Types Of DRUGS

Types ofDRUGSunder international control

2ContentsIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Cannabis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Cocaine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Ecstasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Heroin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Hallucinogens: LSD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Methamphetamine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Photos: Ioulia Kondratovitch

3IntroductionWhat are drugs? Technically speaking, theyare chemical substances that affect thenormal functioning of the body and/orbrain. Not all drugs are illegal. For example,caffeine (found in coffee or Coca-Cola),nicotine (in cigarettes) and alcohol are alltechnically legal drugs, although they areusually not referred to as such. Medicines,whether prescribed by a doctor or availableover the counter at pharmacies, are legaldrugs to help us recover from illnesses, although they can also be abused.Illegal drugs are drugs that are so harmful that countries across the world havedecided to control them. Countries havepassed several international laws, in theform of United Nations conventions, thatspecify which drugs are controlled.All the drugs discussed in this brochureare illegal. This means that generally, it isagainst the law to own, use or sell thesedrugs worldwide.Drugs tend to have several street namesand this brochure will tell you some ofthem. However, it is not a complete list andthe drugs might have different names inyour country or city. These names may alsochange over time. The street names do nottell you anything about the strength orpurity of a drug.All illegal drugs have immediate physicaleffects, which you can read about in thisbrochure. But drugs can also severely hinder psychological and emotional development, particularly among young people. Infact, drugs can take away potential thatusers can never get back because theybecome a substitute for developing other,natural coping mechanisms.Although the drugs are discussed separately in this brochure, they are often usedtogether. This mixing of drugs can haveunpredictable, severe effects on the bodyand/or mind of the user.Finally, drugs cloud the judgement ofusers. This means that drug users oftentake more risks, such as having unsafe sex.This can lead to them getting infected withhepatitis or HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

4CannabisBongo/Marijuana//Ganja/GrassksPot/Thai sticWhat are the risks associatedwith cannabis use?All forms of cannabis are usually smoked.Cannabis resin and oil can also be eaten orbrewed in tea.In the short term, users have an increasedappetite and pulse rate. Users also haveproblems performing physical and intellectual tasks such as driving a car and thinking logically.With large doses, users perceptions ofsound and colour may be sharpened, whiletheir thinking becomes slow and confused.If the dose is very large, the effects ofcannabis are similar to those of hallucinogens and may cause anxiety, panic andeven psychotic episodes.Regular users of cannabis risk developingpsychological dependence to the pointwhere they lose interest in all other activities, such as work and personal relationships. Recent studies in the UnitedKingdom show a link between cannabis useand an increase in schizophrenia.How does it affect users?Other risksCannabis can make users feel pleasurablyrelaxed and sometimes euphoric. Usersmay also experience a more vivid sense ofsight, smell, taste and hearing.Cannabis smoke contains 50 per cent moretar than high-tar cigarettes, which putsusers at an increased risk of lung cancerand other respiratory diseases.What is it?Cannabis is a tobacco-like greenish orbrownish material made up of the driedflowering tops and leaves of the cannabis(hemp) plant.Cannabis resin or “hash” is the driedblack or brown secretion of the floweringtops of the cannabis plant, which is madeinto a powder or pressed into slabs orcakes.Cannabis oil or “hash oil” is a liquidextracted from either the dried plant material or the resin.How is it taken?

5Cocainea/BlanchCrack/Bazooke/Cake/Coke/LadyWhat are the risks associatedwith cocaine use?What is it?Cocaine is a fine white or off-white powderthat acts as a powerful stimulant. It isextracted from the leaves of the coca plant.On the street, it can be diluted or “cut”with other substances to increase thequantity. Crack is cocaine that has beenfurther processed with ammonia or sodiumbicarbonate (baking soda) and looks likesmall flakes or rocks.How is it taken?Cocaine is usually sniffed/snorted or injected, whereas crack is smoked.How does it affect users?Cocaine can make users feel exhilaratedand euphoric. Furthermore, users oftenexperience a temporary increase in alertness and energy levels and a postponementof hunger and fatigue.Short-term effects include loss of appetite,faster breathing and increases in bodytemperature and heart rate. Users maybehave bizarrely, erratically and sometimesviolently.Excessive doses of cocaine may lead toconvulsions, seizures, stroke, cerebralhaemorrhage or heart failure.Long-term users of cocaine risk a number of health problems, some of themdepending on how they take the drug.Sniffing cocaine severely damages nosetissue; smoking can cause respiratory problems; whilst injection can lead to abscesses and infectious diseases. Other risks,regardless of how the drug is taken, includestrong psychological dependence, malnutrition, weight loss, disorientation, apathyand a state similar to paranoid psychosis.Other risksMixing cocaine with alcohol is a dangerouscocktail and can greatly increase thechances of sudden death.

