Drug Education
Published on Nov 18, 2015
A short course for those who need to know
MORE DECKS TO EXPLORE
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Drug Education
A short course for those who need to know
Untitled Slide
Untitled Slide
Ecstasy – (MDMA)
The chemical name for ecstasy is 3, 4 methylenedioxymethylamphetamine.
Which is a right royal bastard to type as well as read. Thankfully, it's generally known in scientific and medical circles as MDMA.
Many users simply call it E.
MDMA belongs to a family of drugs known as phenethylamines.
Chemically speaking, it's closely related to another phenethylamine, MDA (3, 4-methylenedioxyamphetamine), and to mescaline. MDMA is also described as an hallucinogenic stimulant, or a psychedelic amphetamine.
This a bit misleading, though, as there are very few reports of pure MDMA causing the sort of hallucinations prompted by, say, LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide, better known as acid).
The pure form of MDMA is a white crystalline powder. Although it's increasingly sold as powder in a plastic bag, it's traditionally and more widely available as either a pressed tablet, often branded with a symbol of some sort, or a capsule. The active oral dose of the drug is at least 75mgs, with most pills containing 80-120mgs.
MDMA acts on a brain chemical called serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, also known as 5-HT), a neurotransmitter which transfers messages across the synapses (or gaps) between adjacent neurons (nerve cells). Serotonin is thought to play an important part in shaping mood, thought processes, sleeping patterns, eating patterns, reaction to external stimuli and control of motor activity.
Many medical experts believe that low levels are associated with depression.
The chemical is produced by one neuron and released into the synapses, transmitting information to another neuron before being absorbed back into the first in a process known as reuptake.
MDMA causes a flood of both serotonin and dopamine (another important neurotransmitter) into the synapses and also disrupts the serotonin neurons' reuptake process.
An MDMA pill takes effect after 20 to 45 minutes, starting with little rushes of exhilaration.
These are sometimes accompanied by feelings of nausea and disorientation.
Some users also find their stomach starts churning.
Others experience a mild panic, especially if they're unfamiliar with the drug.
Such negative effects don't usually persist for long, though. The peak effects of MDMA are felt 60 to 90 minutes after ingestion and last for two to four hours, up to 32 hours, followed by a gradual comedown.
MDMA enhances physical sensations. The sense of touch is heightened, food may smell and taste different to normal, and many people say that music sounds better.
There's more awareness of the moment and more contentment with whatever that moment might be.
People feel positive about both themselves and the wider world around them (a state known as entactogenesis from the Latin word meaning 'to touch within'). Inhibitions are loosened, egos are softened and people experience a close emotional bond with others (empathogenesis).
Everyday social defences are weakened and communicating with strangers is no longer taboo.
Hence all that 'unity' and 'one love' stuff. In short, MDMA produces an overall sense of well-being, a feeling of happiness edging on euphoria.
No wonder E culture hoisted the smiley symbol up its flagpole. The drug doesn't create happiness, though. It doesn't create anything. It merely unlocks feelings that are already present but held in check on a day-to-day basis. While the effect of MDMA on serotonin levels means these are generally positive, this isn't universally so and a few people encounter sadness.
There is, however, a consensus among users that, whatever the exact shape of the experience, it is usually controllable.
The sense of well-being generally associated with MDMA can last for days, weeks and even months after taking the drug. For some people, it seems to help them to deal with enduring problems in their lives, such as understanding their sexuality, calming their aggression or coping with a childhood trauma.
What is certain is that taking MDMA can prove fatal. A few people are particularly chemically sensitive to the drug and just one dose may be enough to kill them. Some of those who have suffered liver failure have required liver transplants, but the transplants have not always been successful.
Other fatalities associated with MDMA have been due to an overdose, the signs of which include vomiting, dizziness, head pains and strong muscle cramps. The most common cause of MDMA-related death, however, is due to the drug inducing a rise in body temperature to the point of hyperthermia (overheating).
The potential danger of hyperthermia is all the greater for ravers, and clubbers. Part of the drug's appeal to clubbers is that the paradoxical relaxation effect, the unawareness ingredient, allows them to dance for a long time without feeling tired. But in doing so they are pushing their body temperatures up further.
The loss of body fluids through sweating and the often crowded, perhaps airless environment are factors, too.
The result can be extreme heatstroke. To add another possible problem to the pile, the paradoxical relaxation effect also means that most of those in danger of overheating don't even realise it.
In the same way that their legs don't seem to feel tired, they're oblivious to the normal warning signs that their temperature is soaring and their pulse is racing.
Some of those who have died of MDMA-induced hyperthermia have registered body temperatures as high as 43 degrees C - Normal body temperature is 37 degrees C. As the body starts to overheat, small clots form in the bloodstream, leading to a condition called Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC).
The clots cause a depletion of the blood's essential coagulation agent, which is normally used to stem internal bleeding from the hundreds of tiny cuts constantly present in body and brain tissue due to damage caused in the day-to-day running of the body.
A depletion of coagulation agent can be extremely dangerous. If bleeding occurs in the brain, for example, it can lead to a stroke. It's also possible to bleed to death. What's more, this whole process can occur in just a few hours.
People taking MDMA should replace body fluids lost through dehydration by drinking plenty of water.
One pint every hour or so is a common guide, but it's better to sip small amounts regularly rather than gulp down a huge volume in one go.
Be aware that you don't need to drink so much if you're not dancing and that drinking an excessive amount can lead to acute water intoxication, which can itself be fatal.
Water is not an antidote to MDMA, it just helps combat dehydration and overheating, and a large intake can produce an imbalance in body fluids, including a dilution of the salt in the blood. Salt holds water in the blood system and, with a reduced level, water is lost into the surrounding body tissue.
The tissue then swells. The brain is unable to swell, though, because of the skull.
In some cases, the result is a dangerous compression of the brain. With this in mind, isotonic sports drinks are also recommended as they help to replace lost body salts.
Alcohol, however, is best avoided because it can cause further dehydration.
SO WHAT IS ECSTASY?
Ecstasy (“E”) consists of MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) - a stimulant that combines the properties of methamphetamine (as in the street drug - "Crystal Meth") with mind-altering or hallucinogenic properties.
WHAT IS IN AN ECSTASY TABLET?
Ecstasy is an illegal substance, so the manufacturers are not subject to any regulations or quality control. This means that the only way to find out exactly what is in every pill, and in what quantity, is to have it laboratory tested.
An Ecstasy tablet is supposed to consist of MDMA. These days however, so-called “Ecstasy” usually consists of a wide range of dangerous psychoactive substances in varying amounts. Some of the substances that have been found in ‘E’ include:
• PMA (Para methamphetamine): This is a very poisonous substance already linked to many deaths
• 4MTA: A poison also linked to ‘E’ related deaths
• Amphetamines: ‘Speed’
• Caffeine: As in coffee
• LSD: ‘Acid trips’
• Ephedrine: A drug that causes rapid heart beat, dry mouth and throat and even heart attack in large doses
• Ketamine: A general anaesthetic
• Aspirin: Found in varying amounts
• Atropine: A drug often used by emergency officers in a cardiac arrest
• And many more dangerous substances!
Ecstasy (MDMA) is an illegal synthetic drug that is both a nervous system stimulant and an hallucinogen. It is commonly used as a mood enhancer at parties and nightclubs.
Ecstasy can cause seizures and vomiting and may contribute to death as a result of heart attack, stroke, overheating or drinking too much water.
Ecstasy is the common name for the illegal synthetic drug called methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). It is both a stimulant and a hallucinogen, since it speeds up the workings of the central nervous system and alters the user’s perception of reality.
Ecstasy is commonly used as a mood enhancer at parties and nightclubs. In high doses, ecstasy can cause seizures and vomiting or may contribute to death.
Common slang terms for ecstasy include the ‘love drug’, ‘E’ and ‘eckies’. Ecstasy is usually swallowed as a tablet but can also come in powder form.
