Amphetamines

Amphetamines

Snorting amphetamines
Snorting amphetamines
Amphetamine[note 1] (contracted from alpha‑methylphenethylamine) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and obesity. Amphetamine was discovered in 1887 and exists as two enantiomers:[note 2] levoamphetamine anddextroamphetamine. Amphetamine properly refers to a specific chemical, the racemic free base, which is equal parts of the two enantiomers, levoamphetamine and dextroamphetamine, in their pure amine forms. However, the term is frequently used informally to refer to any combination of the enantiomers, or to either of them alone. Historically, it has been used to treat nasal congestion and depression. Amphetamine is also used as an athletic performance enhancer and cognitive enhancer, and recreationally as an aphrodisiac and euphoriant. It is a prescription drug in many countries, and unauthorized possession and distribution of amphetamine are often tightly controlled due to the significant health risks associated with recreational use.[sources 1]
The first pharmaceutical amphetamine was Benzedrine, a brand which was used to treat a variety of conditions. Currently, pharmaceutical amphetamine is prescribed as racemic amphetamine, Adderall,[note 3] dextroamphetamine, or the inactive prodrug lisdexamfetamine. Amphetamine, through activation of a trace amine receptor, increases monoamine and excitatory neurotransmitter activity in the brain, with its most pronounced effects targeting the catecholamine neurotransmitters norepinephrineand dopamine.[sources 2]
At therapeutic doses, amphetamine causes emotional and cognitive effects such as euphoria, change in desire for sex, increased wakefulness, and improved cognitive control. It induces physical effects such as decreased reaction time, fatigue resistance, and increased muscle strength. Larger doses of amphetamine may impair cognitive function and induce rapid muscle breakdown. Drug addiction is a serious risk with large recreational doses but is unlikely to arise from typical long-term medical use at therapeutic doses. Very high doses can result in psychosis (e.g., delusions and paranoia) which rarely occurs at therapeutic doses even during long-term use. Recreational doses are generally much larger than prescribed therapeutic doses and carry a far greater risk of serious side effects.[sources 3]
Amphetamine belongs to the phenethylamine class. It is also the parent compound of its own structural class, the substituted amphetamines,[note 4] which includes prominent substances such as bupropion, cathinone, MDMA (ecstasy), and methamphetamine. As a member of the phenethylamine class, amphetamine is also chemically related to the naturally occurring trace amine neuromodulators, specifically phenethylamine and N-methylphenethylamine, both of which are produced within the human body. Phenethylamine is the parent compound of amphetamine, while N-methylphenethylamine is a constitutional isomer that differs only in the placement of the methyl group.[sources 4]
Medical
Amphetamine is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy (a sleep disorder), and obesity, and is sometimes prescribed off-label for its pastmedical indications, such as depression.[2][16][35] Long-term amphetamine exposure at sufficiently high doses in some animal species is known to produce abnormaldopamine system development or nerve damage,[49][50] but, in humans with ADHD, pharmaceutical amphetamines appear to improve brain development and nerve growth.[51][52][53] Reviews of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies suggest that long-term treatment with amphetamine decreases abnormalities in brain structure and function found in subjects with ADHD, and improves function in several parts of the brain, such as the right caudate nucleus of the basal ganglia.[51][52][53]
Reviews of clinical stimulant research have established the safety and effectiveness of long-term amphetamine use for ADHD.[54][55][56] Controlled trials spanning two years have demonstrated treatment effectiveness and safety.[54][56] One review highlighted a nine-month randomized controlled trial in children with ADHD that found an average increase of 4.5 IQ points, continued increases in attention, and continued decreases in disruptive behaviors and hyperactivity.[54]
Current models of ADHD suggest that it is associated with functional impairments in some of the brain's neurotransmitter systems;[57] these functional impairments involve impaired dopamine neurotransmission in the mesocorticolimbic projection and norepinephrine neurotransmission in the locus coeruleus and prefrontal cortex.[57]Psychostimulants like methylphenidate and amphetamine are effective in treating ADHD because they increase neurotransmitter activity in these systems.[26][57][58]Approximately 80% of those who use these stimulants see improvements in ADHD symptoms.[59] Children with ADHD who use stimulant medications generally have better relationships with peers and family members, perform better in school, are less distractible and impulsive, and have longer attention spans.[60][61] The Cochrane Collaboration's reviews[note 5] on the treatment of ADHD in children, adolescents, and adults with pharmaceutical amphetamines stated that while these drugs improve short-term symptoms, they have higher discontinuation rates than non-stimulant medications due to their adverse side effects.[63][64] A Cochrane Collaboration review on the treatment of ADHD in children with tic disorders such as Tourette syndrome indicated that stimulants in general do not make tics worse, but high doses of dextroamphetamine could exacerbate tics in some individuals.[65]
