O O H O H H3C O FACTS ABOUT DRUGS H N HO HO O P CH3 N O N CH3 WHAT IS A DRUG? WHY DO PEOPLE USE DRUGS? The risk of harm is increased if more than one drug is used at a time, A drug is any substance (with the People use drugs for a variety of especially when drugs of unknown exception of food and water) which, reasons. Young people often use drugs content and purity are combined. when taken into the body, alters the for the same reasons that adults do. This includes mixing alcohol, body’s function either physically and/ Some of these include: over-the-counter drugs, prescription or psychologically. Drugs may be legal to have fun drugs and illegal drugs. (e.g. alcohol, caffeine and tobacco) or illegal (e.g. cannabis, ecstasy, to relax and forget problems Polydrug use increases the risk of the cocaine and heroin). following symptoms and effects: to gain confi dence increased heart rate WHAT IS A PSYCHOACTIVE to socialise DRUG? increased blood pressure out of curiosity Psychoactive drugs affect the central increased body temperature as a form of escapism nervous system and alter a person’s overdose mood, thinking and behaviour. to lessen inhibitions severe emotional and mental Psychoactive drugs may be divided to remove personal responsibility disturbances such as panic attacks into four categories: for decisions and paranoia. Depressants: Drugs that decrease to celebrate or commiserate alertness by slowing down the EFFECTS OF DRUGS to relieve boredom and stress activity of the central nervous system The experience that a person has (e.g. heroin, alcohol and analgesics). self-medication to cope when using alcohol or other drugs will Stimulants: Drugs that increase the with problems. vary from person to person depending on the following: body’s state of arousal by increasing Friends, parents, older brothers the activity of the brain (e.g. caffeine, and sisters and the media can also Individual (user) - Mood, physical nicotine and amphetamines). infl uence a young person’s decision size, health, gender, previous Hallucinogens: Drugs that to use drugs. experience with hallucinogens, alter perception and can cause expectations of the drug, personality, hallucinations, such as seeing or POLYDRUG USE whether the person has had food and whether other drugs hearing something that is not there Polydrug use occurs when two or have been taken. (e.g. LSD and magic mushrooms). more drugs are used at, or near, the Other: Some drugs may have same time. Mixing drugs can also Drug - The amount used, its purity, properties of more than one of the occur when a manufacturer combines and the way it is taken. above categories (e.g. cannabis different drugs to achieve a specifi c Setting (environment) - Whether the is primarily a depressant and can effect, or mixes in cheaper chemicals. person is using with friends, on his/ have hallucinogenic and some This can result in a person combining her own, in a social setting or at home, stimulant properties). drugs unintentionally. at work or before driving. O CH3 O H3C N DRUG INFORMATION Drug: Amphetamines SHORT-TERM EFFECTS LONG-TERM EFFECTS OVERDOSE CAN CAUSE Speed, whizz, ice, uppers Includes: Hyperactivity Malnutrition Strokes amphetamine sulphate Increased blood pressure, Reduced resistance Heart failure dexamphetamine breathing and pulse-rates to infection methamphetamine - Anxiety, irritability, Violent behaviour Seizures crystal, meth, or rock suspiciousness, panic Description: attacks and behaving in a threatening manner Stimulant drugs increase the activity of certain Increased energy, Emotional disturbances Death chemicals in the brain alertness, confi dence Dexamphetamine is used and talkativeness to treat attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder Reduced appetite, Periods of psychosis (ADHD), it is swallowed in inability to sleep and tablet form or injected enlarged pupils Amphetamines can be Tolerance swallowed, injected, smoked or inhaled (snorted) Drug: Cannabis SHORT-TERM EFFECTS LONG-TERM EFFECTS OVERDOSE CAN CAUSE Mull, pot, weed, leaf, gunga, marijuana Loss of concentration Bronchitis There have been no Description: confi rmed deaths directly Impaired balance Lung cancer Primarily a depressant, from cannabis overdose can have hallucinogenic Slower refl exes Dependence Over a long period of time and some stimulant regular use of cannabis Increased appetite Interference with properties can lead to a number sexual drive and of serious negative Cannabis is a dried hormone production greenish-brown leaf health consequences Increased heart-rate Change in motivation or fl owers Combining other Hashish is a brown to Feeling of well-being Decreased concentration drugs, such as alcohol, black resin with cannabis can Loss of inhibitions Decreased memory and be very dangerous, Hashish