cannabisnews.com: Club Drug Dangers





Club Drug Dangers
Posted by FoM on December 24, 1999 at 08:19:24 PT
By Jaronda Little, News Staff Writer
Source: Birmingham News
They have many street names - lover's speed, liquid ecstasy, cat valiums, forget-me pills, ice and boomers. Collectively, they are known as club drugs, and their use is rising among youths, authorities say.
They Include:'60s throwbacks such as LSD and speed and newer arrivals such as GHB and rohypnol. Club drugs often pack a potent punch to the brain. For instance, a recent study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that the club drug ecstasy can cause brain damage and memory problems. Emergency room doctors in Birmingham know club drugs all too well. Dr. Tom Terndrup said he sees anywhere from three to five club drug users every weekend in the UAB emergency room. He said club drugs such as ecstasy and GHB affect the part of the brain that controls a person's heartbeat and breathing. "There is no safe amount of GHB," Terndrup said. "It can kill you." Terndrup said other club drugs, such as LSD, and speed cause hallucinations, altered vision and bizarre behavior. Used in combination with alcohol, the drugs become more dangerous, experts say. Dr. Harold Cooley, an emergency room physician at Carraway Methodist Medical Center, recalls a woman in her 20s who came into the emergency room a few months ago suffering from the effects of GHB. "She was comatose, barely breathing and unresponsive to pain," Dr. Cooley said. "Her friends told us they had been using GHB." The information proved valuable in treating the woman's symptoms. Doctors say that many times it's difficult to figure what kind of drug someone has taken. Also, since the drugs are often made from recipes found over the Internet, it's tough to determine their potency. Birmingham police report that club drug use has increased in the last year. The drugs are commonly used by young adults and older teenagers at night "raves" or dance parties. Drugs such as ecstasy are stimulants, which allow users to dance for extended periods of times. Others, like GHB, are depressants that sedate and relax. GHB and rohypnol are popular "date rape" drugs. The National Institute on Drug Abuse declared war earlier this month on club drugs. The federal government plans to spend $54 million on research and an anti-drug campaign. Here, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, is a rundown on club drugs: Ecstasy: Also known as MDMA, XTC, X, Adam, clarity, lover's speed. This drug was initially developed and patented as an appetite suppressant, although it was never tested in humans. It's taken orally, usually in a tablet or capsule. Its effects last about three to six hours, though confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety and paranoia have been reported to occur weeks afterward. Ecstasy can produce significant increases in a person's heart rate and blood pressure. The drug also can lead to dehydration, hypertension, and heart or kidney failure. Ecstasy caused heart attacks, strokes and seizures. GHB: Also known as Gamma-hydroxybuty­rate, grievous bodily harm, G, liquid ecstasy, Georgia home boy. GHB can be produced in clear liquid, white powder, tablet and capsules. It is often used in combination with alcohol, making it more dangerous. GHB has been increasingly involved in poisonings, overdoses, "date rapes," and fatalities. The drug is often abused for its hormone-releasing effects, which can build muscles. GHB is a central nervous system depressant that can relax or sedate the body. At higher doses it can slow breathing and heart rates to dangerous levels. GHB's intoxicating effects begin 10 to 20 minutes after use. It lasts up to four hours, depending on dosage. At lower doses, the drug can relieve anxiety and produce relaxation; however, as the dose increases, the sedative effects may result in sleep and eventually coma or death. Overdose of GHB can occur quickly, and the signs are similar to those of other sedatives: drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, headaches, loss of consciousness, loss of reflexes, impaired breathing, and ultimately death. Ketamine: Also known as special K, K, vita­min K, cat valiums. Ketamine is an injectable anesthetic that has been approved for both human and animal use in medical settings since 1970. About 90 percent of ketamine legally sold today is intended for veterinary use. It is produced in a liquid form or as a white powder that is often snorted or smoked with marijuana or tobacco. Ketamine causes dream-like states and hallucinations. At higher doses it can cause delirium, amnesia, impaired motor functions, high blood pressure, depression and potentially fatal respiratory problems. Rohypnol: Also known as roofies, rophies, roche, forget-me pills. This drug is not approved for prescription in the United States but is approved in Europe and 60 countries to treat insomnia and as a presurgery anesthetic. Rohypnol is tasteless and ordorless. It is often ground up and snorted. A one milligram dose can impair a victim for eight to 12 hours. The drug causes amnesia and has been reportedly used in sexual assaults. The drug also can cause decreased blood pressure, drowsiness, visual disturbances, dizziness, confusion, stomach problems and urinary retention problems. Methamphetamine: Also known as speed, ice, chalk, meth, crystal, crank, fire, glass. This drug is often made inexpensively from over-the-counter ingredients. It is white, ordorless, and appears in a bitter-tasting crystalline powder that dissolves easily and can be smoked, snorted, injected or taken orally. It affects the central nervous system and can cause memory loss, aggression, violence, psychotic behavior, and potential cardiac and neurological damage. Methamphetamine users display signs of agitation, excited speech, decreased appetite, and increased physical activity levels. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD): Also known as acid, boomers, yellow sunshines. LSD is a hallucinogen that induces abnormalities in sensory perceptions. It is typically taken by mouth, but is sold in tablet, capsule and liquid forms as well as in pieces of blotter paper that have absorbed the drug. A user can feel the effects of the drug in 30 to 90 minutes. The effects include dilated pupils, higher body temperatures, increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, dry mouth and tremors. LSD users often report numbness, weakness, or trembling, and nausea. Published: December 24, 1999© 1999 The Birmingham News. 
