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Street Drugs - The Danger To Our Children
A study conducted at the University of Illinois in Chicago suggests that six out of 10 cases of sexual assault have been found to be facilitated by drugs. The findings revealed that individuals who use drugs with or without alcohol are at a significantly higher risk of sexual assault. Experts believe that as more youngsters are willing to experiment with drugs, this trend is on the rise. The level of awareness amongst youngsters needs to go up. There are many drugs doing the rounds in our Indian cities. While their names sound frightening, their effects are horrifying.
Dagga
Known variously as “pot”. “dope”, “weed”, “zol”, “wacky baccy”, “boom”, and “grass”, dagga is a suppressant and hallucinogen, believed to have been used as long ago as 2000 B.C.
Effects: Induces a sense of happiness and exhilaration, well-being and self-confidence, heightened awareness or senses and feelings of detachment or unreality.
Dangers: Long-term effects include lung cancer, a depressed immune system, a lowering of the male hormone testosterone, panic and anxiety attacks and impairment of brain function and memory.
Cocaine
A highly addictive stimulant and, in large doses, a hallucinogen, cocaine is also known as “snow”, “blow”, “coke”, “Charlie” and “nose candy”, and is available in many forms.
Effects: Euphoria, talkativeness, over confidence and increased energy, in the short term. It is also an appetite suppressant. Larger doses result in hallucinations, hyper-excitability, convulsions and heart failure.
Dangers: Include destruction of the nasal passage and tissues if sniffed, respiratory problems if smoked, a state similar to paranoid psychosis, malnutrition and death from respiratory failure during a “crash” if usage is stopped. As cocaine contracts blood vessels, repeated use can reduce the blood supply to tissues like heart, lungs and nose, resulting in severe chest pains, asthma and collapse of the nasal tissues. Excessive use causes impotence in men and sterility in women.
Date Rape Drugs
These contain the active ingredient Flunitrazepam, which is a benzodiapine. This substance is a sedative-hypnotic used in prescription sleeping pills. Examples include Rohypnol, Insom and Hypnor, and street names include “Raffs and “Roches”.
Effects: Drowsiness, light-headedness, euphoria and confusion. Effects may be similar to alcohol, which amplifies the effects if taken simultaneously. Inhibitions may be relaxed and the user may become talkative, excitable, hostile or even aggressive. Mixed with alcohol, the drug may cause loss of control, memory impairment and the possibility of fatal overdose increases.
Ecstasy
Called “E” “rounds”, “Mitsubishi”, “Armani” or the “love drug”, Ecstasy is an amphetamine which acts as a stimulant and hallucinogen in large doses.
Effects: Rife in the club and rave scene, it produces feelings of emotional closeness to others, self-confidence, huge amounts of energy and drive, increased sociability and physical and emotional energy. It can also increase the desire for sex. At the same time, however, it can also cause impotence and a failure of orgasm in both sexes.
Side effects include nausea and vomiting, muscles are tense and ache for a day or two after the drug, especially around the mouth as it causes some people to grind their teeth for hours on end. Can also cause loss of concentration. Repeated users are prone to depression, panic attacks, and serious psychiatric disorders. They also run the risk of liver, brain damage and death.
Tik/Tuk–Tuk
This is a smokable methamphetamine or stimulant also known as “crank”, “straw”, “ice” which is highly addictive and toxic.
Effects: All amphetamines have effects similar to cocaine, but the onset is slower and lasts longer. Chronic abuse usually results in a psychosis similar to schizophrenia, characterised by paranoia, auditory and visual hallucinations.
Cat
This is a stimulant and may be a cathine, cathinone or even an amphetamine or ephedrine-type substance. As with most street drugs, active ingredients cannot be guaranteed.
Effects: Very widely, a “buzz” or “rush” would be followed by a feeling of euphoria and symptoms may include nervousness, excitability, sleeplessness, lack of energy, agitation, talkativeness/aggression. Physical effects may include dry mouth, thirst, sweating, palpitations, increased blood pressure, nausea, headaches, dizziness and tremors. Once the effects wear off, depression, irritability, confusion, feelings of persecution, lack of concentration and violence could follow.
Mandrax
A central nervous system depressant also known as “buttons” “mandies”, “MX’, “white pipe”, “Cremora”, “Titanic” and “mandrakes”.
Effects: A rush, giving feelings of happiness and tranquillity, which can last for up to 10 hours, Harmful effects include nausea and vomiting, exhaustion, falling over and unconsciousness, loss of weight, mental and physical deterioration. Long-term effects include respiratory and cardiac depression.
LSD
Papers, squares, acid, sugar, candy, smarties, microdots, bars, supermen, Marilyn Monroe, LSD has a variety of names, often depending on the character imprinted on the tiny square.
Effects: Vivid hallucinations and delusions, time distortion, feelings of euphoria, anxiety, desperation or anger, sensory cross-over (smelling colours or seeing sounds, for example), increased blood pressure and heart rate, and increased temperature and sweating. Dangers include depression, accidents, anxiety, foetal abnormalities and brain damage.
Heroin
Also known as “H”, “horse’, “smack” or “slag”, this is a highly addictive suppressant and painkiller, producing psychological and physical dependence, like morphine. Most of the effects of heroin are due to it being changed into morphine in the brain.
Effects: Feelings of warmth and contentment, similar to an orgasm. The high, wears off quickly and other symptoms include nausea and vomiting, clouded mental functioning, mood swings, personality changes and apathy. Overdose can result in death from respiratory depression.
Magic Mushrooms
A hallucinogen which is growing in popularity in South Africa, and also known as “sacred mushrooms”.
Effects: Alternations in thought, mood and sensory perceptions, similar to a mild LSD experience. Fatal poisoning may occur due to mistaken identity of the mushrooms.
Symptoms of Drug Abuse
It is sometimes easy to confuse symptoms of drug abuse with normal signs of adolescence among teenagers. But the following are the most general
* Trembling hands
* Sudden loss of weight or appetite
* Dilated pupils (from stimulants)
* Red eyes, from dagga
* A constant need to sleep
* Poor judgement of distance, speed or time
More definite signs include:
* Unexplained appearance of drugs, hypodermic needles, syringes, bent spoons, bits of tin foil
* Needles marks on the arms or legs (often the user will wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers)
* Unusual quantities of solvents, like glues, benzene, sprays or shoe cleaning fluids
* Rapidly changing moods, anxiety, panic reactions
* Vomiting and abdominal pains
Coping with Drug Abuse
Drug addiction occurs in stages, beginning with the initial experimentation, the curiosity about drugs and their effects. It starts with occasional use, which still may not pose a threat, lulling the user into regular use and then addiction.
This is where he or she gets into a cycle of misery. Foremost in their minds is the acquisition and effects of the drug. It becomes a cycle that robs people of the ability to change from the drugging existence to a better, normal lifestyle. Usually, the addict hates this and wants to escape from the spiral, but is unable to do this.
Some intervention is necessary to change the tide. What needs to be avoided at all costs is death from drug addiction or alcoholism. Coping with an addiction is the first step to knowing and understanding the illness. Learning about it will also help penetrate the cocoon of denial that has spun around the addict. Denial which is penetrated is half the battle won. Addiction, being a community illness, should also be seen as a community responsibility. So it is important to talk about drugs in our homes, offices and so on.
(Pictures and Information Source: Sanca Operation West, the SAPS. www.drugaware.co.za and Pitts, Potions and Poisons by Trevor Stone and Gail Darlington)
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