The effects of ecstasy may start to be felt within 20 minutes to one hour after a pill has been taken, and may last for 6-32 hours
Taking the street drug Ecstasy could lead to a weakening and rupture of the spinal cord artery that might kill you
How ecstasy is used
MDMA was originally developed in Germany. Today ecstasy is generally made in illegal laboratories, which means the person taking it has no idea if the dose will be strong or weak, or even if it will contain any MDMA at all. It is possible for ecstasy tablets to contain little or no MDMA.
They may contain other chemicals such as amphetamines, PMA or ketamine that may have unexpected or dangerous effects.
How ecstasy works
When we are stressed or under threat, the central nervous system readies us for physical action by creating particular physiological changes.
These may include the release of adrenalin and other stress hormones. Key functions like heart rate and blood pressure may increase, redirecting blood flow into the muscles and away from the gut.
As a nervous system stimulant, ecstasy works by prompting the brain to initiate this ‘fight or flight’ response and the user feels refreshed by a burst of energy. Ecstasy’s hallucinogenic properties distort the user’s experience of reality by triggering hallucinations of both sight and sound.
Ecstasy is renowned for the feelings of peace and love it invokes. This could be caused by an elevation in particular brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine.
Coming down from ecstasy is an unpleasant experience. Symptoms can include fatigue, aching muscles and depression.
Common effects of ecstasy
The effects of ecstasy depend on the strength of the dose and on the physical make-up and state of mind of the person taking the drug.
Generally, some of the immediate effects of ecstasy include:
• Feelings of confidence, happiness and benevolence
• Accelerated heart rate and breathing
• Rise in blood pressure
• Sweating and dehydration
• Nausea
• Jaw clenching and teeth grinding
• Loss of appetite
• Hallucinations
• An increased urge for sex
• Loss of inhibitions.
The symptoms of ecstasy overdose
In high doses ecstasy can cause seizures and vomiting.
The symptoms of overdose include a sharp rise in body temperature and blood pressure, dizziness, cramps, heart palpitations and vomiting.
People with certain disorders – such as epilepsy, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease or mood or psychiatric disorders – are at greater risk of harm if they take ecstasy.
Ecstasy may also contribute to death in a number of ways, including:
• Cardiac arrest
• Stroke
• Kidney failure
• Overheating (hyperthermia) and dehydration
• Dilutional hyponatremia, when the user ‘drowns’ their brain by drinking too much water.
What to look for
Generally, some of the immediate effects of ecstasy include:
• Feelings of confidence, happiness and benevolence.
• Accelerated heart rate and breathing.
• Dehydration.
• Nausea.
• Jaw clenching
• Loss of appetite.
• Hallucinations.
• Sweating and chills
• Fever
• Shaking and tremors
• Muscle cramping
• Blurred vision
• Vomiting
• Heat exhaustion
• Extreme nervousness
• Hyper-excitability
• Teeth grinding
• Incessant talking
• Faintness & dizziness
• Tremors & convulsions
• Disturbed sleep & insomnia
• Loss of control over voluntary bodily movements
The side effects of ecstasy overdose are more extreme.
These symptoms merit immediate medical treatment:
• High blood pressure
• Lightheadedness
• Panic attacks
• Seizures
• Loss of consciousness
• Extreme increase in body temperature
At its most extreme, ecstasy overdose may cause death by heat stroke and heart failure.
Because it masks the need for food, water and rest, this substance has also been implicated in dehydration and exhaustion.
Ecstasy use on the rise in new powdered form called molly
A powerful, powdered form of ecstasy is gaining prominence in Australia as a dramatic rise in police seizures shows the party drug is coming back into fashion.
Experts fear the resurgence of MDMA use will mirror a trend in the US towards taking the drug in a powdered version, known as molly to users.
The users said pills had become unpredictable and could vary from weak products incorporating unknown substances to pills laced with acid and LSD.
What is Molly?
• MDMA is 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a pure form of an ingredient typically found in ecstasy pills.
• It comes as a powder and in Sydney, it is referred to as caps, MDMA or brown sugar.
• A capsule of about 0.1grams is sold for about $30 to $40.
The chemical name for ecstasy is 3, 4 methylenedioxymethylamphetamine.
Which is a right royal bastard to type as well as read. Thankfully, it's generally known in scientific and medical circles as MDMA.
Many users simply call it E.
MDMA belongs to a family of drugs known as phenethylamines.
Chemically speaking, it's closely related to another phenethylamine, MDA (3, 4-methylenedioxyamphetamine), and to mescaline. MDMA is also described as an hallucinogenic stimulant, or a psychedelic amphetamine.
This a bit misleading, though, as there are very few reports of pure MDMA causing the sort of hallucinations prompted by, say, LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide, better known as acid).
The pure form of MDMA is a white crystalline powder. Although it's increasingly sold as powder in a plastic bag, it's traditionally and more widely available as either a pressed tablet, often branded with a symbol of some sort, or a capsule. The active oral dose of the drug is at least 75mgs, with most pills containing 80-120mgs.
MDMA acts on a brain chemical called serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, also known as 5-HT), a neurotransmitter which transfers messages across the synapses (or gaps) between adjacent neurons (nerve cells). Serotonin is thought to play an important part in shaping mood, thought processes, sleeping patterns, eating patterns, reaction to external stimuli and control of motor activity.
Many medical experts believe that low levels are associated with depression.
The chemical is produced by one neuron and released into the synapses, transmitting information to another neuron before being absorbed back into the first in a process known as reuptake.
MDMA causes a flood of both serotonin and dopamine (another important neurotransmitter) into the synapses and also disrupts the serotonin neurons' reuptake process.
An MDMA pill takes effect after 20 to 45 minutes, starting with little rushes of exhilaration.
These are sometimes accompanied by feelings of nausea and disorientation.
Some users also find their stomach starts churning.
Others experience a mild panic, especially if they're unfamiliar with the drug.
Such negative effects don't usually persist for long, though. The peak effects of MDMA are felt 60 to 90 minutes after ingestion and last for two to four hours, up to 32 hours, followed by a gradual comedown.
MDMA enhances physical sensations. The sense of touch is heightened, food may smell and taste different to normal, and many people say that music sounds better.
There's more awareness of the moment and more contentment with whatever that moment might be.
People feel positive about both themselves and the wider world around them (a state known as entactogenesis from the Latin word meaning 'to touch within'). Inhibitions are loosened, egos are softened and people experience a close emotional bond with others (empathogenesis).
Everyday social defences are weakened and communicating with strangers is no longer taboo.
Hence all that 'unity' and 'one love' stuff. In short, MDMA produces an overall sense of well-being, a feeling of happiness edging on euphoria.
No wonder E culture hoisted the smiley symbol up its flagpole. The drug doesn't create happiness, though. It doesn't create anything. It merely unlocks feelings that are already present but held in check on a day-to-day basis. While the effect of MDMA on serotonin levels means these are generally positive, this isn't universally so and a few people encounter sadness.
There is, however, a consensus among users that, whatever the exact shape of the experience, it is usually controllable.
The sense of well-being generally associated with MDMA can last for days, weeks and even months after taking the drug. For some people, it seems to help them to deal with enduring problems in their lives, such as understanding their sexuality, calming their aggression or coping with a childhood trauma.
What is certain is that taking MDMA can prove fatal. A few people are particularly chemically sensitive to the drug and just one dose may be enough to kill them. Some of those who have suffered liver failure have required liver transplants, but the transplants have not always been successful.
Other fatalities associated with MDMA have been due to an overdose, the signs of which include vomiting, dizziness, head pains and strong muscle cramps. The most common cause of MDMA-related death, however, is due to the drug inducing a rise in body temperature to the point of hyperthermia (overheating).
The potential danger of hyperthermia is all the greater for ravers, and clubbers. Part of the drug's appeal to clubbers is that the paradoxical relaxation effect, the unawareness ingredient, allows them to dance for a long time without feeling tired. But in doing so they are pushing their body temperatures up further.
The loss of body fluids through sweating and the often crowded, perhaps airless environment are factors, too.
The result can be extreme heatstroke. To add another possible problem to the pile, the paradoxical relaxation effect also means that most of those in danger of overheating don't even realise it.
In the same way that their legs don't seem to feel tired, they're oblivious to the normal warning signs that their temperature is soaring and their pulse is racing.
