Recreational drugs and what they do to your body.
If your child asked you about drugs, would you have the answers?
Here is our guide to the main recreational drugs available and their
effects on our minds and bodies.
Alkyl Nitrite (Poppers)
Once the user inhales the drug, the effects are
experienced immediately and last for two to five minutes. This 'rush' involves
an increase in heart rate and a rush of blood through the heart and brain. This
often causes a pounding headache, dizziness, a flushed face and neck, and
light-headedness.
There are no withdrawal symptoms. Users do not usually
become dependent. Users have reported a tolerance to the drug which develops
within two or three weeks of continual use, but is lost after a few days of
abstinence.
Amphetamines (speed/whizz)
Amphetamine is a stimulant which acts on the central
nervous system and quickens the heart beat. The effects tend to set in about
half an hour after taking the drug. Users report increased confidence,
sociability and energy levels. The effects usually last for several hours with
the user feeling particularly hyperactive, and very awake.
As the body's energy levels reduce the user is prone to
feelings of irritability, anxiety, restlessness and dizziness.
Insomnia is very common and can keep users awake for days
afterwards. The 'come down' can last for days, even after small doses.
Depression is common after taking speed.
Amphetamine use elevates the mood of the user and long
term use can lead to a strong dependence. When a regular amphetamine user stops
taking the drug, feelings of depression, lethargy and extreme hunger set in.
Cardiovascular effects are common and include headache,
chills, heart palpitations, irregular heart beat, angina, high or low blood
pressure and circulatory collapse. Excessive sweating is common, as is a dry
mouth, metallic taste, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diahorrea and
abdominal cramps.
Cannabis (grass)
Cannabis causes a number of noticeable but usually mild
physical effects, including increased pulse rate and decreased blood pressure,
bloodshot eyes, dry mouth, increased appetite and occasional dizziness. There
are no records of fatal overdose.
Some people believe that cannabis is a 'gateway drug' and
think that cannabis users are more likely to go on to use 'harder' drugs such
as heroin although there is no evidence to support this belief.
There can be physical dependence on this drug. People who
use cannabis regularly and heavily often come to feel a psychological need for
the drug or may rely on it in order to become more sociable.
Cocaine
The effects of cocaine are similar to amphetamines in
that they both create a physiological arousal. This is accompanied by feelings
of exhilaration, well-being and a decrease in appetite. The user experiences an
indifference to pain and tiredness.
When cocaine is 'snorted' the effects peak and fade
within 15-30 minutes, so the drug would need to be taken every 20 minutes or so
to maintain the desired effect.
Although users report that cocaine helps them to cope
with stressful situations, laboratory tests on humans have failed to confirm
such reports. So, while users think they are performing better under the
influence of cocaine, findings indicate that they are not.
It is not uncommon for users to develop a strong craving
for the drug, especially after a period of use during which time the dosage has
gradually increased as the user's tolerance level increases.
When the user stops taking cocaine, feelings of
exhaustion and depression usually set in which often increases the temptation
to repeat the dose. If cocaine is smoked as crack, dependence is more likely to
occur and is generally more severe.
Large or frequent doses over a short period can leave
users restless, confused and paranoid. Cocaine is known to induce panic attacks
in some people. Studies have shown that long term cocaine use leads to
increased anxiety. Severe anxiety, restlessness and agitation are major
symptoms of cocaine withdrawal.
Crack
Crack is similar to cocaine in its effects, although
crack is much more intense and extreme in its effects. The effects of crack can
be felt by the user almost immediately and last for about 10 minutes. Feelings
of well-being, exhilaration, a loss of appetite, increased confidence and an indifference
to pain and fatigue are experienced by the user.
However, the crack user often experiences hallucinations
and paranoia. Smoking crack can produce a particularly aggressive paranoid
behaviour in users. Crack is highly addictive. However reports that crack is
instantly addictive are false.
In rare cases, users have died from an overdose.
With heavy regular use crack can cause feelings of
nausea, restlessness, insomnia, overexcitability and weight loss occur.
The user's mental state can be affected. When regular
users are taking lower doses, they may not experience such extreme symptoms,
however they may appear excitable, and nervous. All of these effects are likely
to clear up once use is stopped, however a full recovery may take many months.
Ecstasy
Effects are experienced after 20-60 minutes and can last
for three to six hours. Pupils become dilated, the jaw tightens and users often
experience brief nausea, sweating, dry mouth and throat, some rise in blood
pressure and heart rate and loss of appetite.
Ecstasy is a stimulant. It acts on the central nervous
system and increases brain activity. Users report a mild euphoric 'rush'
feeling, followed by a feeling of calm.
Large doses of the drug can lead to anxiety, panic and
confusion. After using the drug people often feel tired, depressed and hungry.
