WHAT IS KETAMINE?

• Ketamine hydrochloride (“Special K” or “K”) was originally created for use as a human anaesthetic, and is still used as a general anaesthetic for children, persons of poor health, and in veterinary medicine.

• Ketamine belongs to a class of drugs called “dissociative anaesthetics,” which separate perception from sensation. Other drugs in this category include PCP, DXM and nitrous oxide (laughing gas). 

• Ketamine usually comes as a liquid in small pharmaceutical bottles, and is most often cooked into a white powder for snorting.

 WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS?  

• At lower doses it has a mild, dreamy feeling similar to nitrous oxide. Users report feeling floaty and slightly outside their body. Numbness in the extremities is also common.

• Higher doses produce a hallucinogenic (trippy) effect, and may cause the user to feel very far away from their body.

• This experience is often referred to as entering a “K-hole” and has been compared to a near death experience with sensations of rising above one’s body. Many users find the experience spiritually significant , while others find it frightening.

• While in a K-hole it is very difficult to move. People usually remain seated or lying down during the experience.

 DANGERS!  

• While low doses of Ketamine can increase heart-rate, at higher doses it depresses consciousness and breathing and is extremely dangerous to combine with downers like alcohol, Valium or GHB.

• Frequent use can cause disruptions in consciousness and lead to neuroses or other mental disorders.

• Ketamine can cause a tremendous psychological dependence. The dissociation from one’s consciousness experienced with ketamine can be highly seductive to some people, and there are many cases of ketamine addiction.

• Ketamine is illegal and possession can result in long prison terms.

WHAT IS LSD?

• Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) is a hallucinogenic or psychedelic drug.

• It is usually found absorbed into tiny pieces of paper called “blotter,” but is sometimes found as a pure liquid or absorbed into a sugar cube. It is almost always swallowed.

• LSD costs about $5 for a “hit.”

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS?

• The LSD experience is usually described as a “trip” because it is like a journey to another place. This experience may be broken up into four ‘phases’

• The Onset – Approximately 30 minutes after ingestion, colors appear sharper, moving objects leave “trails” behind them, and flat surfaces may appear to “breathe.”

• The Plateau – Over the second hour, the effects become more intense. Imaginary visions can appear from nowhere–from shapes in smoke, to lines on the palms of the hand.

• The Peak – Time is slowed almost to a standstill. Users may feel like they are in a different world, or a movie. For some this is profound and mystical, but it can be very frightening for others.

• The Comedown – 5 or 6 hours after taking the drug the sensations begin to subside. After 8 hours, the trip is usually over, although residual effects may last until after sleep.

 WHAT IF SOMEBODY IS HAVING A BAD TRIP?

• Take the person to quiet surroundings where they feel comfortable.

• Find a friend who can reassure them.

• Stress to them that their panic is caused by the drug, and will wear off in a few hours, if not sooner.

• If they become uncontrollable or hysterical and you cannot calm them down, you may want to call your local poison control center. They can provide you with “triage” information to help you decide whether the person needs to be hospitalized.

 DANGERS!

• LSD can trigger underlying mental problems and produce delusions, paranoia and schizophrenia-like symptoms.

• It can also produce extreme anxiety states or panic attacks, not only while under the influence of the drug, but for some time after (flashbacks).

• In rare instances, LSD has caused a long-lasting perceptual disorder known as Post Hallucinogenic Perceptual Disorder (HPPD).

• LSD can impair judgement. Users should not drive or operate machinery while under the influence of LSD.

• LSD is illegal and possession can result in long prison terms. Supplying LSD to someone else (whether or not money was exchanged) carries even longer sentences.

WHAT IS SPEED?

• Speed (amphetamine or methamphetamine) is a stimulant drug.
• It produces alertness, confidence and raises levels of energy and stamina.
• It reduces appetite and lessens the desire and ability to sleep.

IS SPEED ADDICTIVE?

• Regular use can produce a need to increase the dose to get the same effect, and can lead to physical dependence on the drug.
• Speed can produce a powerful craving for more of the drug.
• Long-term use can result in serious mental and physical problems.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF INJECTING?

• The dose reaches the brain almost immediately, increasing the possibility of overdose.
• Impurities are introduced directly into the bloodstream and can cause septicemia and other infections.
• Repeated injections damage the veins, leading to thrombosis and abscesses.
• Sharing syringes can cause hepatitis and HIV, the virus that can cause AIDS.

 DANGERS!

