid (with an apple juice appearance). PCP powder is water soluble and a common method of use is to dip a tobacco or marijuana cigarette in the PCP solution to smoke.
Street names: Angel Dust, PCP, Embalming Fluid, Killer Weed, Boat, Tic Tac, Zoom, Shermans, Rocket Fuel, Boat, Hog, Ozone, Wack, Crystal
Names for PCP combined with marijuana are: Killer Joints, Supergrass, Fry, Lovelies, Wets, Waters
Wet Sticks refer to marijuana or tobacco cigarettes soaked in embalming fluid or ether and laced with PCP. Street names include: Amp, Wet, Sherm, Happy Sticks
Effects: PCP’s mind altering effects take effect within 5 minutes after smoking and may last anywhere from 4 to 8 hours depending on dose. PCP produces a feeling of numbness, slurred speech and loss of coordination and may also include feelings of strength and invulnerability. Severe side effects include violent behavior, seizures and coma. Wet Sticks induce blackouts, rage and violent behavior. (Source: DEA)
Other Hallucinogens
Other hallucinogens such as mescaline, peyote and San Pedro cactus have effects similar to LSD. Although they are generally not as strong, their effects on a user can be just as great, because the effect varies from person to person. In addition, street doses of these other drugs may actually be LSD itself, or may be contaminated with other drugs or adulterants.
More information about hallucinogens are available at the links below:
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse
Heroin
Not only is heroin an illegal, highly addictive drug, it is also one of the most dangerous drugs for users to take. Heroin’s overdose rate is at epidemic proportions in many states. People of all ages are dying from heroin overdoses. Many were originally addicted to prescription opioids but have switched to heroin because it is cheap and easy to acquire. A recently identified high risk factor for heroin overdose is after a period of abstinence from the drug.
Addicts physically dependent on heroin develop tolerance to the drug’s effects and need higher doses to achieve the desired sense of euphoria. Eventually, the drug’s effects are no longer felt, and more is taken to simply avoid withdrawal symptoms. The dangers of addiction to this drug are very serious. Heroin is typically injected intravenously, and users run the risk of contracting HIV/AIDs from sharing needles or Hepatitis C from sharing cotton, water and other paraphernalia. A growing number of users are choosing to snort or smoke the drug. This method doesn’t lessen the dangers of addiction or overdose.
Common Street Names: Big H, H, Tar, Black Tar, Chiva, Hell Dust, Horse, Negra, Brown, B, Smack, Thunder, Dope, Boy.
Effects: While heroin users may feel an initial rush and feelings of euphoria upon use of the drug, these “positive” feelings are accompanied by many side effects which include: nausea, vomiting, severe itching, pupil constriction (“pinpoint” pupils), drowsiness for several hours. Mental functioning can be clouded by heroin’s effect on the central nervous system and slow the heart and breathing functions; resulting in death. Long-term side effects include: severe constipation, impaired vision, reduced sex drive and diminished fertility, menstrual irregularity, higher risk of heart problems, nightmares and hallucinations, mood swings and mental instability. Infections are the most common complication of heroin use, ranging from skin infections to infections of the heart and lungs. High risk of HIV/AIDS, tetanus, viral hepatitis, abscesses and collapsed veins as well as serious illnesses due to the blocking of pain messages may occur.
Symptoms of heroin withdrawal are comparable to those associated with a severe case of the flu. The process generally begins around the time the body expects the next dose of the drug and can last up to 10 days. Initial withdrawal symptoms include: muscle cramps and spasms, chills, fever and sweating, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, watery eyes, runny nose, persistent yawning or a period of deep sleep.
What to Look For: Sticky, black tar heroin is usually found on paper. White powder heroin is typically sold in small aluminum foil folds or in tiny baggy ends tied shut. The ends are clipped off with a pair of scissors to use the contents. Small wax paper type bags are also sold with branded heroin which is stamped with a variety of names which vary based on area. Branded names include: Diesel, Kiss of Death, Ghost Busters, Outlaw, Game Over, Batman and Robin and Monster Powder to name a few.
Discarded aluminum foil with black residue is indicative of smoking heroin. A straw or other tube can be used to snort heroin. Those injecting heroin typically have a drug kit which includes scissors, a spoon, a water vial, needles, lighters, cotton and a bandana or other item to use as a tourniquet.
Inhalants
Inhalants are a group of chemicals including solvents, aerosols, adhesives, gases, cleaning agents, food products, anesthetics and volatile nitrites. These legal substances, most of which are found in everyday household products, are not normally thought of as drugs, but have drug-like effects on the user. The most familiar substances are paint and glue. But include nearly 600 common household, workshop and office products that are dangerous when inhaled. Those products include keyboard aerosol cleaners, felt-tip markers, spray paint and aerosol cooking sprays.