Enhancing performance
In 2015, a systematic review and a meta-analysis of high quality clinical trials found that, when used at low (therapeutic) doses, amphetamine produces modest, unambiguous improvements in cognition, including working memory, episodic memory, inhibitory control and some aspects of attention, in normal healthy adults;[66][67]the cognition-enhancing effects of amphetamine are known to occur through its indirect activation of both dopamine receptor D1 and adrenoceptor α2 in the prefrontal cortex.[26][66] A systematic review from 2014 noted that low doses of amphetamine also improve memory consolidation, in turn leading to improved recall of information.[68] Therapeutic doses of amphetamine also enhance cortical network efficiency, an effect which mediates improvements in working memory in all individuals.[26][69] Amphetamine and other ADHD stimulants also improve task saliency (motivation to perform a task) and increase arousal (wakefulness), in turn promoting goal-directed behavior.[26][70][71] Stimulants such as amphetamine can improve performance on difficult and boring tasks and are used by some students as a study and test-taking aid.[26][71][72] Based upon studies of self-reported illicit stimulant use, 5–35% of college students use diverted ADHD stimulants, which are primarily used for performance enhancement rather than as recreational drugs.[73][74][75] However, high amphetamine doses that are above the therapeutic range can interfere with working memory and other aspects of cognitive control.[26][71]
Amphetamine is used by some athletes for its psychological and athletic performance-enhancing effects, such as increased endurance and alertness;[27][40] however, non-medical amphetamine use is prohibited at sporting events that are regulated by collegiate, national, and international anti-doping agencies.[76][77] In healthy people at oral therapeutic doses, amphetamine has been shown to increase muscle strength, acceleration, athletic performance in anaerobic conditions, and endurance (i.e., it delays the onset of fatigue), while improving reaction time.[27][78][79] Amphetamine improves endurance and reaction time primarily through reuptake inhibition andeffluxion of dopamine in the central nervous system.[78][79][80] Amphetamine and other dopaminergic drugs also increase power output at fixed levels of perceived exertionby overriding a "safety switch" that allows the core temperature limit to increase in order to access a reserve capacity that is normally off-limits.[79][81][82] At therapeutic doses, the adverse effects of amphetamine do not impede athletic performance;[27][78] however, at much higher doses, amphetamine can induce effects that severely impair performance, such as rapid muscle breakdown and elevated body temperature.[28][39][78]
Contraindications
See also: Amphetamine § Interactions
According to the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) and United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA),[note 6] amphetamine is contraindicated in people with a history of drug abuse,[note 7]heart disease, severe agitation, or severe anxiety.[84][85] It is also contraindicated in people currently experiencing arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), glaucoma (increased eye pressure), hyperthyroidism(excessive production of thyroid hormone), or moderate to severe hypertension.[84][85][86] People who have experienced allergic reactions to other stimulants in the past or who are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are advised not to take amphetamine,[84][85] although safe concurrent use of amphetamine and monoamine oxidase inhibitors has been documented.[87][88] These agencies also state that anyone with anorexia nervosa, bipolar disorder, depression, hypertension, liver or kidney problems, mania, psychosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, seizures, thyroid problems, tics, or Tourette syndrome should monitor their symptoms while taking amphetamine.[84][85] Evidence from human studies indicates that therapeutic amphetamine use does not cause developmental abnormalities in the fetus or newborns (i.e., it is not a humanteratogen), but amphetamine abuse does pose risks to the fetus.[85] Amphetamine has also been shown to pass into breast milk, so the IPCS and USFDA advise mothers to avoid breastfeeding when using it.[84][85]Due to the potential for reversible growth impairments,[note 8] the USFDA advises monitoring the height and weight of children and adolescents prescribed an amphetamine pharmaceutical.[84]
Side effects
The side effects of amphetamine are varied, and the amount of amphetamine used is the primary factor in determining the likelihood and severity of side effects.[28][39][40] Amphetamine products such as Adderall, Dexedrine, and their generic equivalents are currently approved by the USFDA for long-term therapeutic use.[36][39] Recreational use of amphetamine generally involves much larger doses, which have a greater risk of serious side effects than dosages used for therapeutic reasons.[40]