• The ‘comedown’ off speed can make you feel tired, lethargic and depressed. This may tempt users to take more, and can lead to dependency.
• Speed users are at higher HIV and hepatitis risk through unsafe sex and needle sharing.
• Although rare, speed can cause seizures, heart attacks, strokes, and death from overdose.
• Many users become physically run down, which leaves them susceptible to a wide range of illnesses.
• Extended use of speed can cause psychosis. The user may think that everybody is out to get them, or that they

WHAT ARE MAGIC MUSHROOMS?

• Magic mushrooms are mushrooms that contain psilocybin. Psilocybin is a psychedelic drug with effects similar to those of LSD.

• Psilocybin mushrooms have been used by many indigenous cultures to induce altered states of consciousness during religious rituals.

 WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS?

• At low doses, magic mushrooms produce feelings of relaxation, not dissimilar to those of cannabis.

• Users often report laughing a lot and finding things funnier than they would normally.

• At higher doses, the experience is closer to that of LSD, intensifying colors and producing visual hallucinations and feelings of euphoria.

• A mushroom “trip” tends to last about four to five hours.

• Users often report the mushroom experience to be more “earthy” than other psychedelics, increasing emotional awareness and causing less psychological confusion.

• Many users find the mushroom experience to be spiritually significant while others find it frightening.

DANGERS!

• The biggest danger associated with magic mushrooms is misidentification. Some mushrooms are poisonous and cause stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhea and even death.

• Some users report getting sick even after ingesting real psilocybin varieties.

• Magic Mushrooms can impair judgement. Driving while under the influence of mushrooms is dangerous.

• Magic mushrooms, like all hallucinogens, can trigger underlying mental disorders and cause schizophrenic-type symptoms.

WHAT IS NITROUS OXIDE?

• Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) is a gas that has been safely used as a mild anesthetic in combination with oxygen for over a century.

• It is classified as a “dissociative anaesthetic.”

• Nitrous is legally available for over-the-counter sale, although in many states it is illegal to sell nitrous to a minor. Some states also have laws against inhaling nitrous for intoxication purposes.

• Nitrous is most commonly sold in small canisters for use in making whipped cream (“whippits”), although it can also be purchased in large tanks.

 WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS?

• A lungful of nitrous oxide results in the temporary loss of motor control and a “dissociative” psychological effect, where sensations and perceptions become disconnected.

• Users report a dreamy mental state, and may experience mild audio and visual hallucinations.

• The effects come on immediately and usually last less than a minute. Repeated inhalations of nitrous can extend and intensify the experience.

DANGERS!

• Nitrous produces an immediate loss of motor control. Stay seated if you are going to inhale nitrous. There have been many injuries and a few deaths from people who have fallen down after inhaling nitrous.

• Your brain needs oxygen! Brain damage and suffocation can result from inhaling pure nitrous for an extended period of time.

• Nitrous can be extremely cold when it comes out of the tank. Cold gas can burn the skin as well as the lips and throat. Dispensing the gas into a balloon and allowing it to warm up before inhaling it can reduce this risk.

• High pressure levels in the tank can shoot the gas out at a dangerously fast speed and damage the lungs.

What are Steroids?

• Anabolic steroids are synthetically produced variants of the naturally occurring male hormone testosterone. Both males and females have testosterone produced in their bodies: males in the testes, and females in the ovaries and other tissues. The full name for this class of drugs is androgenic (promoting masculine characteristics) anabolic (tissue building) steroids (the class of drugs).

• Some of the most abused steroids include Deca-Durabolin, Durabolin, Equipoise, and Winstrol. The common street (slang) names for anabolic steroids include arnolds, gym candy, pumpers, roids, stackers, weight trainers, and juice.

• The two major effects of testosterone are an androgenic effect and an anabolic effect.

• The term androgenic refers to the physical changes experienced by a male during puberty. Androgenic effects would be similarly experienced in a female. This property is responsible for the majority of the side effects of steroid use. The term anabolic refers to promoting of anabolism, the actual building of tissues, mainly muscle, accomplished by the promotion of protein synthesis.

Why are they abused?

• Anabolic steroids are primarily used by bodybuilders, athletes, and fitness “buffs” who claim steroids give them a competitive advantage and/or improve their physical performance. Also, individuals in occupations requiring enhanced physical strength (body guards, construction workers, and law enforcement officers) are known to take these drugs.