oil is a reddish learning abilities particularly if driving or brown oil operating machinery Confusion Schizophrenia and manic Cannabis can be smoked, depression (bipolar or cooked and eaten disorder) in those who have a vulnerability to the condition Drug: Cocaine SHORT-TERM EFFECTS LONG-TERM EFFECTS OVERDOSE CAN CAUSE Coke, freebase, crack, charlie, C, rock Increased breathing and Tolerance and dependence Increased heart-rate Description: pulse-rates Cocaine is a stimulant Increased blood pressure Aggressive or Seizures drug which affects violent behaviour the central nervous system by increasing High body temperature Loss of appetite, weight Hyperventilation the activity of certain loss and malnutrition chemicals in the brain, producing a feeling of Increased alertness Irritability or Heart failure increased alertness and emotional disturbances reduced fatigue Reduced appetite Restlessness Respiratory failure Cocaine is usually Feeling of well-being Paranoia Burst blood vessels in snorted or swallowed, the brain but can be injected or smoked in the form of Enlarged pupils Periods of psychosis Death crack or freebase Anxiety, irritability and Auditory hallucinations Smoking crack or suspiciousness freebase is uncommon in Australia Exaggerated feelings of Convulsions confi dence and energy Inability to sleep Reduced resistance to infection NH2 CH3 Drug: Ecstasy SHORT-TERM EFFECTS LONG-TERM EFFECTS OVERDOSE CAN CAUSE Es, XTC, eccies, pills, bickies Overheating and Depression Overdose usually Description: dehydration, which can results from the Ecstasy is a derivative cause muscle meltdown body overheating and of amphetamine and becoming dehydrated, Excessive water Drowsiness has both stimulant and which can cause muscle consumption can result hallucinogenic properties meltdown and possible in a breakdown of cell death from failure of Tablets or capsules are structure, which can cause major organs such as usually swallowed, they cells to swell, burst and die liver or kidneys are not intended to be Feeling of well-being and Muscle aches injected and can cause Overdose may also exaggerated confi dence major damage to the occur from excessive water consumption and body’s organs Anxiety Loss of appetite retention, leading the Effects can begin within Jaw clenching and Insomnia body’s cells to swell 30 minutes and last up to teeth grinding which can result in brain six hours damage and death Poor concentration Loss of concentration The risk of overdose increases with a Insomnia Irritability larger dose Increased pulse-rate and blood pressure Sweating and hot and cold fl ushes Nausea H O N CH3 Drug: Hallucinogens SHORT-TERM EFFECTS LONG-TERM EFFECTS OVERDOSE CAN CAUSE LSD, acid, trips, mushies, tabs Dilation of pupils Flashbacks – a While there are no Description: spontaneous and reported cases of fatal Increase in heart-rate and unpredictable recurrence overdoses directly from Hallucinogens describe blood pressure a class of drugs that of prior drug experience hallucinogens there are (tripping) without taking still signifi cant risks produce hallucinations Increase in body the drug. Flashbacks associated with the use temperature and sweating A hallucination is an may occur days, weeks of these drugs illusion of seeing or or years after the drug When consuming hearing something that is was last taken. They can Seeing things in a distorted hallucinogens, such not actually there be triggered by the use way or seeing things that as LSD, a persons of other drugs, stress, They can be produced do not exist perception is affected, fatigue, physical exercise, synthetically or naturally which can lead to people Dizziness or for no apparent reason The most commonly placing themselves in known hallucinogen is Drowsiness risky situations synthetic lysergic acid It is very dangerous Nausea diethylamide (LSD), to pick and eat natural hallucinogenic Intense sensory Increased risk of wild mushrooms chemicals are found in experiences - bright developing severe mental plants such as the peyote It is often diffi cult to colours, sharper sounds disturbances in those who cactus (mescaline) distinguish between have a predisposition to and some mushrooms magic mushrooms and the condition (psilocybin) poisonous look-alikes LSD is usually Impaired coordination and Impaired memory Some poisonous swallowed, effects start tremors and concentration mushrooms can cause within 30 to 60 minutes, permanent liver damage Distorted sense of time Tolerance peak in three to fi ve or death within hours of - minutes can seem hours and last from nine being consumed like hours to 24 hours Mescaline can be chewed or boiled into a liquid and Varying emotions Psychological dependence drunk, effects last from four to six hours Distorted sense of space Mushrooms can be eaten and