Essay on Depressants: Methamphetamine and Steroids General Information

Submitted By jsbs99
Words: 934
Pages: 4

Depressants
General Information: Depressants are drugs that relieve anxiety and produce sleep.
Effects: The effects of depressants include decreased alertness, confusion, drowsiness, lack of coordination, irritability, poor coordination, lack of judgment, loss of appetite, sleep disorders, nausea, addiction, and possible death.
Drugs in this Category: Barbiturates, Opiates, Alcohol, Oxydone, Ritalin, Valium, Darvon, Xanax , and Rohypnol
Street Names: Red Birds, Phennies, Tooies, Yellows, Yellow Jackets, Roofies, Tranks, and Ludes
Stimulants
General Information: Stimulants are drugs that temporarily improve physical or mental performance.

Effects: Stimulants speed up the activity of the brain and the spinal cord causing the heart to beat faster, reduce the flow of blood to the heart, make a person more talkative and anxious, and provide feelings of exhilaration. Excessive doses of these drugs can cause death from heart failure. Using these drugs can cause chronic nervousness, excitability, and paranoia. The paranoid mental state may be irreversible and permanent even after the drug use has stopped. Crack actually causes a strong physical dependency in the user. The use of crack can also cause severe respiratory problems. Finally, repeated use of cocaine can cause damage to the membranes in the nose.
Drugs in this Category: Caffeine, Cocaine, Crack, and Methamphetamines
Street Names: Speed, Ice, Crank, and Crystal Meth
Hallucinogens
General Information: Hallucinogens can disrupt the nervous system in your body, causing changes in the way you sense the world around you; causing “hallucinations.” People who use these drugs have a hard time concentrating, communicating, or telling the difference between reality and illusion.
Effects: The effects of hallucinogens may vary according to the person and the formulation. The short-term effects can include, but are not limited to, dilated pupils, higher body temperatures, increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, loss of appetite, dry mouth and tremors, and possible death. The long-term effects can include flashbacks, schizophrenia, depression, and possible death.
Drugs in this Category: LSD, MDMA, and PCP
Street Names: Acid, Tabs, Ecstasy, E, Beans, Microdots, and Angel Dust
Marijuana
General Information: Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States.
Effects: The effects of Marijuana can cause distorted perception, impaired coordination, difficulty with problem solving and memory and increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide.
Drugs in this Category: THC and Hashish
Street Names: Cannabis, Mary Jane, Dope, and Blunt
Club Drugs
General Information: Most of these drugs are odorless, colorless, and flavorless and can be added to beverages without being detected. Rohypnol, also known, as the "date rape drug" is a colorless, odorless drug that is ten times stronger than valium and would not be noticed if put in a beverage. This drug can make the user unable to resist an assault or remember what happened during an assault. These drugs can kill, especially when combined with alcohol or other depressants.
Effects: Club drugs affects the central nervous system and can cause drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, headache, decreased blood pressure, visual disturbances, confusion, amnesia, liver and kidney damage, loss of consciousness, impaired breathing, coma, and possible death.
Drugs in this Category: MDMA, GHB, Rohypnol, Ketamine, Methamphetamine, and Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)
Street Names: Roofies, Special K, G, Ecstasy, XTC, Meth, Crystal, Speed, and Acid
Inhalants
General Information: Inhalants are substances that produce chemical vapors that can be inhaled to produce a mind-altering effect. Using an inhalant even the first time can be deadly.
Effects: Inhalants burn brain cells at a faster rate than any other type of drug.
Drugs in this Category: Common household cleansers, Correction fluid, Glues, Gasoline, Cooking spray, Spray paint,