Drug Information
Heroin
Information
Heroin is a highly addictive drug, and its use is a serious problem in America. Current estimates suggest that nearly 600,000 people need treatment for heroin addiction. Recent studies suggest a shift from injecting heroin to snorting or smoking because of increased purity and the misconception that these forms of use will not lead to addiction. Heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of the Asian poppy plant. Heroin usually appears as a white or brown powder. Street names associated with heroin include "smack," "H," "skag," and "junk." Other names may refer to types of heroin produced in a specific geographical area, such as "Mexican black tar."
Health Hazards
Heroin abuse is associated with serious health conditions, including fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, collapsed veins, and infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. The short-term effects of heroin abuse appear soon after a single dose and disappear in a few hours. After an injection of heroin, the user reports feeling a surge of euphoria ("rush") accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, a dry mouth, and heavy extremities. Following this initial euphoria, the user goes "on the nod," an alternately wakeful and drowsy state. Mental functioning becomes clouded due to the depression of the central nervous system. Long-term effects of heroin appear after repeated use for some period of time. Chronic users may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulites, and liver disease. Pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may result from the poor health condition of the abuser, as well as from heroin's depressing effects on respiration. In addition to the effects of the drug itself, street heroin may have additives that do not readily dissolve and result in clogging the blood vessels that lead to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain. This can cause infection or even death of small patches of cells in vital organs.
Reports from SAMHSA's 1995 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), which collects data on drug-related hospital emergency room episodes and drug-related deaths from 21 metropolitan areas, rank heroin second as the most frequently mentioned drug in overall drug-related deaths. From 1990 through 1995, the number of heroin-related episodes doubled. Between 1994 and 1995, there was a 19 percent increase in heroin-related emergency department episodes.
Meth
Information
Methamphetamine 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 methamphetamine a drug with high potential for widespread abuse.
Methamphetamine is commonly known as "speed," "meth," and "chalk." In its smoked form it is often referred to as "ice," "crystal," "crank," and "glass." It is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol. The drug was developed early in this century from its parent drug, amphetamine, and was used originally in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers. Methamphetamine's chemical structure is similar to that of amphetamine, but it has more pronounced effects on the central nervous system. Like amphetamine, it causes increased activity, decreased appetite, and a general sense of well-being. The effects of methamphetamine can last 6 to 8 hours. After the initial "rush," there is typically a state of high agitation that in some individuals can lead to violent behavior. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant, which means it has a high potential for abuse and is available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled. There are a few accepted medical reasons for its use, such as the treatment of narcolepsy, attention deficit disorder, and -- for short-term use -- obesity; but these medical uses are limited.
Cocaine
and Crack Information
Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug of abuse. Once having tried cocaine, an individual cannot predict or control the extent to which he or she will continue to use the drug. The major routes of administration of cocaine are sniffing or snorting, injecting, and smoking (including free-base and crack cocaine). Snorting is the process of inhaling cocaine powder through the nose where it is absorbed into the bloodstream through the nasal tissues. Injecting is the act of using a needle to release the drug directly into the bloodstream. Smoking involves inhaling cocaine vapor or smoke into the lungs where absorption into the bloodstream is as rapid as by injection.
Health Hazards
Cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant that interferes with the re absorption process of dopamine, a chemical messenger associated with pleasure and movement. Dopamine is released as part of the brain's reward system and is involved in the high that characterizes cocaine consumption.
Physical effects of cocaine use include constricted peripheral blood vessels, dilated pupils, and increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. The duration of cocaine's immediate euphoric effects, which include hyper stimulation, reduced fatigue, and mental clarity, depends on the route of administration. The faster the absorption, the more intense the high. On the other hand, the faster the absorption, the shorter the duration of action. The high from snorting may last 15 to 30 minutes, while that from smoking may last 5 to 10 minutes. Increased use can reduce the period of stimulation.
Some users of cocaine report feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. An appreciable tolerance to the high may be developed, and many addicts report that they seek but fail to achieve as much pleasure as they did from their first exposure. Scientific evidence suggests that the powerful neuropsychological reinforcing property of cocaine is responsible for an individual's continued use, despite harmful physical and social consequences. In rare instances, sudden death can occur on the first use of cocaine or unexpectedly thereafter. However, there is no way to determine who is prone to sudden death.
High doses of cocaine and/or prolonged use can trigger paranoia. Smoking crack cocaine can produce a particularly aggressive paranoid behavior in users. When addicted individuals stop using cocaine, they often become depressed. This also may lead to further cocaine use to alleviate depression. Prolonged cocaine snorting can result in ulceration of the mucous membrane of the nose and can damage the nasal septum enough to cause it to collapse. Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest.