Some of those who have died of MDMA-induced hyperthermia have registered body temperatures as high as 43 degrees C - Normal body temperature is 37 degrees C. As the body starts to overheat, small clots form in the bloodstream, leading to a condition called Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC).
The clots cause a depletion of the blood's essential coagulation agent, which is normally used to stem internal bleeding from the hundreds of tiny cuts constantly present in body and brain tissue due to damage caused in the day-to-day running of the body.
A depletion of coagulation agent can be extremely dangerous. If bleeding occurs in the brain, for example, it can lead to a stroke. It's also possible to bleed to death. What's more, this whole process can occur in just a few hours.
People taking MDMA should replace body fluids lost through dehydration by drinking plenty of water.
One pint every hour or so is a common guide, but it's better to sip small amounts regularly rather than gulp down a huge volume in one go.
Be aware that you don't need to drink so much if you're not dancing and that drinking an excessive amount can lead to acute water intoxication, which can itself be fatal.
Water is not an antidote to MDMA, it just helps combat dehydration and overheating, and a large intake can produce an imbalance in body fluids, including a dilution of the salt in the blood. Salt holds water in the blood system and, with a reduced level, water is lost into the surrounding body tissue.
The tissue then swells. The brain is unable to swell, though, because of the skull.
In some cases, the result is a dangerous compression of the brain. With this in mind, isotonic sports drinks are also recommended as they help to replace lost body salts.
Alcohol, however, is best avoided because it can cause further dehydration.
SO WHAT IS ECSTASY?
Ecstasy (“E”) consists of MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) - a stimulant that combines the properties of methamphetamine (as in the street drug - "Crystal Meth") with mind-altering or hallucinogenic properties.
WHAT IS IN AN ECSTASY TABLET?
Ecstasy is an illegal substance, so the manufacturers are not subject to any regulations or quality control. This means that the only way to find out exactly what is in every pill, and in what quantity, is to have it laboratory tested.
An Ecstasy tablet is supposed to consist of MDMA. These days however, so-called “Ecstasy” usually consists of a wide range of dangerous psychoactive substances in varying amounts. Some of the substances that have been found in ‘E’ include:
• PMA (Para methamphetamine): This is a very poisonous substance already linked to many deaths
• 4MTA: A poison also linked to ‘E’ related deaths
• Amphetamines: ‘Speed’
• Caffeine: As in coffee
• LSD: ‘Acid trips’
• Ephedrine: A drug that causes rapid heart beat, dry mouth and throat and even heart attack in large doses
• Ketamine: A general anaesthetic
• Aspirin: Found in varying amounts
• Atropine: A drug often used by emergency officers in a cardiac arrest
• And many more dangerous substances!
Ecstasy (MDMA) is an illegal synthetic drug that is both a nervous system stimulant and an hallucinogen. It is commonly used as a mood enhancer at parties and nightclubs.
Ecstasy can cause seizures and vomiting and may contribute to death as a result of heart attack, stroke, overheating or drinking too much water.
Ecstasy is the common name for the illegal synthetic drug called methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). It is both a stimulant and a hallucinogen, since it speeds up the workings of the central nervous system and alters the user’s perception of reality.
Ecstasy is commonly used as a mood enhancer at parties and nightclubs. In high doses, ecstasy can cause seizures and vomiting or may contribute to death.
Common slang terms for ecstasy include the ‘love drug’, ‘E’ and ‘eckies’. Ecstasy is usually swallowed as a tablet but can also come in powder form.
The effects of ecstasy may start to be felt within 20 minutes to one hour after a pill has been taken, and may last for 6-32 hours
Taking the street drug Ecstasy could lead to a weakening and rupture of the spinal cord artery that might kill you
How ecstasy is used
MDMA was originally developed in Germany. Today ecstasy is generally made in illegal laboratories, which means the person taking it has no idea if the dose will be strong or weak, or even if it will contain any MDMA at all. It is possible for ecstasy tablets to contain little or no MDMA.
They may contain other chemicals such as amphetamines, PMA or ketamine that may have unexpected or dangerous effects.
How ecstasy works
When we are stressed or under threat, the central nervous system readies us for physical action by creating particular physiological changes.
These may include the release of adrenalin and other stress hormones. Key functions like heart rate and blood pressure may increase, redirecting blood flow into the muscles and away from the gut.
As a nervous system stimulant, ecstasy works by prompting the brain to initiate this ‘fight or flight’ response and the user feels refreshed by a burst of energy. Ecstasy’s hallucinogenic properties distort the user’s experience of reality by triggering hallucinations of both sight and sound.
Ecstasy is renowned for the feelings of peace and love it invokes. This could be caused by an elevation in particular brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine.
Coming down from ecstasy is an unpleasant experience. Symptoms can include fatigue, aching muscles and depression.
Common effects of ecstasy
The effects of ecstasy depend on the strength of the dose and on the physical make-up and state of mind of the person taking the drug.
Generally, some of the immediate effects of ecstasy include:
• Feelings of confidence, happiness and benevolence
• Accelerated heart rate and breathing
• Rise in blood pressure
• Sweating and dehydration
• Nausea
• Jaw clenching and teeth grinding
• Loss of appetite
• Hallucinations
• An increased urge for sex
• Loss of inhibitions.
The symptoms of ecstasy overdose
In high doses ecstasy can cause seizures and vomiting.
The symptoms of overdose include a sharp rise in body temperature and blood pressure, dizziness, cramps, heart palpitations and vomiting.
People with certain disorders – such as epilepsy, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease or mood or psychiatric disorders – are at greater risk of harm if they take ecstasy.
Ecstasy may also contribute to death in a number of ways, including:
• Cardiac arrest
• Stroke
• Kidney failure
• Overheating (hyperthermia) and dehydration
• Dilutional hyponatremia, when the user ‘drowns’ their brain by drinking too much water.
What to look for
Generally, some of the immediate effects of ecstasy include:
• Feelings of confidence, happiness and benevolence.
• Accelerated heart rate and breathing.
• Dehydration.
• Nausea.
• Jaw clenching
• Loss of appetite.
• Hallucinations.
• Sweating and chills
• Fever
• Shaking and tremors
• Muscle cramping
• Blurred vision
• Vomiting
• Heat exhaustion
• Extreme nervousness
• Hyper-excitability
• Teeth grinding
• Incessant talking
• Faintness & dizziness
• Tremors & convulsions
• Disturbed sleep & insomnia
• Loss of control over voluntary bodily movements
The side effects of ecstasy overdose are more extreme.
These symptoms merit immediate medical treatment:
• High blood pressure
• Lightheadedness
• Panic attacks
• Seizures
• Loss of consciousness
• Extreme increase in body temperature
At its most extreme, ecstasy overdose may cause death by heat stroke and heart failure.
Because it masks the need for food, water and rest, this substance has also been implicated in dehydration and exhaustion.
Ecstasy use on the rise in new powdered form called molly
A powerful, powdered form of ecstasy is gaining prominence in Australia as a dramatic rise in police seizures shows the party drug is coming back into fashion.
Experts fear the resurgence of MDMA use will mirror a trend in the US towards taking the drug in a powdered version, known as molly to users.
The users said pills had become unpredictable and could vary from weak products incorporating unknown substances to pills laced with acid and LSD.
What is Molly?
• MDMA is 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a pure form of an ingredient typically found in ecstasy pills.
• It comes as a powder and in Sydney, it is referred to as caps, MDMA or brown sugar.
• A capsule of about 0.1grams is sold for about $30 to $40.
Untitled Slide
Ice or crystal methamphetamine hydrochloride
What is ice?
Ice is a stimulant drug, which means it speeds up the messages travelling between the brain and the body.
It is a type of methamphetamine, which is generally stronger, more addictive and has more harmful side effects than the powder form known as speed.
Ice usually comes as a white or brownish crystal-like powder, with a strong smell and bitter taste. It can also come in the form of sheets of clear crystals.
Other names
Crystal meth, shabu, crystal, glass, shard.
How is it used?