Physical
At normal therapeutic doses, the physical side effects of amphetamine vary widely by age and from person to person.[39] Cardiovascular side effects can include hypertension or hypotension from a vasovagal response, Raynaud's phenomenon (reduced blood flow to extremities), and tachycardia (increased heart rate).[39][40][89] Sexual side effects in males may include erectile dysfunction, frequent erections, or prolonged erections.[39] Abdominal side effects may include abdominal pain, appetite loss, nausea, and weight loss.[39][90] Other potential side effects include blurred vision, dry mouth, excessive grinding of the teeth, nosebleed, profuse sweating, rhinitis medicamentosa (drug-induced nasal congestion), reduced seizure threshold, and tics (a type of movement disorder).[sources 5] Dangerous physical side effects are rare at typical pharmaceutical doses.[40]
Amphetamine stimulates the medullary respiratory centers, producing faster and deeper breaths.[40] In a normal person at therapeutic doses, this effect is usually not noticeable, but when respiration is already compromised, it may be evident.[40] Amphetamine also induces contraction in the urinary bladder sphincter, the muscle which controls urination, which can result in difficulty urinating.[40] This effect can be useful in treating bed wetting and loss of bladder control.[40] The effects of amphetamine on the gastrointestinal tract are unpredictable.[40] If intestinal activity is high, amphetamine may reduce gastrointestinal motility (the rate at which content moves through the digestive system);[40] however, amphetamine may increase motility when the smooth muscle of the tract is relaxed.[40] Amphetamine also has a slight analgesic effect and can enhance the pain relieving effects of opioids.[40]
USFDA-commissioned studies from 2011 indicate that in children, young adults, and adults there is no association between serious adverse cardiovascular events (sudden death, heart attack, and stroke) and the medical use of amphetamine or other ADHD stimulants.[sources 6]
Psychological
Common psychological effects of therapeutic doses can include increased alertness, apprehension, concentration, decreased sense of fatigue, mood swings (elated mood followed by mildly depressed mood), increased initiative, insomnia or wakefulness, self-confidence, and sociability.[39][40] Less common side effects include anxiety, change in libido, grandiosity, irritability, repetitive or obsessive behaviors, and restlessness;[sources 7] these effects depend on the user's personality and current mental state.[40] Amphetamine psychosis (e.g., delusions and paranoia) can occur in heavy users.[28][39][41] Although very rare, this psychosis can also occur at therapeutic doses during long-term therapy.[28][39][42] According to the USFDA, "there is no systematic evidence" that stimulants produce aggressive behavior or hostility.[39]
Amphetamine has also been shown to produce a conditioned place preference in humans taking therapeutic doses,[63][97] meaning that individuals acquire a preference for spending time in places where they have previously used amphetamine.[97][98]
Overdose
An amphetamine overdose can lead to many different symptoms, but is rarely fatal with appropriate care.[85][99] The severity of overdose symptoms increases with dosage and decreases with drug tolerance to amphetamine.[40][85] Tolerant individuals have been known to take as much as 5 grams of amphetamine in a day, which is roughly 100 times the maximum daily therapeutic dose.[85] Symptoms of a moderate and extremely large overdose are listed below; fatal amphetamine poisoning usually also involves convulsions and coma.[28][40] In 2013, overdose on amphetamine, methamphetamine, and other compounds implicated in an "amphetamine use disorder" resulted in an estimated 3,788 deaths worldwide (3,425–4,145 deaths, 95% confidence).[note 9][100]
Pathological overactivation of the mesolimbic pathway, a dopamine pathway that connects the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens, plays a central role in amphetamine addiction.[101][102] Individuals who frequently overdose on amphetamine during recreational use have a high risk of developing an amphetamine addiction, since repeated overdoses gradually increase the level of accumbal ΔFosB, a "molecular switch" and "master control protein" for addiction.[103][104][105] Once nucleus accumbens ΔFosB is sufficiently overexpressed, it begins to increase the severity of addictive behavior (i.e., compulsive drug-seeking) with further increases in its expression.[103][106] While there are currently no effective drugs for treating amphetamine addiction, regularly engaging in sustained aerobic exercise appears to reduce the risk of developing such an addiction.[107][108] Sustained aerobic exercise on a regular basis also appears to be an effective treatment for amphetamine addiction;[106][107][109] exercise therapy improves clinical treatment outcomes and may be used as a combination therapy with cognitive behavioral therapy, which is currently the best clinical treatment available.[107][109][110]