Inhalants are most often (though not exclusively) abused by young people, especially between the ages of 7 and 17 because inhalants are found in common household products, are inexpensive and easy to hide. Sometimes children unintentionally misuse these products. Parents need to be extra alert and see that these substances, like medicines, are kept away from children.
Inhalants are legally available for legitimate purposes, so regulating them to prevent misuse is difficult. Anything in an aerosol-propellant spray container can be abused. Other misused products are gasoline, transmission fluid, model and other glue, fingernail polish and remover, paint thinner, butane, disinfectant, furniture polish as well as, lighter fluid, oven cleaner, insecticide, hair spray, aerosol deodorant, turpentine and rust remover. Substances abused by inhaling also include nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and dry cleaning fluid. Some organic nitrites marketed as “room odorizers” appear to be packaged and distributed specifically for their abuse potential. Any nitrite, an inhalant with a legitimate medical use in treatment of heart patients, also is often abused.
Nitrous Oxide
Street Names: Laughing gas, whippets, buzz bomb, shoot the breeze.
Appearance: Small 8-gram metal cylinder sold with a balloon or pipe propellant for whipped cream in aerosol spray can
Amyl Nitrite
Street Names: Boppers, ames, Amy’s, pearls, poppers
Appearance: Clear yellowish liquid in ampules (small vials)
Isobutyl Nitrite
Street Names: Rush, bolt, bullet, locker room , aroma of men, climax, hardware, poppers, quicksilver, rush, snappers, thrust, whiteout
Appearance: Liquid in small bottles
Chlorohydrocarbons
Sniffing, snorting, bagging, air blast
Aerosol cans, Aerosol sprays or cleaning fluids
Hydrocarbons
Bagging, huffing (using a soaked rag in the mouth), gluey, glading
Cans of aerosol propellants, gasoline, glue, paint thinner and solvents
Effects: During and shortly after inhalant use, the sniffer usually experiences dizziness, loss of muscle coordination, inability to think and behave normally, and, sometimes, abusive or violent behavior. Solvents and aerosol sprays also decrease the heart and respiratory rates and impair judgment. Amyl and butyl nitrite cause rapid pulse, headaches and involuntary passing of urine and feces. Long-term use may result in hepatitis or brain damage. Deeply inhaling the vapors or using large amounts over a short time may result in disorientation, violent behavior, unconsciousness or death.
What to Look For: There are many physical and emotional symptoms of inhalant abuse. One of the most evident symptoms is difficulty and problem behavior in school: failing grades, increased absences and general apathy. Other signs of inhalant use include hand tremors, drunk, dazed or dizzy appearance, red or running eyes or nose, unusual breath odor, excessive sweating, spots or sores around the mouth, paint or stains on the hands or clothing, chronic headaches, anxiety, excitability, irritability, nausea and loss of appetite.
Spice (Synthetic Marijuana)
Spice is a synthetic chemical developed when research was conducted to develop an alternative to medical marijuana. The chemicals in Spice, a combination of synthetic cannabinoid compounds, have multiple variations and are typically sprayed onto herbal or tobacco mixtures to be smoked or used as an herbal infused drink.
Marketed as a “legal high,” Spice is easy to find and is sold on the internet, at gas stations, convenient stores and in “head shops.” In stores, Spice is sold as incense and labeled “not for human consumption.” Spice is also manufactured on the street by amateur chemists.
Common Street Names: K2, JWH or XLR (followed by two to three numbers which identify the variant), Smoke, Happy Shaman Herb, Skunk, Fake Weed, Yucatan Fire, Moon Rocks and Smacked
Effects: In lower doses Spice causes euphoria, relaxation, elevated mood, altered perception. In higher doses Spice may cause agitation, anxiety, hallucinations, paranoia, vomiting, confusion, racing heart and increased blood pressure. Regular users may experience withdrawal symptoms.
What to Look For: Signs of intoxication, packaged herbal mixtures labeled as incense or herbal incense, herbal tobacco blends and rolling papers.
More information on Spice is available at through the National Institute of Health at
MARIJUANA (CANNABIS)
Marijuana’s botanical name is Cannabis sativa and it is called by many slang names by users. The chief psychoactive (mind-altering) ingredient in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinoil, or THC. Hemp (marijuana) plants also contain more than 400 other chemicals.
Marijuana cigarettes (joints) are hand-rolled and made from the dried leaves, stems, flowers and seeds of the plant, which are typically a dry, green and brown mixture. Marijuana may be smoked in pipes or water pipes known as bongs. Blunts are cigars filled with a mixture of tobacco and marijuana. Marijuana is also added to food products and beverages or brewed as a tea.
Plant strain, climate, soil conditions, time of harvest and other factors determine the potency of marijuana. In recent years, the strength of street samples of marijuana has markedly increased. Some samples have been found to have a THC content as high as 38%. The long-term use of marijuana, or the use of more potent mixes, increases the physical and mental effects and possibly increases health problems, including learning and memory issues for the user.
