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Drug Information (page 3)
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine, or crystal meth, is an addictive stimulant drug that strongly activates certain systems in the brain. It's chemically related to amphetamine, but the central nervous system effects of methamphetamine are greater. Both drugs have some limited therapeutic uses, primarily in the treatment of obesity. Methamphetamine is made in illegal laboratories and has a high potential for abuse and addiction.
Street Names: Speed, meth, chalk, ice, crystal, glass.
Effects:
Increases wakefulness and physical activity and decreases appetite. Chronic, long-term use can lead to psychotic behavior, hallucinations, and stroke.
Methamphetamine Addiction:
Methamphetamine addiction has three patterns: low intensity, binge, and high intensity. Low-intensity abuse describes a user who is not psychologically addicted to the drug but uses meth on a casual basis by swallowing or snorting it. Binge and high-intensity abusers are psychologically addicted to meth and prefer to smoke or inject meth to achieve faster and stronger high. Binge abusers use meth more than low-intensity abusers but less than high-intensity abusers. As far as we know, meth does not create a physical addiction in the user. Although, meth is extremely psychologically addictive.
The Differences Between Methamphetamine and Other Stimulants
Methamphetamine is classified as a psychostimulant as are such other drugs of abuse as amphetamine and cocaine. Methamphetamine is structurally similar to amphetamine and the neurotransmitter dopamine, but it is quite different from cocaine. Although these stimulants have similar behavioral and physiological effects, there are some major differences in the basic mechanisms of how they work at the level of the nerve cell. However, the bottom line is that methamphetamine, like cocaine, results in an accumulation of the neurotransmitter dopamine, and this excessive dopamine concentration appears to produce the stimulation and feelings of euphoria experienced by the user.
In contrast to cocaine, which is quickly removed and almost completely metabolized in the body, methamphetamine has a much longer duration of action and a larger percentage of the drug remains unchanged in the body. This results in methamphetamine being present in the brain longer, which ultimately leads to prolonged stimulant effects.
Morphine
Morphine, the principal active agent in opium, is a powerful opioid analgesic drug. Like other opiates, morphine acts directly on the central nervous system to relieve pain, and at synapses of the arcuate nucleus, in particular.
Effects:
Side effects include impairment of mental performance, euphoria, drowsiness, lethargy and blurred vision. It also decreases hunger, inhibits the cough reflex and produces constipation.
Morphine Addiction:
Morphine is usually highly addictive when compared to other substances, and tolerance and physical and psychological dependence develop quickly.
Morphine Detoxification
Self detoxification from Morphine can be extremely dangerous. Morphine addiction withdrawal can cause physical and emotional trauma including stroke, heart attack, and even death. Methadone is often used to ease the pain from Morphine addiction withdrawal. The outcome from methadone treatment typically ends with the individual acquiring an addiction to methadone, and continued Morphine use without detoxification from either substance.
Opium
To harvest opium, the skin of the ripening pods is scored by a sharp blade. The slashes exude a white, milky latex, which dries to a sticky brown resin that is scraped off the pods as raw opium. Afterwards, the drug can either be smoked, eaten or injected.
Street Names: Skee, Joy plant, Pen yan
Effects:
Being of similar structure, the opiate molecules occupy many of the same nerve-receptor sites and bring on the same analgesic effect as the body's natural painkillers. Opiates first produce a feeling of pleasure and euphoria, but with their continued use the body demands larger amounts to reach the same sense of well-being. This is one of the primary reasons why an opium addiction may develop quickly.
Malnutrition, respiratory complications, and low blood pressure are some of the illnesses associated with addiction.
OxyContin
OxyContin is the brand name for an opioid analgesic containing the active ingredient oxycodone. OxyContin is a legal narcotic that is available, by prescription, to treat severe pain.
Street Names: Oxy, OxyCotton, Oxy 80 (for the 80mg dose) or OC
Effects:
OxyContin is a controlled-release medication that, when used correctly, provides extended relief of pain associated with cancer, back pain or arthritis. However, often when the drug is abused, the tablets are crushed and snorted, chewed, or mixed with water and injected, hence eliminating the time-release factor and allowing for a quick and intense rush to the brain. OxyContin is highly addictive - so higher doses of the drug must be taken when a tolerance develops. Illicit users of the drug have risen drastically and steadily over the last few years.
Long Term Effects
Using OxyContin chronically can result in increased tolerance to the drug in which higher doses of the medication must be taken to receive the initial effect. Over time, OxyContin will be come physically addictive, causing a person to experience withdrawal symptoms when the drug is not present. Symptoms of withdrawal include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps, and involuntary leg movements.
Speed
Speed is the street name for Amphetamine. Like cocaine, it's a stimulant that users take to keep them awake and alert. It's often taken along with ecstasy.
Street Names: Speed, whiz, uppers, amph, billy, sulphate, grudge.
Effects:
Amphetamines are stimulant drugs and their effects are very much like an adrenaline rush, with breathing and heart rate increasing. The appetite is also suppressed and users feel energetic and confident, with the effects usually lasting for several hours. The body's temperature increases, the pupils will become dilated, and there is an increased risk of dehydration.
What Are the Risks?
The regular use of amphetamines means the body develops a tolerance, and larger doses of the drug will be required to achieve the same high, which can lead to addiction. Anybody who takes amphetamines for long enough may suffer from paranoia, delusions and hallucinations, as well as risking infections such as hepatitis and HIV through contaminated needles. High repeated doses could lead to panic attacks, hallucinations, and also place a serious strain on the heart.
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