There is a risk of addiction, but the evidence is that this is only particularly likely with heavy use. If someone does become addicted then tolerance grows quickly requiring ever increasing doses. Surprisingly amphetamine overdoses rarely prove fatal and there is little evidence to show that it can result in heart attack, strokes or other cardiovascular events.It may seem strange but one of the few legitimate medical uses of the stimulant amphetamine is in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). For most people though, the effects of taking amphetamines are feeling energised and confident.
What excessive doses can do is effectively change the wiring of the brain making addiction stronger or more likely.
Perhaps the best known and most sinister of amphetamines side effects is “speed psychosis”. One study found that nearly 20% of heavy users had clinical levels of psychosis. Of these up to 15% never fully recover. The symptoms of amphetamine psychosis are very similar to schizophrenia with hallucinations, delusions of persecution and extreme agitation being common.
And this is why amphetamines make it onto this list.

KETAMINE DRUGS

Ketamine

Ketamine
Ketamine in powder form
AKA: K, Special K, Vitamin K, K2
Price: $$$
Ketamine, sold under the brand name Ketalar among others, is a medication mainly used for starting and maintaining anesthesia.[4] It induces a trance-like state while providing pain relief, sedation, and memory loss.[5] Other uses include for chronic pain and for sedation in intensive care.[6][7] Heart function, breathing, and airway reflexes generally remain functional.[5] Effects typically begin within five minutes when given by injection with the main effects lasting up to 25 minutes.[3][4]
Common side effects include psychological reactions as the medication wears off.[8] These reactions may include agitation, confusion, or hallucinations.[4][8][9] Elevatedblood pressure and muscle tremors are relatively common, while low blood pressure and a decrease in breathing are less so.[4][9] Spasms of the larynx may rarely occur.[4] Ketamine has been classified as an NMDA receptor antagonist; it also acts on opioid receptors and monoamine transporters among others.[10]
Ketamine was discovered in 1962.[3] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, of the most important medications needed in a basic health system.[11] It is available as a generic medication.[4] The wholesale cost in the developing world is between 0.08 and 0.32 USD per dose.[12] Ketamine is also used as arecreational drug.[13]