Common Street Names: MJ, Mary Jane, Pot, Ganga, Weed, Grass, 420, Aunt Mary, Bud, Dope, Hash, Herb, Reefer, Smoke, Gangster, Joint.
Effects: Increased heart rate, reddening of the eyes, dryness in the mouth and throat, altered perception and sense of time, impaired short-term memory, reduced concentration, reduced reaction and coordination. Enhanced hearing, vision and skin sensitivity are reported. Euphoria, relaxation, altered sense of body image and bouts of exaggerated laughter, loud talking or animated behavior.
Some users may experience anxiety, paranoia, psychosis and lack of coordination, which wears off after the acute drug effects wear off. While marijuana’s addictiveness continues to be debated, those who discontinue frequent high-dose use of marijuana exhibit symptoms of withdrawal including irritability, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite and weight loss, sweating and stomach upset.
Adverse effects on health for youth include interference with the growth process. Research shows marijuana use impairs thinking, reading, verbal and math skills. Clinicians also believe the drug may interfere with the development of social skills and may encourage psychological escapism.
What to Look For: Altered judgment and concentration. Sweet odor from smoke. Rolling papers, pipes, water pipes. Seed and stem residue.
The passage of legal marijuana use in several states has introduced a large amount of THC laced candy, capsules, cookies, chocolate products, sodas and other products which may be purchased in states with legalized sales. Cannabis beverages, including energy drinks, may be purchased on-line.
In some areas marijuana is laced with heroin or small samples of heroin are being given free with the purchase of marijuana.
WAX
Wax is a concentrated form of marijuana extracted from hemp plant leaves using butane and alcohol. Wax is more potent than standard marijuana as the butane extracts the oils containing high levels of THC. Consequently, Wax may contain 60% to 90% concentrations of THC. Appearance ranges from a light brown or buttery color to clear.
Wax has been in use for at least a decade however it has become more available in recent years. It can be eaten, vaporized or smoked in a bong or e-cigarette. Many users store Wax in lip balm jars. Use is often called “dabbing.” A dab of wax is placed on a hot metal surface and the smoke is inhaled. The user is often incapacitated for a few minutes. Wax may cause unconsciousness.
Common Street Names: Wax, Ear Wax, Canna Wax, Canna Oil, Butter, Honeycomb, Shatter (prepackaged 1gram product considered clean or pure - may be clear in appearance.) Honey Oil, BHO (Butane Honey Oil) and Amber.
What to Look For: High that lasts for hours or several days. E-cigarettes and lip balm jars. Butane and marijuana leaves.
Warnings: High concentrations of THC may cause extreme high that can last for days. Self-extraction of wax has caused home explosions, injuries and death.
HASHISH
Hashish, or hash as it is commonly called, is made from the THC-rich parts of the cannabis plant and come in the form of cakes, balls, or cookie-like pieces. Sections can be broken off and smoked in pipes. Hashish can range in color from dark brown to light brown.
Hashish oil is obtained by using a solvent to extract the cannabinoids from the plant material. Color and odor vary based on the solvent used to extract the oil. A drop of oil is placed on the end of a tobacco cigarette and has the equivalency of one marijuana cigarette. (Source: DEA)
Common Street Names: Hashish, Hash, Fluff Hash, Hash Oil, Liquid Hash and Cannabis Oil.
Effects: Euphoria, relaxation, loss of appetite, impaired memory and concentration, enhanced sense of taste, smell sight and hearing, disorientation, psychosis and lung irritation.
What to Look For: Animated behavior, loud talking, distortion of depth and time perception, loss of coordination, bloodshot eyes and dilated pupils.
METHAMPHETAMINE
Other names: Speed, Ice, Chalk, Meth, Crystal, Crank, Fire Glass, Batu, Bikers Coffee, Black Beauties, Chicken Feed, Crank, Glass, Go-Fast, Hiropon, Methlies, Quick, Poor Man’s Cocaine, Shabu, Shards, Speed, Stove Top, Tina, Trash, Tweak, Uppers, Ventana, Vidrio, Yaba, and Yellow Bam (Source: DEA)
Methamphetamine is a toxic, addictive stimulant that affects many areas of the central nervous system.
Methamphetamine is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in beverages. It can be smoked, snorted, injected or orally ingested. The drug is often made in underground laboratories from relatively inexpensive ingredients and produces a “skunky” or cat urine odor.
Crystal Meth resembles glass shards or rocks and can range from blue to blue-white in color.
Methamphetamine use is associated with serious health consequences, including memory loss, aggression, violence, psychotic behavior and potential cardiac and neurological damage.
Methamphetamine users typically display signs of agitation, excited speech, decreased appetite and increased physical activity.
Methamphetamine users are less able to process dopamine, a chemical produced by the adrenal gland that naturally relieves stress.
Methamphetamine use is associated with higher rates of transmission of infectious diseases, especially hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C.