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Comment #4 posted by denise on October 29, 2001 at 10:35:57 PT:
Loser
Scott, 
Why would you encourage drug use among those doing research on the potential side effects of these drugs. The fact is, these chemicals can indeed be very dangerous and even lethal. People should be aware of what could happen when they ingest or inhale them into their bodies. To characterize any drug as a harmless recreational passtime and thereby encourage others to use them is very irresponcible. Are you a doctor? I don't think so. I'm doubt you have the mental capacity or memory left to get through medical school and become a legitamate authority on the subject. You're only experience is your drug use. So, clue up and Get a life. Don't mouth off on something you know nothing aabout. And if these sights encourage people to avoid drug use, or moderate that use, good on them. Who are you to undermine that effort.
DL
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Comment #3 posted by Chris Campbell on December 24, 1999
 at 20:17:46 PT:
Re: Alcohol
->He said club drugs such as ecstasy and GHB affect the part of the brain that controls a person's heartbeat and breathing."There is no safe amount of GHB," Terndrup said. "It can kill you."<-I suppose they are talking about the medulla and pons. Doesn't alcohol also affect these parts of the brain?
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Comment #2 posted by Scott on December 24, 1999
 at 16:49:02 PT:
What they should tell you, but forgot
>Club drugs often pack a potent punch to the brain. For >instance, a recent study by the National Institute on Drug >Abuse found that the club drug ecstasy can cause>brain damage and memory problems......similar to those of not sleeping for days on end. If you are curious about using this drug for whatever reason, be aware that you will need plenty of time to sleep and regain mental and physical health. For more information on safe use and what to be aware of, read the FAQ at http://www.lycaeum.org/drugs/Phenethylamines/MDMA/FAQ-MDMA.html#repeat.>Emergency room doctors in Birmingham know club drugs all >too well......but have seen far more cases of alcohol overdoses in the last year then all club drugs combined over a 10 year span. Yes, some club drugs do carry dangers, that is why we wish to inform you on proper use, what to be aware of, and teaching you your limits. Since scare tactics do more harm then good, we for once are deciding to be honest with you and acknowledge the fact that no matter how many times we say "don't do it", some people will still do it.>Dr. Tom Terndrup said he sees anywhere from three to five >club drug users every weekend in the UAB emergency room......which equals out to between 156 to 260 a year. Far fewer then the 100,000 people that DIE yearly from a more dangerous club drug, Alcohol. But since 156 is too many, you should be taught on proper dosing, how to handle someone who has overdosed, and learn about set and setting.>There is no safe amount of GHB," Terndrup said. "It can >kill you.......the amount required for a given level of effect will vary from person to person, and the dose-response curve is fairly steep. Overestimating the dose can have consequences ranging in seriousness from ruining your plans for the evening to waking up in the emergency ward as a result of panic on the part of concerned-but-uninformed friends or relatives. Once you have found the levels that give you the effects you desire, they will remain consistent. Tolerance to GHB does not develop. However, recent (not current) alcohol consumption may decrease the effect of a given dose of GHB [Fadda, 1989]. Most people find that a dose in the range of 0.75-1.5 grams is suitable for prosexual purposes, and that a quantity in the range of 2.5 grams is sufficient to force sleep. Some people think that GHB might lower potassium levels and should therefore be taken with potassium supplementation. Some research papers have identified such an effect, others have not. If you want to play it safe, take a potassium supplement equal to 10% of the GHB dose. >Used in combination with alcohol, the drugs become more >dangerous, experts say......mainly because alcohol sucks and can kill you by itself.>She was comatose, barely breathing and unresponsive to >pain," Dr. Cooley said. "Her friends told us they had been >using GHB....""...and if she had had readily available information on consumptions and the risk factors involved, none of this would have happened.">Also, since the drugs are often made from recipes found >over the Internet, it's tough to determine their potency......and that is why there is a need for regulation and control. As long as you are forced to buy your non-alcoholic drugs from the blackmarket, problems like this will continue to occur.>. Others, like GHB, are depressants that sedate and>relax. GHB and rohypnol are popular "date rape" drugs......but you must remember that the number one date rape drug of choice is alcohol.-------I also like how they give the street names of each drug and what how they mess you up. I guess they think the number one way to deter people from using drugs is to tell them where to get them, they're called, and how long you can expect them to take to kick in. Yet they still tell you not to do them...hmm...sounds like counterproductivity to me!-------Scott
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Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on December 24, 1999
 at 09:06:20 PT
And mother's milk causes lip cancer in infants
I have to laugh.These writers remind me of the instructors I had in the Army. In teaching us how to react to a nuclear detonation, they used to tell us to immediately drop to the ground with your rifle beneath you. A fellow recruit added, "Yeah, to be neatly vaporized along with you."The above article is just another attempt by the news media to propagandize without seeming to. They repeat and broadcast the same tired old scare-tactic tripe about drugs (without, of course, mentioning alcohol and tobacco) which has about as much value as the senseless advice my instructors gave regarding nuke bursts. And they call this 'journalism'?
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