 Ketamine is perhaps best known as a horse tranquiliser although it was developed for human use. It was intended to replace PCP (Angel dust) as a shorter lasting anaesthetic and it is still used in certain situations. However, there are several side effects that come in to play as the drugs effects wear off, most notably hallucinations. These usually last less than 2 hours along with feelings of detachment, which can be fairly extreme.
Ketamine overdoses are potentially fatal and there is no effective antidote. A patient may need to be put on life support to maintain respiratory function until they can breath on their own. Possibly the greatest risk to users of ketamine though is the direct psychological effects or the “K-hole”. The user may become so detached from reality that they endanger themselves. For example two eminent ketamine experimentors wound up dead, one from hypothermia and the other drowning.
There is plenty of evidence of ketamine being addictive and once this happens tolerance soon builds up. Along with this go several side-effects such as bladder problems, memory loss and various other psychological impairments. Withdrawal may result in minor, but permanent nerve damage.
Ketamine, categorized as a “dissociative anesthetic,” is used in powdered or liquid form as an anesthetic, usually on animals. It can be injected, consumed in drinks, snorted, or added to joints or cigarettes. Ketamine was placed on the list of controlled substances in the US in 1999.
Short- and long-term effects include increased heart rate and blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, numbness, depression, amnesia, hallucinations and potentially fatal respiratory problems. Ketamine users can also develop cravings for the drug. At high doses, users experience an effect referred to as “K-Hole,” an “out of body” or “near-death” experience.
Due to the detached, dreamlike state it creates, where the user finds it difficult to move, ketamine has been used as a “date-rape” drug.

Side effects[edit]

Ketamine is generally safe for those critically ill, when administered by trained medical professionals.[44] Even in these cases, there are known side effects that include one or more of the following:[45]
In 10-20% of patients at anesthetic doses experience adverse reactions that occur during emergence from anesthesia, reactions that can manifest as seriously as hallucinations and delirium.[8] These reactions may be less common in some patients subpopulations, and when administered intramuscularly, and can occur up to 24 hours postoperatively; the chance of this occurring can be reduced by minimizing stimulation to the patient during recovery and pretreating with a benzodiazepine, alongside a lower dose of ketamine.[8] Patients who experience severe reactions may require treatment with a small dose of a short- or ultrashort-acting barbiturate.[45]
Tonic-clonic movements are reported at higher anesthetic doses in greater than 10% of patients.[47]

Neurological effects[edit]

In 1989, psychiatry professor John Olney reported ketamine caused irreversible changes in two small areas of the rat brain. However, the rat brain has significant differences in metabolism from the human brain, therefore such changes may not occur in humans.[48]
The first large-scale, longitudinal study of ketamine users found current frequent (averaging 20 days/month) ketamine users had increased depression and impaired memory by several measures, including verbal, short-term memory, and visual memory. Current infrequent (averaging 3.25 days/month) ketamine users and former ketamine users were not found to differ from controls in memory, attention, and psychological well-being tests. This suggests the infrequent use of ketamine does not cause cognitive deficits, and that any deficits that might occur may be reversible when ketamine use is discontinued. However, abstinent, frequent, and infrequent users all scored higher than controls on a test of delusional symptoms.[49]
Short-term exposure of cultures of GABAergic neurons to ketamine at high concentrations led to a significant loss of differentiated cells in one study, and noncell-death-inducing concentrations of ketamine (10 μg/ml) may still initiate long-term alterations of dendritic arbor in differentiated neurons. The same study also demonstrated chronic (>24 h) administration of ketamine at concentrations as low as 0.01 μg/ml can interfere with the maintenance of dendritic arbor architecture. These results raise the possibility that chronic exposure to low, subanesthetic concentrations of ketamine, while not affecting cell survival, could still impair neuronal maintenance and development.[50][51]
More recent studies of ketamine-induced neurotoxicity have focused on primates in an attempt to use a more accurate model than rodents. One such study administered daily ketamine doses consistent with typical recreational doses (1 mg/kg IV) to adolescent cynomolgus monkeys for varying periods of time.[52] Decreased locomotor activity and indicators of increased cell death in the prefrontal cortex were detected in monkeys given daily injections for six months, but not those given daily injections for one month.[52] A study conducted on rhesus monkeys found a 24-hour intravenous infusion of ketamine caused signs of brain damage in five-day-old but not 35-day-old animals.[53] Some neonatal experts do not recommend the use of ketamine as an anesthetic agent in human neonates because of the potential adverse effects it may have on the developing brain. These neurodegenerative changes in early development have been seen with other drugs that share the same mechanism of action of NMDA receptor antagonism as ketamine.[54]
The acute effects of ketamine cause cognitive impairment, including reductions in vigilance, verbal fluency, short-term memory, and executive function, as well as schizophrenia-like perceptual changes.[55]

Urinary tract effects[edit]