A hallmark of chronic Methamphetamine abuse is dental problems. Because meth is manufactured with corrosive substances like acids and lithium, chronic meth smokers have teeth rotted to the gum line. The drug users’ teeth literally corrode away.
“ONE POT” Meth Lab
“One pot” meth labs, referred to as a “shake and bake,” have grown in popularity over the last few years. Using two-liter soda bottles, glass tubes, thermos or any other capped container, ingredients, which include anhydrous ammonia (fertilizer), pseudoephedrine tablets, water and a reactive metal such as lithium, are poured into the container, capped, shaken, then left by the side of the road or in a remote location. After several hours, the mix is retrieved. There is a high incidence of flash fires resulting from the “one pot” method.
What to Look For: If Snorted: Methamphetamine use may cause irritation and nose bleeds. Residue may be seen inside the nose or dripping from it. If Injected: If a person injects methamphetamine, puncture wounds will be visible over blood vessels. Although one can’t tell from an injection site what kind of drug has been used, methamphetamine often causes a great deal of trauma and damage to skin tissue. If Smoked: If a person smokes “ice,” it’s not unusual to see burn marks on the lips, face and hands. This is caused by the hot pipe or the flame used to heat the pipe.
OXYCODONE AND OTHER DRUGS
Prescription Medications
The abuse of prescription medications has become a serious issue leading to addiction and causing serious injury or death. Prescription drugs can be beneficial when used properly however some can be addictive and have a high incidence of abuse. Prescription opioids are the most desired, especially those that can be crushed, snorted or combined with other drugs.
Three types of drugs, opioids; prescribed for pain relief, depressants; typically used for anxiety or sleep problems and stimulants; used for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy and obesity are the most abused. Commonly abused prescription medications include:
Opana (oxymorphone) with street names such as Blue Heaven, Blues, Mrs. O, New Blues, Octagons, Oranges, Orgasna, IR, OM, Pink, Pink Heaven, Pink Lady, Pink O, Stop Signs and The O Bomb
Dilaudid (hydromorphone) known as Dust, Juice, Smack, D, Footballs
Oxycodone (OxyContin, OxyIR, OxyFast) commonly referred to as Oxycotton, Cotton, Blue, Hillbilly Heroin, Ox, O’s, Kicker, OCs Oxy, Heroin.10, Pills, 40, 40-Bar, 80, Poor Man’s Heroin (Source: DEA)
Illicit prescription drug-seeking tactics include: Emergency calls or visits near the end of office hours, refusal to undergo appropriate exams, testing or referral, repeated loss of prescriptions, tampering with prescriptions and reluctance to provide prior medical records or contact info for other treating physicians. “Doctor shopping” to obtain additional prescriptions is also common. Other means of obtaining prescription drugs is by theft, through forged prescriptions or from internet pharmacies.
In Ohio, the average per capita rate of prescription opiate consumption was 66.7 doses in 2011 (Source: Ohio Department of Alcohol Drug Addiction Services). Youth use parent’s medicine cabinets as a source of opioid medications.
A list of commonly abused prescription drugs, including street names and their effects, is available through the National Institute on Drug Abuse at www.drugabuse.gov
Other Drugs of Abuse
KHAT
Khat’s botanical name is Catha edulis and is a flowering shrub native to the Middle East and East Africa. It has been widely used for centuries as a recreational drug in these areas. There are two main chemicals in Khat that effect the central nervous system, cathinone and cathine. Cathinone levels decrease once the plant has been harvested and cooling or dehydrating the plant material slows the decline of the drug.
Khat’s effects include euphoria along with energy, increased alertness and hyperactivity and loss of appetite. Users are often relaxed and talkative. Effects last from 1.5 to 3 hours and after-effects may include a lack of concentration, numbness and insomnia. Chronic abuse of Khat may lead to physical exhaustion, anorexia, periodontal disease and psychological changes.
Fresh khat is chewed until all the juices are extracted. To counter the bitter taste, users drink large quantities of water or sweet drinks. Dried khat can be brewed as a tea or made into a chewable paste. (Source: DEA)
Street names include Khat, Qat, Kat, chat, Miraa, Quaadke.
KROKODILE
Krokodile is widely used in Russia as a cheap substitute for heroin. Reports of Krokodile use in the United States are beginning to circulate as the drug produces the same, albeit shorter, narcotic-like high. Krokodile is an extremely dangerous drug that destroys blood cells and vessels causing tissue to erode from the inside out. The average life expectancy is no more than three years if Krokodile use is consistent.