Ice is known to be smoked, swallowed, snorted, injected or inserted anally (shafting). Some people smoke ice using a glass pipe, while others heat it on aluminium foil and inhale the vapours (chasing) − the effects take around 30 minutes to feel if it’s used in this way.
Ice use in Australia
In 2010, 2.1% of Australians aged 14 years and older had used amphetamines for non-medical purposes in the previous year and over 21.7% of this group reported the type of amphetamine they used was ice.
There is evidence to suggest that ice use among people who inject drugs is increasing with 39% using ice in 2010 compared to 54% in 2012.
What are the effects of ice?
There is no safe level of drug use. Use of any drug always carries some risk. It's important to be careful when taking any type of drug.
The effects of ice can last around 6 hours, but it might be hard to sleep for a few days after using the drug.
The effects of any drug (including ice) vary from person to person, depending on the individuals size, weight and health, how much and how the drug is taken, whether the person is used to taking it and whether other drugs are taken.
Effects also depend on the environment in which the drug is used—such as whether the person is alone, with others or at a party.
Immediate effects
Soon after taking ice, a person may experience a number of psychological and physical effects including:
• feelings of euphoria, excitement and wellbeing
• increased alertness, confidence and libido, more energy, feelings of increased strength, talkativeness, restlessness, repeating simple acts, and itching, picking and scratching
• tremors of the hands and fingers
• speeding up of bodily functions, such as increased breathing rate, body temperature, blood pressure, a rapid and irregular heartbeat and excessive sweating
• difficulty sleeping, reduced appetite, dilated pupils, dry mouth, stomach cramps, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision and severe headaches
• abrupt shifts in thought and speech, which can make someone using ice difficult to understand
• nervousness, panic attacks, anxiety, paranoia.
The variable purity of each batch of ice increases the risk of negative effects and overdose.
Ice affects everyone differently, but effects may include:
• Happiness and confidence
• Talking more and feeling energetic
• Repeating simple things like itching and scratching
• Large pupils and dry mouth
• Fast heart beat and breathing
• Teeth grinding
• Reduced appetite
• Excessive sweating
• Increased sex drive
If a large amount or a strong batch is taken, it could also cause:
• Racing heartbeat
• Fits
• Passing out
• Stroke, heart attack and death
Injecting ice and sharing needles may also cause:
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• HIV/AIDS
Snorting ice can damage the nasal passage and cause nose bleeds.
Coming down
The following effects may be experienced 4 to 6 days following use:
• Restless sleep and exhaustion
• Headaches
• Dizziness and blurred vision
• Paranoia, hallucinations and confusion
• Irritability, mood swings, depression and violence
Using a depressant drug such as alcohol, benzodiazepines or cannabis to help with the ‘come down’ effects may result in a cycle of dependence on both types of drugs.
Long term effects
With regular use, ice may eventually cause:
• Reduced appetite and extreme weight loss
• Restless sleep
• Dry mouth and dental problems
• Regular colds or flu
• Trouble concentrating
• Breathlessness
• Muscle stiffness
• Anxiety, paranoia and violence
• Depression
• Heart and kidney problems
• Increased risk of stroke
• Needing to use more to get the same effect
• Dependence on ice
• Financial, work or social problems
Mixing ice with other drugs
The effects of taking ice with other drugs − including over-the-counter or prescribed medications − can be unpredictable and dangerous, and could cause:
Ice + speed or ecstasy: enormous strain on the heart and other parts of the body, which can lead to stroke.
Ice + alcohol, cannabis or benzodiazepines: enormous strain on the body, and more likely to overdose.
Withdrawal
Giving up ice after using it for a long time is challenging because the body has to get used to functioning without it. Withdrawal symptoms should settle down after a week and will mostly disappear after a month. Symptoms include:
• Cravings for ice
• Increased appetite
• Confusion and irritability
• Aches and pains
• Exhaustion
• Restless sleep and nightmares
• Anxiety, depression and paranoia
What is ice?
Ice is a stimulant drug, which means it speeds up the messages travelling between the brain and the body.
It is a type of methamphetamine, which is generally stronger, more addictive and has more harmful side effects than the powder form known as speed.
Ice usually comes as a white or brownish crystal-like powder, with a strong smell and bitter taste. It can also come in the form of sheets of clear crystals.
Other names
Crystal meth, shabu, crystal, glass, shard.
How is it used?
Ice is known to be smoked, swallowed, snorted, injected or inserted anally (shafting). Some people smoke ice using a glass pipe, while others heat it on aluminium foil and inhale the vapours (chasing) − the effects take around 30 minutes to feel if it’s used in this way.
Ice use in Australia
In 2010, 2.1% of Australians aged 14 years and older had used amphetamines for non-medical purposes in the previous year and over 21.7% of this group reported the type of amphetamine they used was ice.
There is evidence to suggest that ice use among people who inject drugs is increasing with 39% using ice in 2010 compared to 54% in 2012.
What are the effects of ice?
There is no safe level of drug use. Use of any drug always carries some risk. It's important to be careful when taking any type of drug.
The effects of ice can last around 6 hours, but it might be hard to sleep for a few days after using the drug.
The effects of any drug (including ice) vary from person to person, depending on the individuals size, weight and health, how much and how the drug is taken, whether the person is used to taking it and whether other drugs are taken.
Effects also depend on the environment in which the drug is used—such as whether the person is alone, with others or at a party.
Immediate effects
Soon after taking ice, a person may experience a number of psychological and physical effects including:
• feelings of euphoria, excitement and wellbeing
• increased alertness, confidence and libido, more energy, feelings of increased strength, talkativeness, restlessness, repeating simple acts, and itching, picking and scratching
• tremors of the hands and fingers
• speeding up of bodily functions, such as increased breathing rate, body temperature, blood pressure, a rapid and irregular heartbeat and excessive sweating
• difficulty sleeping, reduced appetite, dilated pupils, dry mouth, stomach cramps, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision and severe headaches
• abrupt shifts in thought and speech, which can make someone using ice difficult to understand
• nervousness, panic attacks, anxiety, paranoia.
The variable purity of each batch of ice increases the risk of negative effects and overdose.
Ice affects everyone differently, but effects may include:
• Happiness and confidence
• Talking more and feeling energetic
• Repeating simple things like itching and scratching
• Large pupils and dry mouth
• Fast heart beat and breathing
• Teeth grinding
• Reduced appetite
• Excessive sweating
• Increased sex drive
If a large amount or a strong batch is taken, it could also cause:
• Racing heartbeat
• Fits
• Passing out
• Stroke, heart attack and death
Injecting ice and sharing needles may also cause:
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• HIV/AIDS
Snorting ice can damage the nasal passage and cause nose bleeds.
Coming down
The following effects may be experienced 4 to 6 days following use:
• Restless sleep and exhaustion
• Headaches
• Dizziness and blurred vision
• Paranoia, hallucinations and confusion
• Irritability, mood swings, depression and violence
Using a depressant drug such as alcohol, benzodiazepines or cannabis to help with the ‘come down’ effects may result in a cycle of dependence on both types of drugs.
Long term effects
With regular use, ice may eventually cause:
• Reduced appetite and extreme weight loss
• Restless sleep
• Dry mouth and dental problems
• Regular colds or flu
• Trouble concentrating
• Breathlessness
• Muscle stiffness
• Anxiety, paranoia and violence
• Depression
• Heart and kidney problems
• Increased risk of stroke
• Needing to use more to get the same effect
• Dependence on ice
• Financial, work or social problems
Mixing ice with other drugs
The effects of taking ice with other drugs − including over-the-counter or prescribed medications − can be unpredictable and dangerous, and could cause:
Ice + speed or ecstasy: enormous strain on the heart and other parts of the body, which can lead to stroke.
Ice + alcohol, cannabis or benzodiazepines: enormous strain on the body, and more likely to overdose.