A 2011 systematic review examined 110 reports of irritative urinary tract symptoms from ketamine recreational use.[56] Urinary tract symptoms have been collectively referred as "ketamine-induced ulcerative cystitis" or "ketamine-induced vesicopathy", and they include urge incontinence, decreased bladder compliance, decreased bladder volume, detrusor overactivity, and painful haematuria (blood in urine). Bilateral hydronephrosis and renal papillary necrosis have also been reported in some cases.[56][57] The pathogenesis of papillary necrosis has been investigated in mice, and mononuclear inflammatory infiltration in the renal papilla resulting from ketamine dependence has been suggested as a possible mechanism.[58]
The time of onset of lower urinary tract symptoms varies depending, in part, on the severity and chronicity of ketamine use; however, it is unclear whether the severity and chronicity of ketamine use corresponds linearly to the presentation of these symptoms. All reported cases where the user consumed greater than 5 g/day reported symptoms of the lower urinary tract.[56] Urinary tract symptoms appear to be most common in daily ketamine users who have used the drug recreationally for an extended period of time.[57] These symptoms have presented in only one case of medical use of ketamine. However, following dose reduction, the symptoms remitted.[57]
Management of these symptoms primarily involves ketamine cessation, for which compliance is low. Other treatments have been used, including antibiotics, NSAIDs, steroids, anticholinergics, and cystodistension.[56]Both hyaluronic acid instillation and combined pentosan polysulfate and ketamine cessation have been shown to provide relief in some patients, but in the latter case, it is unclear whether relief resulted from ketamine cessation, administration of pentosan polysulfate, or both. Further follow-up is required to fully assess the efficacy of these treatments.[56]

Liver problems[edit]

In case reports of three patients treated with esketamine for relief of chronic pain, liver enzyme abnormalities occurred following repeat treatment with ketamine infusions, with the liver enzyme values returning below the upper reference limit of normal range on cessation of the drug. The result suggests liver enzymes must be monitored during such treatment.[59]

Interactions[edit]

Other drugs which increase blood pressure may interact with ketamine in having an additive effect on blood pressure including: stimulants, SNRI antidepressants, and MAOIs. Increase blood pressure and heart rate, palpitations, and arrhythmias may be potential effects.
Ketamine may increase the effects of other sedatives in a dose dependent manner, including, but not limited to: alcohols,[60] benzodiazepines,[61] opioids,[62] quinazolinones, phenothiazines, anticholinergics andbarbiturates.[63]