NBOMe
Also known on the streets as N-bomb, Smiles, 25I, 25C or 25B, this synthetic designer drug is sold online and on the streets as a hallucinogen similar to LSD. NBOMe can be found as a powder or liquid and is placed in edible items or infused onto blotter papers. The DEA reports small amounts can cause seizures, cardiac and respiratory arrest and death. (Source: DEA)
DXM
Dextromethorphan is common in over-the-counter cough suppressants and can be abused if used in doses higher than prescribed. It is a semi-synthetic morphine derivative and comes in the form of syrup, tablets, capsules or powder. The most commonly abused brands are RobitussinTM and Coricidin HBPTM in liquid, tablet or gel capsule. The typical abusers are adolescents and teenagers with DXM producing feelings of euphoria as well as auditory and visual hallucinations. Street slang for DXM use is “robo-tripping” or “skittling” and terms for the drug itself are DXM, DEX, CCC, Triple C, Skittles, Robo, Rojo, Velvet and Poor Man’s PCP. (Source: DEA)
PURPLE DRINK
A mixture of prescription-strength cough syrup, codeine and promethazine (not DXM) with SpriteTM or Mountain DewTM and an optional Jolly RancherTM candy for flavor. Side effects include euphoria, impaired motor skills, slowed movements, lethargy, drowsiness and disassociation from the body. Purple Drank may also cause dizziness, blurred vision and hallucinations. Street references include Sizzurp, Lean, Southern Lean, Syrup, Drank, Barre, Oil, Purple, Purple Jelly, Purple Tonic, Texas
Learn to Cope Drug Facts
The information below was compiled by the good people at Learn to Cope.
Drug Facts
[The following] describes some of the most commonly abused drugs, their effects on mind
and body, and how to recognize them. When combined with each other, many of these
drugs can be deadly.
WAYS OF USING DRUGS AND SIGNS OF USE
SMOKING
Plants, pills, powders and crystalline rocks can be smoked. Signs of smoking include
frequent coughing, raw lips or open sores on lips. Smoking is the fastest way to use a drug
when the user wants to feel the rush almost immediately.
INJECTION
Pills, powders, and crystalline rocks can be injected. Injection sites may be found on arms,
hands, legs and feet. Injecting drugs can cause welts, open sores and infections.
SNORTING
Pills and powders can be snorted. Signs of snorting include irritated nose, constant
sneezing, frequent nosebleeds, and irritated eyes. Snorting takes a longer period of time
for the drug to get into the user's system than smoking or injection, but it is faster than
ingesting (eating or drinking) a drug.
BY MOUTH
Drugs can be taken by mouth as pills, liquids or by sucking on a skin patch or "lollipop:'
Many liquids will leave an odor on breath. Ingesting (eating or drinking) a drug takes the
longest amount of time to feel the effects of a drug.
DEPRESSANTS
Depressants affect the central nervous system. Opiates like heroin and OxyContin, alcohol, and
anti-anxiety medications are depressants. These drugs can lower blood pressure, blood oxygen
level, core body temperature, and breathing and heart rate.
When any single depressant is used to excess or when depressants are combined with each other-for example by mixing heroin, alcohol, and Xanax-these effects are magnified and can be deadly.
Someone who is intoxicated on depressants may show signs of slurred speech, relaxed muscle tone, nodding head, droopy eyes, slower reaction times, flushed skin, and change in tone of voice.
OPIATES
There are two major kinds of opiates: heroin, which is illegal under all circumstances, and prescription opiates including prescription drugs OxyContin, Percocet (oxycodone), Vicodin (hydrocodone), codeine, morphine, methadone, and fentanyl which are prescribed to relieve pain and are also misused and sold illegally.
Opiates are drugs that are made of opium, opium derivatives, or semi-synthetic substitutes. Opiates can affect people in different ways. They may cause a manic state of excitement or a sleepy, dreamy state of well-being.
EFFECTS ON MIND AND BODY
Opiates produce a sense of euphoria and well-being by reducing tension, anxiety, and aggression. These drugs also cause many unpleasant effects, such as drowsiness, inability to concentrate, constipation, and apathy. Physical effects include slowed breathing and heart rate, drowsiness, tiny or "pinned" pupils, droopy eyes, dry mouth, delayed reaction times, nodding, a warm flushing of the skin, and slurred speech.
Repeated use of opiates causes physical dependence. Once a person is dependent, they will experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop using the drug. These withdrawal symptoms are extremely unpleasant. People who are addicted are often in a state of looking for the next "high" or "fix.'
Drug Facts: Types of Drugs
WITHDRAWAL AND RELAPSE
Physical withdrawal should be medically supervised. The use of opiates creates a powerful psychological dependence that lasts long after physical dependence has ended.
Relapse is common and can be extremely dangerous. When an individual stops using for an extended period - for example by trying to get clean at a detox or while in jail - tolerance to the drug lessens and a dose that the body could once handle now can cause an overdose.