Added Danger: Coca Ethylene
When people mix cocaine and alcohol consumption, they are compounding the danger each drug poses and unknowingly performing a complex chemical experiment within their bodies. NIDA-funded researchers have found that the human liver combines cocaine and alcohol and manufactures a third substance, coca ethylene, that intensifies cocaine's euphoric effects, while possibly increasing the risk of sudden death.
OxyCotton
Oxycotton drug addiction cases have been on the rise ever since the drug was introduced to the marketplace. The drug is actually Oxycodone, and sold under the brand names OxyContin, Roxicodone and OxylR. Its known on the street as “oxycotton,” ande when its used for recreation, it can be highly addictive. Oxycodone is a Schedule II, synthetic opiate analgesic prescribed for moderate to severe pain.
Patients are often also directed to take aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol) in combination with the oxycodone. Dosages are from 10 to 160 mg, and under a doctor’s care, the drug, when used properly, is considered relatively safe.
The active agent is a morphine derivative, which is also used in Percodan or Percocet. It is given in pill form and the slow-acting drug, when used according to physician direction, helps manage pain.
When the pills are ground up by the recreational user and snorted, it is reported the “rush” is more intense than that of heroin. It’s a long-lasting high. That’s why this drug is so widely abused.
OxyContin drug addiction can be avoided
According to a 2002 report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse:
“OxyContin as a prescribed medication is a very effective and efficient analgesic. When used for legitimate medical purposes, this controlled substance can improve the quality of life for millions of Americans with debilitating diseases and conditions. It’s often prescribed for cancer patients or those with chronic, long-lasting pain. It’s when a medication such as this is intentionally misused that it begins to pose a serious public health threat. This is what appears to be happening with this particular drug.”
Because the drug has become so popular on the street with recreational abusers, patients who are prescribed the drug for legitimate medical purposes may run into difficulty with pharmacies in filling their prescriptions. Oxycontin drug addiction is rampantly on the rise; abuse of this drug began almost from the time it was introduced on the market. Because it is an opiate, “oxycotton” is highly addictive. The health risks for OxyContin drug addiction are enormous.
Purdue Pharma is the manufacturer of OxyContin and their senior medical director, Dr. J. David Haddox stated in 2001:
“As soon as we learned about the abuse problems, we went into those areas where abuse was reported and began education programs for physicians. We also cooperated with law enforcement in those areas because we want to do all that we can to make sure this drug is not abused. We want to stop the drug from being obtained through fraud or theft.”
Theft is a big problem
Theft is a big problem because of OxyContin drug addiction. Some pharmacies won’t even stock the drug for fear of being robbed. Still, for patients suffering from chronic pain, the drug has been of great benefit.
Patients may take small doses of the drug to manage pain, and like taking insulin to manage blood sugar, the drug has become necessary to maintain a good quality of life.
Like addiction to opium, morphine or heroin, “oxycotton” (OxyContin drug addiction) or changes brain chemistry and fools the brain into thinking it NEEDS the drug for normal function. Abusers and OxyContin drug addiction builds up a tolerance to “oxycotton,” so more and more drug is needed to produce the same “high.”
Drug slows breathing
The drug slows down breathing (respiratory depression) and breathing might slow down to 12-20 times per minute, and that slow-down is a warning sign. If breathing gets below 10 times per minute, the person is in jeopardy of having low oxygen levels, which lead to permanent brain damage, or worse.
The effects of Oxycontin drug addiction can cause a heart attack. Because the drug depresses the central nervous system, the user might get confused, or begin to act strangely. They get sleepy, or they have mood swings. The lose interest and have an “I don’t care” attitude about things.
Unlike someone who has had “a few too many” drinks and you give them a ride home and put them to bed, too much “oxycotton” is serious business. If a person goes to sleep, with low respiration and the other effects of the drug, they may not wake up.
Don’t let them sleep!
If you are around somebody that shows the signs of “oxycotton” overdose, don’t let them sleep. Keep them awake and talking no matter how much they complain about it. Get help. Medical attention is needed. If the person is in trouble, call 911.
OxyContin overdose often requires a hospital stay. Like patients who overdose on other central nervous system depressants, they may need a respirator to control breathing. Once the drug is out of their system, they can return to normal breathing.
OxyContin drug addiction is a serious problem
“Oxycontin” is a dangerous substance and using it for recreation is like playing Russian Roulette. The chances for a fatal encounter with this drug are enormous. Professional intervention is needed, as addiction to this or any other opiate requires a plan and expert help. When prescribed by a physician and used properly, OxyContin can be a blessing to those suffering from chronic pain. In the hands of an unthinking, unsuspecting and careless individual, “oxycontin” is a curse.