COCAINE

Cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. It is both a stimulant of the central nervous system and an appetite suppressant, giving rise to what has been described as a euphoric sense of happiness and increased energy. It is most often used recreationally for this effect. Cocaine is a potent central nervous system stimulant. Its effects can last from 20 minutes to several hours, depending upon the dosage of cocaine taken, purity, and method of administration. The initial signs of stimulation are hyperactivity, restlessness, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate and euphoria. The euphoria is sometimes followed by feelings of discomfort and depression and a craving to experience the drug again. Sexual interest and pleasure can be amplified. Side effects can include twitching, paranoia, and impotence, which usually increases with frequent usage.
The cocaine arrived and we agreed to use it at a time that translated to three and a half hours after I arrived. It cost $60 for what I was told was an eighth of a gram. This seemed rather expensive, but I was assured that it was ‘high quality product.’ I took the line up my left nostril. After about ninety seconds, I felt my heartbeat increase. It was definitely kicking in. I began to worry a bit, as I could feel my heart pounding and my pulse increasing. I finally felt as if it had reached a plateau. My heartbeat became level, albeit still very high. Many people say that one feels euphoria – being invincible and/or the desire to clean the house. I did not feel either of these (and I did remember to think about these things). For me, the positive effects of cocaine came directly from knowing that I had reached a plateau and I was going to be fine. I felt invigorated, yet also very comfortable.
Cocaine, also known as coke, is a strong stimulant mostly used as a recreational drug.[9] It is commonly snorted, inhaled, or injected into the veins. Mental effects may include loss of contact with reality, an intense feeling of happiness, or agitation. Physical symptoms may include a fast heart rate, sweating, and large pupils.[8] High doses can result in very high blood pressure or body temperature.[10] Effects begin within seconds to minutes of use and last between five and ninety minutes.[8] Cocaine has a small number of accepted medical uses such as numbing and decreasing bleeding during nasal surgery.[11]
Cocaine is addictive due to its effect on the reward pathway in the brain. After a short period of use, there is a high risk thatdependence will occur.[9] Its use also increases the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, lung problems in those who smoke it, blood infections, and sudden cardiac death.[9][12] Cocaine sold on the street is commonly mixed with local anesthetics, cornstarch, quinine, or sugar which can result in additional toxicity.[13] Following repeated doses a person may have decreased ability to feel pleasureand be very physically tired.[9]
Cocaine acts by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. This results in greater concentrations of these three neurotransmitters in the brain.[9] It can easily cross the blood–brain barrier and may lead to the breakdown of the barrier.[14][15]Cocaine is made from the leaves of the coca plant which are mostly grown in South America.[8] In 2013, 419 kilograms were produced legally.[16] It is estimated that the illegal market for cocaine is 100 to 500 billion USD each year. With further processingcrack cocaine can be produced from cocaine.[9]
After cannabis, cocaine is the most frequently used illegal drug globally.[17] Between 14 and 21 million people use the drug each year. Use is highest in North America followed by Europe and South America. Between one and three percent of people in thedeveloped world use cocaine at some point in their life.[9] In 2013 cocaine use directly resulted in 4,300 deaths, up from 2,400 in 1990.[18] The leaves of the coca plant have been used by Peruvians since ancient times.[13] Cocaine was first isolated from the leaves in 1860.[9] Since 1961 the international Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs has required countries to make recreational use of cocaine a crime.[19]
One of the best treatment for drug addiction is to consult with cocaine rehab centers for recovery.

HEROIN

Heroin
A30100Heroin
Heroin is an opiate processed directly from the extracts of the opium poppy. It was originally created to help cure people of addiction to morphine. Upon crossing the blood-brain barrier, which occurs soon after introduction of the drug into the bloodstream, heroin is converted into morphine, which mimics the action of endorphins, creating a sense of well-being; the characteristic euphoria has been described as an “orgasm” centered in the gut. One of the most common methods of heroin use is via intravenous injection.

For the last 4 months, my partner and I have been recreationally using heroin. Heroin  became our weekend ritual. Lighting candles, playing music, brie and wine and grapes, reading tarot and finally fucking… for hours on end, the most intense beautiful technicolor sex. Each time we did it we got closer to each other. And each time we did it, we wanted to do it again, and again. We tried saying we’d only do it once every two weeks, but that lasted 6 days. We have rules about how much we do in one night, how late we stay up and so on. So far the rules have kept us safe from addiction. Unless you consider the nagging i-don’t-wanna-go-a-weekend-or-have-sex-without-it feelings. We’ve never run out, although, once we were down to our last little bit and I left the vial open on the night stand. I was reaching for the lube when I heard the most sickening sound, the vial falling over. Turns out, I was mistaken, I had remembered to put the cap back on. But in those few seconds of uncertainty, my girl and I shot each other a look we had never seen before.. Fear.

Bottom of Form
Bottom of Form
 Sometimes fiction reveals the truth better than reality ever could. Dive into the world of heroin addiction (and at least one disgusting toilet) with the cult classic Trainspotting: Collector’s Edition at Amazon.com!

Illegal Drugs

Illegal Drugs



Image result for illegal drugsImage result for illegal drugs
There are many illegal drugs that are being abused by our society today. Drugs such as marijuana, meth, and the abuse of prescription medications are on the rise. It is important for everyone to raise their level of awareness in order to reduce the risk of drug abuse or to help someone they care for who is already suffering from drug abuse or addiction.

Illegal drugs come in different shapes, sizes, and types. Each particular drug produces unique effects on the user, this is why you may have heard the term "drug of choice". This means, the drug that the user prefers. People use illegal drugs for many reasons, boredom, to fit in, experimentation, etc. They begin to abuse drugs when they repeatedly take them to solve their problems or to make them feel "normal".