SIGNS OF OVERDOSE MAY INCLUDE:
No response to knuckles rubbed hard on breastbone
Person won't wake up, is passed out; no response to yelling
Clammy, cool skin
Body very limp
Blue skin starting with lips and fingertips
Pinpoint pupils
Face very pale
Pulse (heartbeat) is slow, erratic, or stopped
Breathing is slow, erratic or stopped
Choking or gurgling sound
Foaming at the mouth
Vomiting
Seizures or convulsions
SYMPTOMS OF WITHDRAWAL
watery eyes, runny nose, yawning
itching, body aches, diarrhea
restlessness, irritability
loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting
tremors, increased heart rate and blood pressure
drug craving, severe depression
chills alternating with flushing and excessive sweating
Prescription Opiates
Prescription opiates are prescribed by physicians and medical professionals to treat pain.
These drugs can induce the same feeling of well-being as heroin and can be just as dangerous when abused, but without the stigma of heroin use.
Oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet)
Oxycodone is a powerful narcotic pain reliever used to treat pain from injuries, bursitis, fractures, arthritis, surgeries, and cancer. OxyContin is the brand name for the long-acting version of the generic drug oxycodone. When taken by mouth, the drug releases into the body over time.
Percocet is a combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen. Rapid release 30mg tablets of oxycodone that do not contain acetaminophen are called "Perc 30s" and are as addictive as oxycodone.
Street Names: OC, OX, Oxy, Oxyeotton, Hillbilly heroin, Kicker, Roxys, Blue, Baby Blues, Peres, Pere 30s
Appearance: Tablets come in a range of colors including orange, gray, green, blue, and tan; The letters OC, OP, M, or ETH may be stamped on one side, and a number indicating the dosage (10, 20, 30, 40, 60) may be stamped on the other side. Other stamps include the letter K followed by a number, a V that looks like a checkmark, and the letters COR, N-P, and ALG followed by numbers.
Extended release caplets may be pale green, pale orange or white and are stamped on one side with the number 93 and a range of numbers on the other.
Capsules may be yellow and white stamped with the word Ethex, or peach and brown, stamped with the number A-187.
Not sure? Go to http://www.drugs.com/oxycodone-images.html to look up images and stamps.
Fentanyl
Fentanyl is the most powerful prescription opiate and is used to treat severe chronic, acute, or post-operative pain. Black market fentanyl can be even stronger than that which is legally prescribed.
Street Names: Apache, China girl, China white, Dance fever, Friend, Goodfella, Jackpot, Murder 8, TNT, Fire, Tango and Cash
Appearance: Transdermal patch or "Lollipop;' a term for a large single-headed cotton swab that is given by mouth.
Morphine (MS Contin)
Morphine is a painkiller used to treat chronic, acute, and post-operative pain that is moderate to severe. It is often used in palliative or end of life care.
Street Names: Duramorph, M, Miss Emma, Monkey, Roxanol, White Stuff
Appearance: Capsules, tablets, injections
Codeine
Codeine is a narcotic that is used to treat mild pain, coughing and diarrhea. Tylenol 3 is a combination of acetaminophen and codeine that comes in capsule, tablet and liquid form. Prescription cough syrup often contains codeine and promethazine, a powerful antihistamine.
Street Names: Cody, Captain Cody, Purple Drank, Sizzurp
Appearance: Cough syrup, often purple; tablets; capsules
Hydrocodone (Vicodin)
Hydrocodone is derived from codeine and is often found in cough medications and cough syrup and is also used to treat chronic, acute, or post-operative pain that is moderate to severe. Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet and Norco are some of the many medications that contain hydrocodone mixed with acetaminophen.
Street Names: Vies, Vihe, Hydros, Norco
Appearance: Capsules and tablets
Illegal Opiates
Heroin
Heroin is an opiate that is never used legally. Most heroin is "cut" with substances like sugar, starch, powdered milk, or quinine and sometimes poisons. It may also be cut with more powerful opiates such as Fentanyl. This means that people using heroin do not know the actual strength of the drug they are using, putting them at risk for overdose. Heroin can be injected, smoked, and snorted.
Street Names: Big H, Blach Tar, Chiva, Dope, Hell Dust, Horse, Negra, Nose Drops, Smack, Thunder
Appearance: Typically sold as a white or brownish powder, or as a black sticky substance
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are prescription drugs used to relieve anxiety, help with sleep, and to treat and prevent muscle spasms and seizures. Commonly used benzodiazepines include Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam) and Klonopin (clonazepam) which is used as an anticonvulsant.
EFFECTS ON MIND AND BODY
Like other depressants, benzodiazepines slow the central nervous system and may cause
sleepiness. Effects can include amnesia, hostility and vivid dreams. Abuse is particularly high among opiate and cocaine abusers.
SIGNS OF OVERDOSE MAY INCLUDE:
Shallow breathing
Dilated pupils
Clammy skin
Weak and rapid pulse
Coma and possible death
Street Names: : Beans, Benzos, Bricks, BZs, Candy, Downers, Chill Pills, Tranqs, Zbar, Zanniebars, Zanniebahs (Xanax), Kpins (Klonopin)
Appearance:: Pills taken orally, smoked, snorted, or injected
Read more about Benzodiazepine
Alcohol
Despite laws and regulations on sales of alcohol, Massachusetts has some of the highest rates of binge drinking in the country among youth and young adults. In combination with other depressants like heroin or Xanax, the slowing down of breathing and heart rate is intensified and can be deadly.