Withdrawal
Giving up ice after using it for a long time is challenging because the body has to get used to functioning without it. Withdrawal symptoms should settle down after a week and will mostly disappear after a month. Symptoms include:
• Cravings for ice
• Increased appetite
• Confusion and irritability
• Aches and pains
• Exhaustion
• Restless sleep and nightmares
• Anxiety, depression and paranoia
Untitled Slide
Untitled Slide
Speed facts at a glance
The signs and symptoms of using speed can include:
Increased and irregular heart rate
Increased breathing
Teeth grinding
Nervousness
Restlessness
Insomnia
Aggression
Fever and sweating
Headaches
Blurred vision
Overheating
Dry mouth and lips
Dilated pupils
Nausea and vomiting
Mood swings
Hallucinations
Paranoia
The consequences of using speed may include:
Chronic sleep problems
Cracked teeth through grinding
Panic attacks
Insomnia
Anxiety
Decreased emotional control
Severe depression
Violent behaviour
Speed psychosis
Nerve cell damage
Death from heart failure or stroke
High risk of dependence (addiction), especially if injected
HIV and hepatitis infections through needle sharing
What is speed?
Speed is part of the amphetamine family of drugs, which also includes ice. Ice is the purest form of the drug followed by base and then speed, however the potential for dependence (addiction) plus physical and mental problems associated with speed is still high.
Speed is also known by a variety of other names, including: whizz, go-ee, snow, zip, point, eve, gogo, pure, and gas.
Physical effects of speed
When using speed the drugs are targeting the brain’s ‘reward system’ and users will often crave that feeling again, which can lead to addiction.
The sense of alertness and energy a person experiences is due to these drugs speeding up the messages between the brain and the body.
This leads to an increased heart and breathing rate and higher blood pressure.
One of the most common effects of amphetamine overdose is ‘speed psychosis’.
This closely resembles the effects of paranoid schizophrenia, and usually begins with a heightened awareness of the environment and feelings of paranoia, anxiety and tension.
Problems using speed
Short term
Increased and irregular heartbeat and breathing
Excessive sweating
Overheating
Blurred vision
Headaches
Teeth grinding
Jaw clenching
Dilated pupils
Nausea
Diarrhoea
Long term
Dental problems
Significant weight loss
Stroke
Heart problems
High risk of dependence
High risk of exposure to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV
Research also shows that both verbal and physical violence are linked with long-term amphetamine use. Heavy binges on speed are associated with reckless and aggressive behaviour.
Users also face further psychological issues with prolonged amphetamine use, including attention and memory issues, decreased emotional control, paranoid delusions, hallucinations, mood swings and depression.
This can lead to social and financial problems, the risk of family breakdown and losing friends.
The signs and symptoms of using speed can include:
Increased and irregular heart rate
Increased breathing
Teeth grinding
Nervousness
Restlessness
Insomnia
Aggression
Fever and sweating
Headaches
Blurred vision
Overheating
Dry mouth and lips
Dilated pupils
Nausea and vomiting
Mood swings
Hallucinations
Paranoia
The consequences of using speed may include:
Chronic sleep problems
Cracked teeth through grinding
Panic attacks
Insomnia
Anxiety
Decreased emotional control
Severe depression
Violent behaviour
Speed psychosis
Nerve cell damage
Death from heart failure or stroke
High risk of dependence (addiction), especially if injected
HIV and hepatitis infections through needle sharing
What is speed?
Speed is part of the amphetamine family of drugs, which also includes ice. Ice is the purest form of the drug followed by base and then speed, however the potential for dependence (addiction) plus physical and mental problems associated with speed is still high.
Speed is also known by a variety of other names, including: whizz, go-ee, snow, zip, point, eve, gogo, pure, and gas.
Physical effects of speed
When using speed the drugs are targeting the brain’s ‘reward system’ and users will often crave that feeling again, which can lead to addiction.
The sense of alertness and energy a person experiences is due to these drugs speeding up the messages between the brain and the body.
This leads to an increased heart and breathing rate and higher blood pressure.
One of the most common effects of amphetamine overdose is ‘speed psychosis’.
This closely resembles the effects of paranoid schizophrenia, and usually begins with a heightened awareness of the environment and feelings of paranoia, anxiety and tension.
Problems using speed
Short term
Increased and irregular heartbeat and breathing
Excessive sweating
Overheating
Blurred vision
Headaches
Teeth grinding
Jaw clenching
Dilated pupils
Nausea
Diarrhoea
Long term
Dental problems
Significant weight loss
Stroke
Heart problems
High risk of dependence
High risk of exposure to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV
Research also shows that both verbal and physical violence are linked with long-term amphetamine use. Heavy binges on speed are associated with reckless and aggressive behaviour.
Users also face further psychological issues with prolonged amphetamine use, including attention and memory issues, decreased emotional control, paranoid delusions, hallucinations, mood swings and depression.
This can lead to social and financial problems, the risk of family breakdown and losing friends.
Untitled Slide
Untitled Slide
Cocaine facts at a glance
The signs and symptoms of using cocaine can include:
Anxiety
Increased heart rate
Aggression
Dilated pupils
Chest pain
Overheating and sweating
Nose bleeds
Paranoia
Lethargy
Agitation
Hallucinations
Reduced appetite
Muscle twitches
Tremors
Nausea and vomiting
The consequences of using cocaine may include:
Depression
Nasal and sinus congestion
Cardiomyopathy – a serious disease in which the heart muscle becomes inflamed
Cocaine psychosis
Violent or erratic behaviour
Eating and sleeping disorders
Impaired sexual performance
Ulceration of the mucous membrane of the nose
Damage to the nasal septum
Cardiac arrest
Convulsions
Kidney failure
Stroke
Seizures
High risk of dependence (addiction), especially if injected
HIV and hepatitis infections through needle sharing
What is cocaine?
Cocaine, or coke as it is commonly known, is a stimulant and has a similar effect to amphetamines like speed and ice, but produces a more intense effect and shorter ‘high’ depending upon dosage. Cocaine is a white crystalline powder with a bitter numbing taste.
Cocaine hydrochloride can be further processed to produce cocaine base, which comes in two forms known as freebase and crack. Freebase is also a white powder, while crack generally comes in the form of crystals ranging in colour from white or creamy to transparent with a pink or yellow tinge.
Cocaine is known by a variety of other names, including: coke, Charlie, blow, C, pepsi, nose candy. Crack cocaine is also known as a variety of other names, including: rock, base and sugar block.
Physical effects of cocaine
Each of the three forms of cocaine produces an intense ‘rush’, with the purity and the amount of the drug taken determining its intensity. Users feel a sense of euphoria, alertness, arousal, and increased confidence. All three forms suppress appetite.
When using cocaine, the rush experienced is actually the receptors in the brain being flooded with a neuro-chemical called dopamine.
Because cocaine is tapping into the brain’s ‘reward system’, users begin to crave more of it to experience the same pleasure again. This is the reason many users find the drug to be so addictive.
Problems using cocaine
Short term
Increased heart rate
Paranoia
Agitation
Dilated pupils
Hallucinations
Tremors
Muscle twitches
Nausea
Vomiting
Long term
Cocaine psychosis (paranoid delusions, hallucinations, bizarre, aggressive or violent behaviour)
Eating and sleeping disorders
Impaired sexual performance
Ongoing respiratory problems
Convulsions
Kidney failure
Increased risk of experiencing a stroke
Risk of contracting hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
The immediate effects of cocaine intensify when it’s taken in larger quantities, and can produce an irregular heartbeat, chest pain, hyperthermia, seizures or stroke.
When you snort cocaine, you can damage your nasal membranes and septum, and in rare cases this can lead to its eventual collapse.
Injecting cocaine can cause severe vasoconstriction, a condition that prevents blood flowing to tissue resulting in severe tissue damage.
Some people have cocaine binges, where they take the drug repetitively over several hours or days.
The binge is then followed by the ‘crash’, with the user experiencing feelings of intense depression, lethargy, and hunger.
Using cocaine in combination with alcohol can also be dangerous. When the two are mixed the body produces a substance in the blood called cocaethylene, which can be more toxic than cocaine alone.
Mixing drugs causes additional problems.
For example, using heroin and cocaine at the same time affects the part of the brain that controls breathing, causing a labouring of the respiratory system and increasing the risk of the user falling into a coma.