6EcstasyE/Snackies/New YorkersWhat are the risks associatedwith ecstasy use?What is it?Ecstasy is a psychoactive stimulant, usually made in illegal laboratories. In fact, theterm “ecstasy” has evolved and no longerrefers to a single substance but a range ofsubstances similar in effect on users.Frequently, any tablet with a logo is nowreferred to as “ecstasy” regardless of itschemical makeup.While the drug is usually distributed as atablet, it can also be a powder or capsule.Tablets can have many different shapesand sizes.How is it taken?It is usually swallowed but can also besnorted or injected.How does it affect users?Ecstasy can heighten users empathy levelsand induce a feeling of closeness to peoplearound them. It can also make users feelmore sociable and energetic.In the short term, ecstasy can make thebody ignore distress signals such as dehydration, dizziness and exhaustion and itcan interfere with the body’s ability to regulate temperature. Furthermore, ecstasycan severely damage organs such as theliver and the kidneys. It sometimes leads toconvulsions and heart failure.Large doses of ecstasy also cause restlessness, anxiety and severe hallucinations.Long-term ecstasy use can damage certain parts of the brain, resulting in seriousdepression and memory loss.Other risksTablets or pills that are sold as “ecstasy”may contain other potentially dangeroussubstances which can vary widely instrength and effects.

7Heroine/Junk/Smack/H/HorsWhat is it?Heroin is an addictive drug with painkilling properties processed from morphine,a naturally occurring substance from theopium poppy plant. Pure heroin is a whitepowder. Street heroin is usually brownishwhite because it is diluted or “cut” withimpurities, meaning each dose is different.How is it taken?It is usually injected but can also be snorted, smoked or inhaled.How does it affect users?Heroin can relieve users tension, anxietyand depression. Users feel detached fromemotional or physical distress or pain. Withlarge doses, users may experience euphoria.What are the risks associatedwith heroin use?Short-term effects include constrictedpupils, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness,inability to concentrate and apathy.Harry/WhiteladyHeroin is very addictive and users mayquickly develop physical and psychologicaldependence. They also risk developing tolerance for the drug, which means theyneed constantly higher doses to achievethe effect they want.Long-term heroin use has a variety ofsevere health effects. Among other things,it can cause severe weight loss, malnutrition and constipation. It can also lead tomenstrual irregularity, sedation and chronic apathy.Abruptly quitting heroin use leads towithdrawal symptoms which can be severesuch as cramps, diarrhoea, tremors, panic,runny nose, chills and sweats.Other risksUsers risk overdosing on heroin, which canlead to coma and death through respiratory depression.

8HallucinogensWhat are they?Hallucinogens, or “psychedelics”, are drugs that alter users’ state ofconsciousness and produce different kinds of hallucinations. The main types of hallucinogens ared-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), phencyclidine(PCP), hallucinogenic amphetamines, mescalineand psilocybe mushrooms.Acid/HippieLSDD-Lysergic Acid DiethylamideWhat is it?LSD is a semi-synthetic drug derived fromlysergic acid, which is found in a fungusthat grows on rye and other grains.LSD, commonly referred to as “acid”, isone of the most potent hallucinogens. It isusually sold on the street as small squaresof blotting paper with drops containing thedrug, but also as tablets, capsules or occasionally in liquid form. It is a colourless,odourless substance with a slightly bittertaste.How is it taken?It is usually swallowed.How does it affect users?Taking LSD leads to strong changes inthought, mood and senses in addition tofeelings of empathy and sociability.However, the exact effects of LSD varydepending on the mental state of the userand the environment when taking the drug.What are the risks associatedwith LSD use?Short-term, LSD produces delusions anddistorted perceptions. The user s sense ofdepth and time changes and colours, soundand touch seem more intense.Some LSD users experience severe, terrifying thoughts and feelings such as fear oflosing control, fear of insanity and death,and despair.The physical effects are small comparedto the psychological and emotional effects.They include dilated pupils, increased heartrate and blood pressure, loss of appetite,sleeplessness, dry mouth and tremors.