EFFECTS ON MIND AND BODY
Like all depressants, alcohol slows the central nervous system. Alcohol is psychologically and physically addictive. Physical withdrawal from alcohol dependence can be fatal and should be medically supervised. Many people who abuse other substances also abuse alcohol and often started with alcohol use.
Marijuana and Hashish
Marijuana and hashish, two forms of cannabis, are depressants. Marijuana is sometimes
recommended for medical use and is sometimes used by patients with conditions that cause loss of appetite and weight (for example cancer or HIV that has progressed to AIDS) to reduce nausea and stimulate appetite.
EFFECTS ON MIND AND BODY
Short-term effects may include drowsiness, blood shot eyes, dry mouth, increased heart rate, coughing from lung irritation, increased appetite, and lower blood pressure. Long-term abuse can lead to psychological dependence. People who try to quit using marijuana report withdrawal symptoms of irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and drug craving. Studies have shown an association between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, and schizophrenia.
Street Names: Aunt Mary, BC, Bud, Blunt, Boom, Chronic, Dope, Gangster, Ganja, Grass, Green, Hash, Herb, Hydro, lndo, Joint, Kit Mary Jane, Mota, Pot, Reefer, Sensimilla, Skunk, Smoke, Trees, Weed, Verba
Appearance: Marijuana is mix of flowers, stems, seeds and leaves. It is usually smoked either as a joint, in a cigar known as a blunt, in a pipe or bong. Marijuana is sometimes mixed with food or brewed as tea.
Hashish is the compressed resin of marijuana. It looks like a dark brown, reddish or black lump and crumbles to the touch. It smells like marijuana.
STIMULANTS
Stimulants are drugs that act on the central nervous system and brain to increase activity. Legal and illegal stimulants can cause wakefulness. Chronic abuse of stimulants is associated with agitation, hostility, aggression, paranoia, auditory and visual hallucinations as well as suicidal and homicidal tendencies. Abruptly stopping the use of stimulants can be followed by a crash-a period of fatigue, depression, anxiety and craving.
SIGNS OF OVERDOSE MAY INCLUDE:
High fever
Convulsions
Rapid pulse
Dangerous rise in blood pressure
Heart attack, even in young patients without a history of heart disease
Prescription Stimulants -ADD/ ADHD Medications
Amphetamines such as Ritalin, Adderall, Vyvanse and Concerta are prescribed to treat ADD/ ADHD.
They are also bought and sold illegally.
EFFECTS ON MIND AND BODY
When used properly, stimulants enhance wakefulness, alertness and focus and may reduce appetite. When abused, even over a short period, they may produce high blood pressure, rashes and psychosis. Abuse over long periods can lead to violence, dangerously irregular heartbeat, delusions and sensory hallucinations such as the feeling that bugs are crawling under the skin.
Street Names: Kiddy Cocaine, Beans, Dexies, Pep Pills, Rball, Vitamin R, Rittys, Smart Drug, Cramming Drug, Skippy
Appearance: Pill or capsule that can be taken orally, smoked, snorted, or injected.
Non-prescription Stimulants
Methamphetamines
Methamphetamines are almost always used illegally, although they can be prescribed under the name Desoxyn.
EFFECTS ON MIND AND BODY
Methamphetamines induce feelings of pleasure, increased wakefulness, and increased physical activity. They can cause rapid and irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, extreme weight loss, anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood disturbances, and violent behavior. Long term effects include severe mental disorders including paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and delusions, memory loss and severe dental problems known as "meth mouth:'
Street Names: Crystal Meth, Meth, Ice, Crank, Chalk, Crystal, Fire, Glass, Go Fast, Speed, Tina, Tweek, White Cross
APPEARANCE: White, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that dissolves easily in water and can be taken orally, snorted, injected, and smoked. The smell of a meth cooking in a lab has been compared to ammonia, rotting eggs or cat urine.
Cocaine and Crack Cocaine
Cocaine is derived from coca leaves grown in Latin America and transformed into cocaine powder. Signs of cocaine use include dilated pupils, loss of appetite, high levels of energy, runny nose and excited, exuberant speech. Long-term abuse can cause nosebleeds, a deviated septum (a condition in which the tissue between the nostrils deteriorates) and kidney failure. Crack cocaine, also known as freebase cocaine, can also be injected or smoked.
EFFECTS ON MIND AND BODY
When smoked or injected, cocaine reaches the brain in seconds, causing a rapid, euphoric rush. When snorted, the euphoria occurs more slowly but lasts for a longer period of time. Tolerance develops quickly, causing users to take higher and higher doses. Cocaine can cause irritability, paranoia, restlessness, and anxiety. The crash following cocaine use can bring about mental and physical exhaustion, sleep and depression that may last several days. Cocaine use, especially over time, induces cravings to use again.
