In
this day and age drugs seem to be mild in comparison to what is happening around us.
Most of us don't even blink an eyelid when they are mentioned because unfortunately they
are no longer associated with an experimental phase, but are actually becoming part of
most people's everyday lives. Whether this means that you can't get out of bed in
the morning without having a cigarette and cup of coffee to pilling it up on the weekend -
the fact of the matter is that most of us, psychologically or physically, are dependant on
something. If not personally I can bet that most of you will know someone who
is. The purpose of this article is not to lecture you on the dangers of drugs
because the fact of the matter is that it is your life, but just to give you an idea of
what they actually constitute of and what they can do to you in the long and short
run.
DAGGA
 Marijuana (Dagga) is a green or grey mixture of dried,
shredded flowers and leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa. The drug contains a
number of substances called cannaboids that effect the brain, heart and lungs. There
are over 200 slang words for marijuana, including: pot, herb, weed, boom.
It is smoked in the form of hand-rolled cigarettes or in a pipe. Often it is smoked
together with mandrax in broken-of glass bottle necks. This is called a
"white pipe". Some users also mix marijuana into foods or use it to brew
tea.
The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). In
1988, it was discovered that the membranes of certain nerve cells contain protein
receptors that bind THC. Once securely in place, THC kicks off a series of cellular
reactions that ultimately lead to the high that users experience when they smoke
marijuana. THC affects the mood of the user the greatest and often stays in the body
for weeks because it is stored in the fatty tissues.
HOW IS IT SOLD?
It is obtained either loosely in a plastic bank packet, called "bankies" or
compressed or rolled into cigars, cigarettes or blocks. These are also known as
fingers, pencils, zols, joints and bricks.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE USER WHEN THE DRUG
IS TAKEN?
The effects of dagga depends not only on the strength of the drug but also on the user's
personality and the atmosphere or setting in which the drug is used.
The user may feel:
Relaxed
Euphoric
Laughing
Talking Excessively
The user may also give feelings of detachment or unreality and abnormal perceptions i.e.
perceive / appreciate the environment differently e.g. seeing or hearing things that are
not really there. The ability to concentrate and remember becomes difficult and the
user becomes a poor judge of distance and time. It is therefore very dangerous for
the dagga user to be driving a motor vehicle when drugged.
WHAT ARE THE DAMAGES TO THE BODY?
Dagga is particularly harmful to the lungs. If used over a long period of time it
could lead to chronic coughing, bronchitis and lung damage. As with cigarette
smoking, dagga can also lead to lung cancer. Apart from the lungs, the brain is
affected. Memory and concentration become poor. Dagga smoking can cause a
mental illness called drug induced "toxic psychosis". Here the user
becomes scared and anxious and can have hallucinations. In some people, dagga can be
the trigger for life-long mental illness. If dagga is used for a very long time, it
probably does cause some brain damage.
Other effects of dagga: It reduces fertility in men and women. Dagga also
weakens the ability of the body to fight against infection and therefore makes it easier
for the user to become ill.
IS DAGGA ADDICTIVE?
Many people believe that dagga is a "safe" drug to which they cannot
become addicted, but this is untrue because there is no such thing as a "safe"
drug and the fact that people find it difficult to quit smoking dagga without help proves
that they do become dependant on it. In fact, dagga is a mind-altering drug, which
affects not only the user, but also his or her family and society in general.
The dependence on dagga is most obvious when
the drug is stopped. The user has intense cravings for the drug, feeling that
he/she cannot go without dope. He or she becomes very anxious and feels a need for
dagga in order to relax. These thoughts and feelings are the main problem when
trying to give up dagga. The person may become depressed and irritable and have
difficulty sleeping.
EFFECTS OF HEAVY MARIJUANA USE
ON
LEARNING & SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
 Longitudinal research on marijuana use among
young people below college age indicates those who used have a much lower achievement than
the non-users, more acceptance of deviant behaviour , more delinquent behaviour and
aggression, greater rebelliousness, poorer relationships with parents and more
associations with delinquent and drug-using friends
EFFECTS ON PREGNANCY
Any drug of abuse can affect a mother's health during pregnancy and this is the time when
she should take the most special care of herself. Drugs of abuse mat interfere with
proper nutrition and rest, which can affect good functioning of the immune system.