The signs and symptoms of using cocaine can include:
Anxiety
Increased heart rate
Aggression
Dilated pupils
Chest pain
Overheating and sweating
Nose bleeds
Paranoia
Lethargy
Agitation
Hallucinations
Reduced appetite
Muscle twitches
Tremors
Nausea and vomiting
The consequences of using cocaine may include:
Depression
Nasal and sinus congestion
Cardiomyopathy – a serious disease in which the heart muscle becomes inflamed
Cocaine psychosis
Violent or erratic behaviour
Eating and sleeping disorders
Impaired sexual performance
Ulceration of the mucous membrane of the nose
Damage to the nasal septum
Cardiac arrest
Convulsions
Kidney failure
Stroke
Seizures
High risk of dependence (addiction), especially if injected
HIV and hepatitis infections through needle sharing
What is cocaine?
Cocaine, or coke as it is commonly known, is a stimulant and has a similar effect to amphetamines like speed and ice, but produces a more intense effect and shorter ‘high’ depending upon dosage. Cocaine is a white crystalline powder with a bitter numbing taste.
Cocaine hydrochloride can be further processed to produce cocaine base, which comes in two forms known as freebase and crack. Freebase is also a white powder, while crack generally comes in the form of crystals ranging in colour from white or creamy to transparent with a pink or yellow tinge.
Cocaine is known by a variety of other names, including: coke, Charlie, blow, C, pepsi, nose candy. Crack cocaine is also known as a variety of other names, including: rock, base and sugar block.
Physical effects of cocaine
Each of the three forms of cocaine produces an intense ‘rush’, with the purity and the amount of the drug taken determining its intensity. Users feel a sense of euphoria, alertness, arousal, and increased confidence. All three forms suppress appetite.
When using cocaine, the rush experienced is actually the receptors in the brain being flooded with a neuro-chemical called dopamine.
Because cocaine is tapping into the brain’s ‘reward system’, users begin to crave more of it to experience the same pleasure again. This is the reason many users find the drug to be so addictive.
Problems using cocaine
Short term
Increased heart rate
Paranoia
Agitation
Dilated pupils
Hallucinations
Tremors
Muscle twitches
Nausea
Vomiting
Long term
Cocaine psychosis (paranoid delusions, hallucinations, bizarre, aggressive or violent behaviour)
Eating and sleeping disorders
Impaired sexual performance
Ongoing respiratory problems
Convulsions
Kidney failure
Increased risk of experiencing a stroke
Risk of contracting hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
The immediate effects of cocaine intensify when it’s taken in larger quantities, and can produce an irregular heartbeat, chest pain, hyperthermia, seizures or stroke.
When you snort cocaine, you can damage your nasal membranes and septum, and in rare cases this can lead to its eventual collapse.
Injecting cocaine can cause severe vasoconstriction, a condition that prevents blood flowing to tissue resulting in severe tissue damage.
Some people have cocaine binges, where they take the drug repetitively over several hours or days.
The binge is then followed by the ‘crash’, with the user experiencing feelings of intense depression, lethargy, and hunger.
Using cocaine in combination with alcohol can also be dangerous. When the two are mixed the body produces a substance in the blood called cocaethylene, which can be more toxic than cocaine alone.
Mixing drugs causes additional problems.
For example, using heroin and cocaine at the same time affects the part of the brain that controls breathing, causing a labouring of the respiratory system and increasing the risk of the user falling into a coma.
Untitled Slide
Untitled Slide
GHB facts at a glance
The signs and symptoms of using GHB can include:
Drowsiness
Induced sleep
Nausea
Reduced inhibitions
Dizziness
Headache
Confusion and agitation
The consequences of using
GHB may include:
Extreme drowsiness/grogginess
Hallucinations
Difficulty focusing eyes
Vomiting
Impaired movement and speech
Reduced muscle tone
Disorientation
Convulsions/seizures
Coma
Respiratory distress
Slowed heart rate
Lowered blood pressure
Amnesia
Death
Can be addictive with prolonged use
What is GHB?
GHB is a drug commonly found in the dance scene and is sometimes referred to as liquid ecstasy due to its stimulating, euphoric and supposed aphrodisiac qualities.
Chemically-speaking, it is not related to MDMA at all. Mildly salty in flavour, yet colourless and odorless, it’s also used a date-rape drug – when mixed with alcohol, it can intoxicate quickly.
Other names include: Fantasy, grievous bodily harm (GBH), liquid ecstasy, liquid E, G.
Physical effects of GHB
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a depressant drug that contains sedative and, at sufficient doses, anaesthetic properties (that means it knocks you out). Depressant drugs slow brain and central nervous system activity.
GHB has been identified as a 'date-rape drug' because it leaves users with amnesia, impaired movement and speech.
It can be easily camouflaged in drinks as it is difficult to taste.
Problems using GHB
There's a very fine line between the amount of GHB required to get someone intoxicated and how much will put them in a coma.
As there's no way of knowing the strength of the GHB, the chances of overdosing are very high. Combining GHB with other drugs also increases the dangers.
For example, using it with other central nervous system depressants - such as alcohol, valium or heroin – increases the risk of overdosing significantly.
The signs and symptoms of using GHB can include:
Drowsiness
Induced sleep
Nausea
Reduced inhibitions
Dizziness
Headache
Confusion and agitation
The consequences of using
GHB may include:
Extreme drowsiness/grogginess
Hallucinations
Difficulty focusing eyes
Vomiting
Impaired movement and speech
Reduced muscle tone
Disorientation
Convulsions/seizures
Coma
Respiratory distress
Slowed heart rate
Lowered blood pressure
Amnesia
Death
Can be addictive with prolonged use
What is GHB?
GHB is a drug commonly found in the dance scene and is sometimes referred to as liquid ecstasy due to its stimulating, euphoric and supposed aphrodisiac qualities.
Chemically-speaking, it is not related to MDMA at all. Mildly salty in flavour, yet colourless and odorless, it’s also used a date-rape drug – when mixed with alcohol, it can intoxicate quickly.
Other names include: Fantasy, grievous bodily harm (GBH), liquid ecstasy, liquid E, G.
Physical effects of GHB
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a depressant drug that contains sedative and, at sufficient doses, anaesthetic properties (that means it knocks you out). Depressant drugs slow brain and central nervous system activity.
GHB has been identified as a 'date-rape drug' because it leaves users with amnesia, impaired movement and speech.
It can be easily camouflaged in drinks as it is difficult to taste.
Problems using GHB
There's a very fine line between the amount of GHB required to get someone intoxicated and how much will put them in a coma.
As there's no way of knowing the strength of the GHB, the chances of overdosing are very high. Combining GHB with other drugs also increases the dangers.
For example, using it with other central nervous system depressants - such as alcohol, valium or heroin – increases the risk of overdosing significantly.
Untitled Slide
Untitled Slide
Heroin facts at a glance
The signs and symptoms of using heroin can include:
Confusion
Decreased blood pressure and heart rate
Dry mouth
Slurred/slow speech
Reduced coordination
Nausea and vomiting
Suppressed cough reflex
Reduced sexual urges
Lethargy
Drowsiness
Constipation
Constricted pupils
Slowed breathing
The consequences of using heroin may include:
High risk of addiction
Mood swings
Depression
Menstrual irregularity and infertility in women
Loss of sex drive in men
Anxiety disorders
Chronic constipation
Infection at the site of injections
HIV and hepatitis infections through needle sharing
Non-fatal overdose
Death from overdose
What is heroin?
Heroin is one of a group of drugs known as "opiates". Other opiates include opium, morphine, codeine, pethidine, oxycodone, buprenorphine and methadone.
Heroin and other opiates are depressants. Depressants do not necessarily make you feel depressed. Rather, they slow down the activity of the central nervous system and messages going between the brain and the body.
Heroin is known by a variety of other names, including: horse, hammer, H, dope, smack, junk, gear and boy.
Physical effects of heroin
Heroin produces a ‘rush’ minutes after taking it, leading to a feeling of warmth and contentment.
In larger doses it can cause the user to feel drowsy and very relaxed. Heroin is also known to greatly reduce physical and psychological pain when taken.