We will be highlighting the most commonly abused illegal drugs on this page.

Marijuana is by far the most widely used illegal drug. It is derived from the cannabis plant, which grows in many countries. People put it in rolling papers to make marijuana cigarettes, smoke it in bongs or pipes, or mix it in baked goods or tea and eat or drink it. Marijuana is a Schedule I drug. It is illegal to grow, sell, buy or use marijuana, hashish or hashish oil. Synthetic THC capsules are available by prescription to treat the nausea that cancer patients sometimes suffer with some forms of chemotherapy, and to treat wasting in AIDS patients. No form of the smoked drug has been approved as safe or effective for any medical use.

Cocaine and crack cocaine come from the leaves of the coca plant which grows primarily in South America. Cocaine is processed into a white powder which people snort or melt and inject. Crack is further processed into a substance that can be smoked. Cocaine is a Schedule II controlled substance. It is illegal to grow, process, sell or use cocaine or crack. Cocaine has limited use in medicine as an anaesthetic.

Ecstasy (MDMA) is a synthetic drug with both hallucinogenic and amphetamine-like properties. It is chemically similar to two other synthetic drugs, MDA and methamphetamine, which damage the brain. Ecstasy is mainly taken in pill form but users have been known to crush and snort or inject the drug.

Opium is the dried milk of the poppy plant and contains morphine and codeine from morphine it is a short step to the production of heroin, a powder over twice as potent as morphine. Opium can be eaten, smoked and drunk. Morphine can be injected or taken orally. Heroin can be smoked in tobacco, heated on aluminium foil and inhaled, injected under the skin or into the muscle/ vein.
Meth is a powerfully addictive stimulant that dramatically affects the central nervous system. The drug is made easily in clandestine laboratories with relatively inexpensive over-the-counter ingredients. These factors combine to make meth a drug with high potential for widespread abuse.Image resultImage result for illegal drugsImage result for illegal drugs

OUR DRUG CULTURE

OUR DRUG CULTURE

Drugs have been part of our culture since the middle of the last century. Popularized in the 1960s by music and mass media, they invade all aspects of society.
An estimated 208 million people internationally consume illegal drugs. In the United States, results from the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that 19.9 million Americans (or 8% of the population aged 12 or older) used illegal drugs in the month prior to the survey.
You probably know someone who has been affected by drugs, directly or indirectly.
The most commonly used—and abused—drug in the US is alcohol. Alcohol-related motor accidents are the second leading cause of teen death in the United States.
The most commonly used illegal drug is marijuana. According to the United Nations 2008 World Drug Report, about 3.9% of the world’s population between the ages of 15 and 64 abuse marijuana.
Young people today are exposed earlier than ever to drugs. Based on a survey by the Centers for Disease Control in 2007, 45% of high school students nationwidedrank alcohol and 19.7% smoked pot during a one-month period.
In Europe, recent studies among 15- and 16-year-olds suggest that use ofmarijuana varies from under 10% to over 40%, with the highest rates reported by teens in the Czech Republic (44%), followed by Ireland (39%), the UK (38%) and France (38%). In Spain and the United Kingdom, cocaine use among 15- to 16-year-olds is 4% to 6%. Cocaine use among young people has risen in Denmark, Italy, Spain, UK, Norway and France.
“My goal in life wasn’t living . . . it was getting high. Over the years, I turned to cocaine, marijuana and alcohol under a false belief it would allow me to escape my problems. It just made things worse. I kept saying to myself, I’m going to stop permanently after using one last time. It never happened.” —John
“It started with the weed, then the pills (Ecstasy) and acid, making cocktails of all sorts of drugs, even overdosing to make the rushes last longer. I had a bad trip one night . . . I prayed and cried for this feeling to go away, I had voices in my head, had the shakes and couldn’t leave home for six months. I thought everyone was watching me. I couldn’t walk in public places. Man! I couldn’t even drive.
“I ended up homeless and on the streets, living and sleeping in a cardboard box, begging and struggling to find ways to get my next meal.” —Ben
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