Ecstasy affects body temperature control. Dancing for
long periods in a hot atmosphere increases the risk of users overheating and
dehydrating (losing too much body fluid) which can be fatal.
Although tolerance levels increase in regular users of
ecstasy, there is no proven risk of addiction, and no withdrawal symptoms.
Experts are concerned that long term use of ecstasy may increase the risk of
severe depression and other mental illnesses in later life.
Gas, glue and solvents
These compounds are quickly absorbed through the lungs.
The effects last from a few minutes to an hour depending on the compound and
the dose. The experience of being intoxicated by these compounds is similar to
being drunk, for example the user often feels happy and lacks inhibitions.
Common effects also include euphoria, dizziness, and
drowsiness. Users may experience hallucinations which they know are not real,
known as pseudo-hallucinations. After effects include a mild 'hangover' which
can last for about a day. A feeling of tiredness and lack of concentration are
common with short-term use.
Abusing these substances can lead to nausea, vomiting,
black-outs, fatal heart problems and accidents.
Heroin
Users feel drowsy, warm, content and have a general sense
of well-being. Heroin also detaches the user from feelings of pain and worry.
First time use (especially if injected) often causes nausea, vomiting and
severe headaches.
With extended use, tolerance levels build up so a greater
amount is needed to create the same 'high'. Smoking heroin is a common form of
taking the drug, but users tend to switch to injection for a more immediate and
powerful 'rush' and a more efficient way of utilising the drug.
People can become dependent on heroin through smoking the
drug in the same way as they can through injecting it.
Regular users find that they need to take more to try and
achieve the feelings of euphoria which they experienced in the early stages of
their habit. Users who form a 'habit' may eventually take heroin just to feel
'normal'. At this stage the user will almost certainly be injecting heroin, as
opposed to smoking it.
LSD
LSD is an hallucinogenic drug and therefore changes the
way the mind perceives things. The effects of LSD are felt about half an hour
after consuming the drug and peaks after two to six hours, fading after 12
hours, depending upon the amount consumed.
Users often report visual effects of intensified colours,
distorted images and movement in stationary objects. Once the 'trip' has
started, it is not possible to stop it or control it. A user may experience
'good' and 'bad' trips and sometimes both within the same trip.
Deaths due to LSD are very rare.
LSD produces some tolerance, so some users who take the
drug repeatedly need to take progressively higher doses to achieve the same
effects.
For more information on these drugs, and others, visit
the NHS Health Promotion England website, www.trashed.co.uk
Mail On Line, Associated
Papers LTD, April 12th, 2015,
Drug laws around the world - does anyone
get it right?
As a split emerges in the
Government over Britain's future drug policy we look at the different
approaches to drug control taken around the world.
The coalition Government is at war over a new report which suggests that decriminalising drugs could have
benefits to the UK.
The Home Office report examining a range of approaches, from zero-tolerance
to decriminalisation, it concluded drug use was influenced by factors
"more complex and nuanced than legislation and enforcement alone".
The Conservatives say despite the Home Office backed study indicating that
decriminalising drugs, even class A substances such as heroin and cocaine,
could have some benefits by reducing the burden on the criminal justice system
the Government has "absolutely no plans" to decriminalise drugs.
The Liberal Democrats argue that punishing drug users is
"pointless" with Lib Dem Home Office minister Norman Baker accusing
No10 of sitting on the reports since July and blamed the Conservatives for
blocking their release for ‘political reasons’.
It is not just British parties that are split over how to tackle drug use -
countries across the world take very different approaches from
decriminalisation to lengthy prison sentences and even death. Does anyone get
it right?
Portugal
A large part of the report focused on Portugal where drugs were effectively
decriminalised over ten years ago. According to the Home Office analysis there
has been a "considerable" improvement in the health of drug users in
Portugal since the country made drug possession a health issue rather than a
criminal one in 2001.
In 2000, Portugal
decriminalized the use of all illicit drugs, and developed new policies on
prevention, treatment, harm reduction and reinsertion. Drug use is no longer a
crime, but it is still prohibited. The country's policy was a key comparison in
the report written by Home Office civil servants.
Over the last decade the approach appears to have worked in the country,
with João Castel-Branco Goulão Portugal’s national drug coordinator saying the
country has seen reductions in H.I.V. infections and in overdoses.
So what about the rest of the world?
Czech Republic
Similarly to Portugal possession of drugs is illegal, but possession of
small quantities treated as an “administrative offence”, punishable with a
fine.
Unlike Portugal levels of cannabis use in the Czech Republic are among the
highest in Europe.
While criminal penalties for possession were only introduced as recently as
2010 the report concluded that worse health outcomes were observed after drug
possession was criminalised, and there was no evidence of reduced use.