A central nervous system depressant, heroin actually slows down the brain functions, and in particular the control of breathing, which can slow down or even stop.
At the same time blood pressure and body temperature drops and the heartbeat can become irregular.
Problems using heroin
Short term
Skin, heart and lung infections
Increases the risk of blood-borne diseases like hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV when sharing needles
Long term
Constipation
Irregular periods and infertility in women
Loss of sex drive in men
Mood swings
Depression
Memory impairment
Most heroin is mixed with other substances like glucose, caffeine, sugar and paracetamol, which can cause the end product to be highly poisonous.
Accidental overdoses are also common, as it is almost impossible for users to tell the purity of the heroin they are using.
Overdoses can also happen if too much heroin is injected or it’s used in combination with alcohol or other drugs.
Other long-term problems can be a result of other factors, such as the user neglecting their general health, being affected by drug impurities and contaminants, and the contraction of a blood-borne virus.
Where impurities and contaminants are present in heroin this can lead to collapsed veins, tetanus, abscesses and damage to the heart, liver, lungs and brain.
Women using heroin while pregnant also face a variety of complications.
These can include problems with foetal development, increased risk of miscarriage or premature birth, babies being born smaller than average (low birth weight) and the baby can be prone to illness.
When taken, heroin can pass through the placenta into the foetus, with the baby experiencing heroin withdrawal after birth.
If a mother continues to use heroin while breastfeeding, the drug may be present in breast milk and negatively impact the baby’s health.
Dependence on heroin
People who are physically dependent on heroin can develop a tolerance to the drug.
This means more is required to get the same rush, eventually leading to a ‘dose plateau’, where no amount of the drug is enough.
Users can also find that their body has become used to functioning with the drug present.
People who are psychologically dependent on heroin find that using it becomes far more important than other activities in their life. They crave the drug and will find it very difficult to stop using it, or even reduce the amount they use.
If a dependent person suddenly stops taking heroin, or drastically reduces the amount they use, they will experience withdrawal symptoms as their body readjusts to functioning without the drug.
Symptoms usually appear within a few hours after the last dose, getting stronger and peaking around two to four days later.
Heroin withdrawal symptoms may include:
a craving for the drug
restlessness
low blood pressure
elevated heart rate
stomach and leg cramps, muscle spasms
loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhoea
runny nose and watery eyes
increased irritability
insomnia
depression
Withdrawal symptoms usually subside after six to seven days, but some symptoms such as chronic depression, anxiety, insomnia, loss of appetite, agitation and a continued craving for heroin may last for months and even years.
The signs and symptoms of using heroin can include:
Confusion
Decreased blood pressure and heart rate
Dry mouth
Slurred/slow speech
Reduced coordination
Nausea and vomiting
Suppressed cough reflex
Reduced sexual urges
Lethargy
Drowsiness
Constipation
Constricted pupils
Slowed breathing
The consequences of using heroin may include:
High risk of addiction
Mood swings
Depression
Menstrual irregularity and infertility in women
Loss of sex drive in men
Anxiety disorders
Chronic constipation
Infection at the site of injections
HIV and hepatitis infections through needle sharing
Non-fatal overdose
Death from overdose
What is heroin?
Heroin is one of a group of drugs known as "opiates". Other opiates include opium, morphine, codeine, pethidine, oxycodone, buprenorphine and methadone.
Heroin and other opiates are depressants. Depressants do not necessarily make you feel depressed. Rather, they slow down the activity of the central nervous system and messages going between the brain and the body.
Heroin is known by a variety of other names, including: horse, hammer, H, dope, smack, junk, gear and boy.
Physical effects of heroin
Heroin produces a ‘rush’ minutes after taking it, leading to a feeling of warmth and contentment.
In larger doses it can cause the user to feel drowsy and very relaxed. Heroin is also known to greatly reduce physical and psychological pain when taken.
A central nervous system depressant, heroin actually slows down the brain functions, and in particular the control of breathing, which can slow down or even stop.
At the same time blood pressure and body temperature drops and the heartbeat can become irregular.
Problems using heroin
Short term
Skin, heart and lung infections
Increases the risk of blood-borne diseases like hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV when sharing needles
Long term
Constipation
Irregular periods and infertility in women
Loss of sex drive in men
Mood swings
Depression
Memory impairment
Most heroin is mixed with other substances like glucose, caffeine, sugar and paracetamol, which can cause the end product to be highly poisonous.
Accidental overdoses are also common, as it is almost impossible for users to tell the purity of the heroin they are using.
Overdoses can also happen if too much heroin is injected or it’s used in combination with alcohol or other drugs.
Other long-term problems can be a result of other factors, such as the user neglecting their general health, being affected by drug impurities and contaminants, and the contraction of a blood-borne virus.
Where impurities and contaminants are present in heroin this can lead to collapsed veins, tetanus, abscesses and damage to the heart, liver, lungs and brain.
Women using heroin while pregnant also face a variety of complications.
These can include problems with foetal development, increased risk of miscarriage or premature birth, babies being born smaller than average (low birth weight) and the baby can be prone to illness.
When taken, heroin can pass through the placenta into the foetus, with the baby experiencing heroin withdrawal after birth.
If a mother continues to use heroin while breastfeeding, the drug may be present in breast milk and negatively impact the baby’s health.
Dependence on heroin
People who are physically dependent on heroin can develop a tolerance to the drug.
This means more is required to get the same rush, eventually leading to a ‘dose plateau’, where no amount of the drug is enough.
Users can also find that their body has become used to functioning with the drug present.
People who are psychologically dependent on heroin find that using it becomes far more important than other activities in their life. They crave the drug and will find it very difficult to stop using it, or even reduce the amount they use.
If a dependent person suddenly stops taking heroin, or drastically reduces the amount they use, they will experience withdrawal symptoms as their body readjusts to functioning without the drug.
Symptoms usually appear within a few hours after the last dose, getting stronger and peaking around two to four days later.
Heroin withdrawal symptoms may include:
a craving for the drug
restlessness
low blood pressure
elevated heart rate
stomach and leg cramps, muscle spasms
loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhoea
runny nose and watery eyes
increased irritability
insomnia
depression
Withdrawal symptoms usually subside after six to seven days, but some symptoms such as chronic depression, anxiety, insomnia, loss of appetite, agitation and a continued craving for heroin may last for months and even years.
Untitled Slide
Untitled Slide
Other drugs facts at a glance
There is a wide range of other drugs out there that are just as dangerous as the more commonly used ecstasy or marijuana. These drugs include depressants (such as sleeping pills), hallucinogens like LSD, ketamine or inhalants.
While they are legal, alcohol and tobacco are also drugs that can have dangerous consequences if misused.
Depressants
Sleeping pills, minor tranquillisers.
Other names include: Benzos, temazzies, Valium, tranks, sleepers, Serapax, serries, Mandrax, mandies.
Signs and symptoms:
Drowsiness, confusion, uncoordination, slurred speech, depressed pulse rate, shallow breathing.
Potential problems: Anxiety, depression, restlessness, tremors, insomnia, changes in eyesight, high risk of addiction and suicide.
Otherwise known as ‘downers’, depressants act to slow or reduce the function of the brain and body.
Mainly used as prescription medicines, they’ve also become popular as ‘illicits’ or mood-altering substances.
They can cause anything from feelings of relaxation and mild contentment, to sedation and total blackout.
Definitely don’t use them with alcohol – you can stop breathing!
Most pharmaceutical drugs used for legitimate medical purposes are limited to pharmacist supply and require a prescription for purchase. Despite these controls, they are also diverted into the illicit market.
Pharmaceuticals are used illicitly for a number of purposes.
These include supplementing other drug use, enhancing the effects or managing the withdrawal symptoms from other drugs.
They may also be misused to self-medicate, deal with dependence or to achieve an intoxicating effect.
Non-medical use of pharmaceutical drugs can result in serious health risks and can lead to addiction.
Hallucinogens
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), Psilocybin.
Street name: LSD – acid, trips, wedges, windowpane, blotter, microdot. Psilocybin – mushies, blue meanies, magic mushrooms, gold tops.