Some studies have found that babies born to mothers who use marijuana during pregnancy
were smaller than those born to non-using mothers. Smaller babies are more likely to
develop health problems. A nursing mother who uses marijuana passes some of the THC
to the baby in her breast milk. Research indicates that the use of marijuana by a
mother during her first month of breast-feeding can impair the infant's motor development
(control of muscle movements).
MANDRAX
Mandrax was first produced in the mid 1960s. It is highly addictive and was
therefore banned in 1974. Surprise, Surprise - it is still illegally sold in South
Africa!
Mandrax depresses the central nervous system and is classed as a sedative-hypnotic drug.
It is called Mandrakes, Madness, Mx, Buttons, Whites and many other names.
APPEARANCE & USE
Originally mandrax were smooth, firm white tablets with Mx written on the side of the
tablet. Nowadays they can also be grey or yellow in colour, slightly freckled and
with a soft crumbly texture. They vary in colour, size and texture because they
sometimes contain other drugs and are made illegally without keeping to proper standards.
The withdrawal symptoms lead the person back to having another mandrax because the person
feel so uncomfortable without the drug. the person will obviously find it difficult
to say "NO!", and usually have family and financial problems, to say the least.
THE MANDRAX HIGH
Mandrax are usually smoked but can also be swallowed or injected. Most people crush
the tablets, mix them with dagga and smoke them in a pipe or bottle-neck. This makes
the user feel relaxed, peaceful, calm and happy. Worries disappear and every thing
feels perfect. However, some people feel irritable, confused and become aggressive.
TOLERANCE & ADDICTION
The user finds it necessary to use more and more of the drug as their body has now become
immune to the drug and more of the drug is now needed to produce the same feeling that
they used to get. Mandrax is psychologically addictive and this is why the user
e\will do anything to get hold of the drug, such as stealing and lying, as they feel that
they can't function without it.
SYMPTOMS OF MANDRAX USE
The symptoms of Mandrax use last for several hours.
The person may lose his or her appetite and have a dry mouth. The user will slur or
mumble in speech, stumble or stagger as they feel weak or numb and vomiting, stomach pain
& nausea will occur. A person who is drugged will usually have red, glazed or
puffy eyes as a result of the dagga mixed with the Mandrax.
As the Mandrax wears off the person will feel tired and go to sleep. Usually feeling
miserable and "hungover" when awake.
A regular Mandrax user will have yellow / brown marks on the hands and will probably lose
weight. The user will probably tend to steal as constant addiction is a fairly
expensive habit.
ECSTASY
Ecstasy or "E" as it is widely known, is an amphetamine derivative with
the scientific name of methylene dixymethamptamine (MDMA). It is a potent stimulant
and mild hallucinogen.
STREET NAMES
Ecstasy is known as the designer drug of the nineties. It is mainly known as "E"
but has many other names such as: doves, pink champagnes, apples, wheelchairs,
tulips, euros, mitsubishis - and the list could go on forever and ever!
THE EFFECTS OF ECSTASY
The FDA have learned of 15 people who died after taking herbal ecstasy,
ephedrine, containing supplements and has receives almost 400 other reports of side
effects - from heart attacks to seizures to psychosis.
The effects of ecstasy usually begin within half an hour of swallowing the tablet
(depending on whether the stomach is full or not). The peak of the "high"
lasts for about 2-4 hours and the user feels ecstatic, joyful, exhilarated, mystic, loving
and sensual - that is why it is considered the "love drug". Its
hallucinatory effects heighten emotional and sensory experiences so that music, lights and
dancing are more meaningful to the user. The drug makes the user feel energetic and
enhances stamina which enables them to dance an entire night without tiring. At the
same time the drug may cause a raised body temperature, high blood pressure, profuse
sweating (possible dehydration), a racing pulse, a decreased appetite and a dry mouth.
It can also result in jaw clenching and teeth grinding (that is why many users
often chew gum to stimulate it).