SIGNS OF OVERDOSE MAY INCLUDE:
Fever
Convulsions
Hallucinations
Heart attack
Street Names: Blow, Bump, C, Cany, Charlie, Coca, Coke, Crack, Flake, Roch, Snow, Soda Cot, Toot
Appearance:
Powdered cocaine: white, crystalline powder is generally snorted but can be injected. When combined with heroin, the mixture is known as a speedball and is extremely dangerous.
Crack cocaine: small, irregularly shaped white chunks or "rocks" generally inhaled or "freebased" by being heated in a glass pipe, spoon or soda can with holes the bottom.
SYNTHETIC DRUGS
Designer drugs that act like stimulants and marijuana have come on the market over the past several years. These drugs are sold in convenience stores, gas stations, smoke shops and retail outlets and are marketed to youth and young adults. To avoid oversight by the FDA, the makers of these drugs often label them "not for human consumption:' These drugs can have even more powerful effects and side effects than the drugs they mimic, and are often combined with alcohol and other drugs.
Spice (Synthetic Marijuana)
Up until July 2012, Spice was packaged as "incense" and sold in smoke shops and convenience stores. Spice products claim they contain natural material from a variety of plants. While they do contain plant material, chemical analyses show the active ingredients are synthetic compounds with high potential for abuse and no medical benefit.
EFFECTS ON MIND AND BODY
Spice products can cause extreme nervousness, nausea, vomiting, racing heart, elevated blood pressure, tremors and seizures, and hallucinations. These effects are similar to the bad side effects of cocaine, LSD and methamphetamines. Regular users can become addicted and experience withdrawal.
Street Names: Spice, K2, Blach Mamba, Bombay Blue and Genie, marketed as incense
Appearance: Has the plant-like appearance of marijuana, often sold in graphic and colorful mylar pouches, generally smoked but may be prepared as a tea or baked in food.
Bath Salts (Synthetic Stimulants)
Bath salts are stimulants that come from the active ingredient in khat, a plant from Africa that is chewed to achieve wakefulness and euphoria. Makers of bath salts claim on the packaging that they are not intended for human consumption, making the products difficult to regulate.
EFFECTS ON MIND AND BODY
Bath salts induce euphoria, wakefulness and increased energy. They can also cause hallucinations, paranoia, insomnia, increased tolerance for pain, reduced appetite as well as potential for violent behavior and suicide.
Street Names: Marketed as bath salts, plant food, or cleaners for jewelry or cell phone screens; older names include Ivory Wave, Cloud 9, Bliss; a quick search on the web for "bath salt names" will show newer brands
Appearance: White crystals that look like Epsom Salt or brightly colored salts; they can be swallowed, snorted, smoked or injected.
OTHER DRUGS
MDMA or Ecstasy
Known as a club drug, Ecstasy is often taken at concerts and all night parties. It is often combined with alcohol, LSD, and marijuana. Its use, particularly in combination with alcohol, can lead to severe dehydration.
EFFECTS ON MIND AND BODY
Ecstasy or MDMA promotes euphoria, reduces inhibitions and creates enhanced enjoyment of sensory experiences. Pills are often taken by stacking - taking three or four tablets at once, or by piggy-backing - taking several tablets over a short period of time. Taken in this way, dangerously harmful levels can be reached in a short period of time. Effects of the drug usually last 4-6 hours, but they can often recur for weeks.
The most common side effects include tooth-grinding, muscle cramps, nausea, chills and blurred vision. Ecstasy can also cause confusion, anxiety, depression, paranoia, sleep problems, and craving. High doses can trigger a high fever that can lead to liver, kidney, cardiovascular system failure, and even death.
Street Names: Molly, Mandy, Adam, Beans, Clarity, Disco Biscuit, E, Eve, Go, Hug Drug, Lover's Speed, Peace, Uppers, Roll, STP, X, XTC
Appearance: Colorful pills (often illustrated), capsules, powder and liquid; it can be swallowed, smoked, snorted or injected.
Neurontin (Gabapentin)
Neurontin is prescribed to treat seizures and nerve pain. It is sometimes used to treat restless leg syndrome, bi-polar disorder, anxiety, sleeplessness, and migraines. Neurontin has the potential for abuse.
EFFECTS ON MIND AND BODY
For some, Neurontin causes a manic euphoria with high energy and excited mood. For others it will cause a sleepy, dreamy euphoria. Anxiety, strange thoughts, unwanted eye movement, and memory problems also may be signs of use. While not fully studied, it appears to be addictive and patients who use it over periods of time have difficulty getting off.
Street Names: Johnny, Little Johnnies, Talking John-sense
Appearance: Capsules, tablets, oral solution.