• Steroids are purported to increase lean body mass, strength, and aggressiveness. Steroids are also believed to reduce recovery time between workouts, which makes it possible to train harder and thus improve strength and endurance. Some non-athletes also take steroids to increase their endurance, muscle size, and strength, and reduce body fat which they believe improves personal appearance.

 Where are Steroids obtained?

• Doctors may prescribe steroids to patients for legitimate medical purposes such as loss of function of testicles, breast cancer, low red blood cell count, delayed puberty, and debilitated states resulting from surgery or sickness.

• Veterinarians administer steroids to animals for legitimate purposes such as to promote feed efficiency, and to improve weight gain, vigor, and hair coat. They are also used in veterinary practice to treat anemia and counteract tissue breakdown during illness and trauma.

• For purposes of illegal use there are several sources — the most common illegal source is from smuggling steroids into the U.S. from other countries such as Mexico and European countries. Smuggling from these areas is easier because a prescription is not required for the purchase of steroids. Less often steroids found in the illicit market are diverted from legitimate sources (e.g. thefts or inappropriate prescribing) or produced in clandestine laboratories.

 Common Types of Steroids Abused

• The illicit anabolic steroid market includes steroids that are not commercially available in the U.S. as well as those which are available. Steroids that are commercially available in the U.S. include fluxoymesterone (Halotestin), methyltestosterone, nandrolone (Deca-Durabolin, Durabolin), oxandrolone (Oxandrin), oxymetholone (Anadrol), testosterone, and stanozolol (Winstrol). Veterinary steroids that are commercially available in the U.S. include boldenone (Equipoise), mibolerone, and trenbolone (Revalor). Other steroids found on the illicit market that are not approved for use in the U.S. include ethylestrenol, methandriol, methenolone, and methandrostenolone.

 How are they taken?

• Anabolic steroids dispensed for legitimate medical purposes are administered several ways including intramuscular or subcutaneous injection, by mouth, pellet implantation under the skin, and by application to the skin (e.g. gels or patches). These same routes are used for purposes of abusing steroids, with injection and oral administration being the most common.

• People abusing steroids may take anywhere from 1 to upwards of a 100 times normal therapeutic doses of anabolic steroids. This often includes taking two or more steroids concurrently, a practice called “stacking.”

• Abusers will often alternate periods (6 to 16 weeks in length) of high dose use of steroids with periods of low dose use or no drug at all. This practice is called “cycling.”

• Another mode of steroid use is called “pyramiding.” With this method users slowly escalate steroid use (increasing the number of drugs used at one time and/or the dose and frequency of one or more steroids), reach a peak amount at mid-cycle and gradually taper the dose toward the end of the cycle.

• Doses of anabolic steroids used will depend on the particular objectives of the steroid user. Athletes (middle or high school, college, professional, and Olympic) usually take steroids for a limited period of time to achieve a particular goal. Others such as bodybuilders, law enforcement officers, fitness buffs, and body guards usually take steroids for extended periods of time. The length of time that steroids stay in the body varies from a couple of days to more than 12 months.

WHAT IS TOBACCO?

• Tobacco comes from a plant and contains the stimulant drug, nicotine.

• It is usually smoked in cigarettes, cigars and pipes, but is also found in a powdered form called snuff (to be sniffed up the nose) and as chewing tobacco or dip.

 WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF SMOKING?

• Smoking kills more than 400,000 Americans each year.

• More than 3,000 kids become regular smokers each day.

• Smokers lose an average of 12 years of life due to their habit.

• The chemical nicotine found in cigarettes and other tobacco products is an addictive drug, which is why it is so hard for people to quit using tobacco once they start.  Nicotine is also a deadly poison used in many bug sprays. It is so potent that one drop (70 mg) in its liquid form will kill an average adult.

• Smoking turns your teeth and fingernails yellow, makes your hair, clothes and breath smell gross and causes premature wrinkling of your skin.

• With every puff on a cigarette, you breathe 4,700 different chemicals, including ammonia, arsenic, cyanide, acetone, formaldehyde, toluene (a poisonous industrial solvent) polonium 210 (a highly radioactive element) and carbon monoxide.

• Lung cancer, throat cancer, heart disease, stroke and emphysema are just some of the painful, life-threatening diseases linked with smoking.

• 90% of men smokers are age 18 and younger.  The average smoker starts at age 12, and is addicted to nicotine by age 13 or 14.

• Teen smokers are three times more likely to use alcohol, 8 times more likely to use marijuana, and 22 times more likely to use cocaine than non-smokers.