Signs and symptoms:
trance-like state, excitation, euphoria, increased pulse rate, insomnia, hallucinations, paranoia.
Potential problems: visual hallucinations may produce anxiety and fear, confusion and lack of coordination can result in greater risk of injury, self-inflicted injury, violent behaviour, paranoia, depression, anxiety and unpredictable flashbacks.
LSD was discovered in 1938 and is one of the most potent mood and perception altering drugs. Synthesised from lysergic acid, LSD is initially a clear or white crystalline substance.
It is also odourless and soluble in water. LSD is highly potent and only very small doses are required to produce a hallucinogenic effect.
Psilocybin is a chemical with hallucinogenic properties that is found in certain species of mushrooms colloquially referred to as ‘magic mushrooms’.
These mushrooms are indigenous to tropical and sub-tropical regions of South America, Mexico and the US.
They typically contain less than 0.5 per cent psilocybin, as well as trace amounts of psilocin, another hallucinogenic substance.
When consumed, psilocybin is metabolised by the body into psilocin.
In Australia, there are approximately 20 species of psilocybin-containing mushrooms. Grown in the forests of Victoria and New South Wales and parts of Queensland, the most common varieties consumed are ‘gold tops’, ‘blue meanies’ and ‘liberty caps’.
Ketamine
Ketamine hydrochloride.
Street name: Green, K, super K, special K, Vitamin K.
Signs and symptoms: Altered perception, disorientation, drowsiness, hallucinations, numbness, strange muscle movements, nausea, vomiting,
Potential problems: Accidents from lack of coordination, quick development of tolerance, psychological dependence, psychosis, flashbacks, loss of memory, attention and vision impairment,
As ketamine is an anaesthetic, when used with depressant drugs such as alcohol, heroin or tranquillisers, it can be particularly harmful as it has the potential to shut the body down causing vital organs such as the lungs or heart to stop functioning.
Ketamine is considered a dissociative anaesthetic as it produces feelings of ‘disassociation’ from a person’s environment as well as from one’s self. It also has hallucinogenic effects and can impact on a person’s senses and perception of reality.
Inhalants
Can include a number of general household and office products – solvents, aerosols, glue, petrol.
Street name: Nitrous oxide – laughing gas, whippits, nitrous, bulbs. Amyl nitrate – snappers, poppers, pearlers, rushamines. Butyl nitrate – locker room, bolt, bullet, rush, climax, red gold.
Potential problems: Brain damage, paralysis, pains in the chest, muscles, joints, heart trouble, severe depression, fatigue, loss of appetite, bronchial spasm, sores on nose or mouth, nosebleeds, diarrhoea, bizarre or reckless behaviour, suffocation and sudden death.
Alcohol
It's easy to forget that alcohol is a drug too.
Even though it is legal, drinking too much alcohol can have negative impacts on you and the people you are with.
It is important to know that factors such as gender, age, mental health, drug use and existing medical conditions can change how alcohol affects you.
The health risks that accumulate over a lifetime from alcohol increase progressively – this means that the more you drink, the greater the risk.
Drinking alcohol can affect your liver or cause brain damage, heart disease, high blood pressure and increases your risk of many cancers. It may also in crease your risk of injury through road trauma, violence, falls and accidental death.
There is a wide range of other drugs out there that are just as dangerous as the more commonly used ecstasy or marijuana. These drugs include depressants (such as sleeping pills), hallucinogens like LSD, ketamine or inhalants.
While they are legal, alcohol and tobacco are also drugs that can have dangerous consequences if misused.
Depressants
Sleeping pills, minor tranquillisers.
Other names include: Benzos, temazzies, Valium, tranks, sleepers, Serapax, serries, Mandrax, mandies.
Signs and symptoms:
Drowsiness, confusion, uncoordination, slurred speech, depressed pulse rate, shallow breathing.
Potential problems: Anxiety, depression, restlessness, tremors, insomnia, changes in eyesight, high risk of addiction and suicide.
Otherwise known as ‘downers’, depressants act to slow or reduce the function of the brain and body.
Mainly used as prescription medicines, they’ve also become popular as ‘illicits’ or mood-altering substances.
They can cause anything from feelings of relaxation and mild contentment, to sedation and total blackout.
Definitely don’t use them with alcohol – you can stop breathing!
Most pharmaceutical drugs used for legitimate medical purposes are limited to pharmacist supply and require a prescription for purchase. Despite these controls, they are also diverted into the illicit market.
Pharmaceuticals are used illicitly for a number of purposes.
These include supplementing other drug use, enhancing the effects or managing the withdrawal symptoms from other drugs.
They may also be misused to self-medicate, deal with dependence or to achieve an intoxicating effect.
Non-medical use of pharmaceutical drugs can result in serious health risks and can lead to addiction.
Hallucinogens
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), Psilocybin.
Street name: LSD – acid, trips, wedges, windowpane, blotter, microdot. Psilocybin – mushies, blue meanies, magic mushrooms, gold tops.
Signs and symptoms:
trance-like state, excitation, euphoria, increased pulse rate, insomnia, hallucinations, paranoia.
Potential problems: visual hallucinations may produce anxiety and fear, confusion and lack of coordination can result in greater risk of injury, self-inflicted injury, violent behaviour, paranoia, depression, anxiety and unpredictable flashbacks.
LSD was discovered in 1938 and is one of the most potent mood and perception altering drugs. Synthesised from lysergic acid, LSD is initially a clear or white crystalline substance.
It is also odourless and soluble in water. LSD is highly potent and only very small doses are required to produce a hallucinogenic effect.
Psilocybin is a chemical with hallucinogenic properties that is found in certain species of mushrooms colloquially referred to as ‘magic mushrooms’.
These mushrooms are indigenous to tropical and sub-tropical regions of South America, Mexico and the US.
They typically contain less than 0.5 per cent psilocybin, as well as trace amounts of psilocin, another hallucinogenic substance.
When consumed, psilocybin is metabolised by the body into psilocin.
In Australia, there are approximately 20 species of psilocybin-containing mushrooms. Grown in the forests of Victoria and New South Wales and parts of Queensland, the most common varieties consumed are ‘gold tops’, ‘blue meanies’ and ‘liberty caps’.
Ketamine
Ketamine hydrochloride.
Street name: Green, K, super K, special K, Vitamin K.
Signs and symptoms: Altered perception, disorientation, drowsiness, hallucinations, numbness, strange muscle movements, nausea, vomiting,
Potential problems: Accidents from lack of coordination, quick development of tolerance, psychological dependence, psychosis, flashbacks, loss of memory, attention and vision impairment,
As ketamine is an anaesthetic, when used with depressant drugs such as alcohol, heroin or tranquillisers, it can be particularly harmful as it has the potential to shut the body down causing vital organs such as the lungs or heart to stop functioning.
Ketamine is considered a dissociative anaesthetic as it produces feelings of ‘disassociation’ from a person’s environment as well as from one’s self. It also has hallucinogenic effects and can impact on a person’s senses and perception of reality.
Inhalants
Can include a number of general household and office products – solvents, aerosols, glue, petrol.
Street name: Nitrous oxide – laughing gas, whippits, nitrous, bulbs. Amyl nitrate – snappers, poppers, pearlers, rushamines. Butyl nitrate – locker room, bolt, bullet, rush, climax, red gold.
Potential problems: Brain damage, paralysis, pains in the chest, muscles, joints, heart trouble, severe depression, fatigue, loss of appetite, bronchial spasm, sores on nose or mouth, nosebleeds, diarrhoea, bizarre or reckless behaviour, suffocation and sudden death.
Alcohol
It's easy to forget that alcohol is a drug too.
Even though it is legal, drinking too much alcohol can have negative impacts on you and the people you are with.
It is important to know that factors such as gender, age, mental health, drug use and existing medical conditions can change how alcohol affects you.
The health risks that accumulate over a lifetime from alcohol increase progressively – this means that the more you drink, the greater the risk.
Drinking alcohol can affect your liver or cause brain damage, heart disease, high blood pressure and increases your risk of many cancers. It may also in crease your risk of injury through road trauma, violence, falls and accidental death.