Uruguay
In 2013 Uruguay became the first country in the world to full legalise
marijuana. It is now the first nation in the world to break the International Convention
on Drug Control, and legislate for the production, sale and consumption of
cannabis.
10 per cent of the country’s prison population was for small drug offences
– and 44 per cent of all drugs cases were for people detained for holding less
than 10g of drugs.
Uruguayans will now be allowed to by up to 40g a month from pharmacies,
join a cannabis club which grows the plant for its members of grow up to six
plants themselves.
The Government here says the change in the law is an effort to separate the
marijuana market from more problematic drug use. This includes the smoking of
“pasta base” - a cheap derivative of cocaine that is highly addictive when
smoked and has become endemic in some poor communities.
However the Uruguayan President Jose Mujica has said the start of legal
cannabis sales will be delayed until next year due to "practical
difficulties".
Netherlands
Famously a tourist hot-spot for people seeking cannabis from countries with
stricter controls substances defined as “soft” drugs, including cannabis, have
been effectively decriminalised. Possession remains illegal here but police and
courts operate a policy of tolerance.
The reported number of deaths linked to the use of drugs in the
Netherlands, as a proportion of the entire population, is one of the lowest of
the EU. Attempts to crack down on the use of cannabis by tourists have been
widely ignored in the country.
However importing and exporting of any classified drug is a serious
offence. The penalty can run up to 12 to 16 years if it is for hard drugs with
a maximum of 4 years for importing or exporting large quantities of cannabis.
Japan
Japan has the toughest drug laws in the developed world. Its Pharmaceutical
Affairs Law bans the production and sale of 68 types of drugs and has a zero-tolerance
policy. Criminal sanctions are tougher than in the UK and relatively few people
seek treatment.
Some products that are available over the counter as cold and flu remedies
are banned and possession of even small amounts of drugs is punishable by
lengthy imprisonment.
There are low levels of drug use in Japan but the report notes that it is
difficult to decide whether this can be attributed to harsh penalties or a long
cultural opposition to drugs and a society where cultural conformity is valued.
USA
In 2012 states in the US - Washington State and Colorado – have legalised
the recreational use of cannabis putting them in direct conflict with President
Obama’s national drug policy.
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia allow the use of medical
marijuana on prescription.
However in Colorado aged over 21 are to be allowed to buy and possess up to
an ounce (28g) of cannabis and grow six plants in a private, secure area. The
first “25 million raised through taxes on these sales will go towards the
building of schools.
In Washington licenses to sell marijuana are issued by the state alcohol
control boards and the number of outlets are limited. They can’t be within 1000
feet of a school, playground or library.
China
Drug possession for personal use is technically classified as a minor
administrative offense but punishment can be harsh – a 2,000 RMB fine and up to
15 days of administrative detention
The Government can also send people who are deemed to be drug addicts to a
compulsory detoxification center for up to three years, plus up to three years'
compulsory "community rehabilitation."
In 2013 Guangdong province in the south launched the "Thunder
Anti-drug" special action. 97,200 drug users were detained and 47,400
people were sent to compulsory detoxification centers.
Smuggling or transporting or manufacturing 1,000 grams or more of opium and
50 grams of more of heroin can lead to a death sentence.
According to the most recent figures in 2008 there were 1,126,700
registered drug users, 900,000 were using heroin or other opioids.
Ireland
While it has a similar drugs policy to the UK Ireland has been the leading
the way on the control of 'legal highs'. In 2010 country has banned all ‘psychoactive’
substances unless specific exemptions are made, as is the case with tea, coffee
and alcohol.
Denmark
The country has recently followed the example of Netherlands and Germany
and opened “fix rooms” for serious drug addicts where they can safely consume
and inject drugs in a supervised environment.
The facilities are on offer to adults with serious addictions can bring
their illegal drugs and take them, legally, under the watchful eye of a nurse.
The capital Copenhagen opened the first with other cities following suit.
Sweden
Sweden is seen as the toughest zero-tolerance state with regards to drugs
in Western Europe.
Both use and possession are illegal. Even minor use can lead to a prison
sentence six months although more generally leads to a fine.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that Sweden
has one of the lowest drug usage rates in the Western world, and attributes
this to a drug policy that invests heavily in prevention and treatment as well
as strict law enforcement
Although praised by those who back the ‘war on drugs’ approach for its low
level of cannabis use of harder drugs is very high a proportion of drug use.
Drug treatment is free of charge and provided through the health care
system and the municipal social services.
Graham G. The Telegraph, Oct. 30th,
2014, viewed April 12th, 2015, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11197559/Drug-laws-around-the-world-does-anyone-get-it-right.html