The user may also be unsteady, have large pupils with a blurred vision and sometimes
muscle spasms. The drug unfortunately also reduces the user's awareness of the need
to rest, eat and sleep. This has lead to cases of collapse and heat-stroke in
ravers.
Severe and often deadly consequences can arise. These effects can occur after a
normal or excessive dose of ecstasy. These include: heat-stroke, heart
failure, brain haemorrhages, respiratory failure, strokes and paralysis, liver damage,
generalised blood clotting and kidney failure. It also causes fits, anxiety,
paranoia, depression, delirium, and coma. Many deaths have resulted from the use of
ecstasy.
After the initial high which lasts 4 hours, the user then begins to "come down".
This can last up to 24 hours and in this time the user will still find eating and
sleeping difficult. Some users consume alcohol and / or cannabis (dagga) to make
their "come down" easier.
HOW IS ECSTASY USED & SOLD?
Ecstasy is usually swallowed as a tablet / capsule, it can be crushed and sniffed or
dissolved in a liquid and then drunk. The pills or capsules come in varying colours
and sizes, the original being a white tablet with a peace dove on it. Most of them
just look like panados. They usually come in 100 - 150mg tablets. One ecstasy
pill can cost anything from R40 - R120.
Because "E" is illegal there is no quality control and these pills can contain
other substances such as LSD, tranquillisers, amphetamines, codeine and ketamine (an
hallucinogenic anaesthetic agent). In South Africa it has been found to even be
mixed with heroin, cocaine, strychnine (rat poison), as well as chalk, caffeine and
aspirin.
A single ecstasy tablet shuts down part of the immune system, and two or three will
permanently damage certain brain cells.
ECSTASY & ADDICTION
Ecstasy is not so-called physically addictive like heroin, alcohol or nicotine.
With regular use the body does develop tolerance to the drug: in other words, over
time a regular user will need a higher dose in order to get the same effect. Also if
the drug is mixed with heroin or other opiates, the person may well become addicted to
these agents. They may also become psychologically dependant on the high experienced
with ecstasy.
HELP TO USERS
We stress that the effects of ecstasy are unpredictable and can be fatal. Even so,
as we know that some people will take risks, here are some things to remember:
REST - Users should try to sleep before going to a rave party and
take "E". During the evening rests should frequently be taken - make use
of the chill rooms if you are at a rave club.
DRINK WATER - Ravers should drink about 2 cups of water / soft
drinks every hour while dancing to prevent dehydration.
ONLY TAKE ONE AT A TIME - Do not double-drop as this will increase
your tolerance and don't take ecstasy daily. Many people can rave the night away on
half an "E".
DRUG COMBINATIONS CAN BE DEADLY - Do not take ecstasy with
anything else. Alcohol masks the effects of ecstasy making it seem weak or
different and could lead to the user taking an overdose without even knowing it.
SOME PEOPLE ARE IN A HIGH RISK GROUP - People with asthma,
diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure and psychosis should not take ecstasy since they
are at a high risk of developing a negative reaction to it.
LSD
Using Lsd can permanently damage your brain. You may suffer flash backs
up to 30 years after taking it. But for up to 16 hours you will be able to
"see" sounds and "hear" colours.
Three Stories: after taking acid a man terrorises his wife with a gun, becomes
"grandiose" for several weeks, and goes to live in the desert. Another
man, despite not having tripped for years, is pursued down the street by a giant black
hole that only he can see. Finally, a 25 year old woman threatens her boyfriend
while under the influence of LSD. Two days later she kills him!!
These tales of acid-inspires mental instability are not urban myths, but clinically
recorded case histories.
This is a Class A drug and also known as acid. It is a
hullucinogen which works on the brain causing distorted perceptions and illusions.
It is a natural liquid that is extracted from an ergot produced by fungus which grows on
rye grass.
LSD is tasteless, colourless and odourless. However, LSD can be absorbed into
any suitable substance. Pieces of blotting paper, sugar cubes and small square
flakes of gelatine have been impregnated with small drops of the drug.
Acid can be found in the following forms: tablets, capsules and on sheets of
paper cut into small squares which is soaked in the liquid. These usually have
cartoon characters depicted on them, this is to attract interest and draw attention -
especially from younger people.
Acid can be consumed by licking, chewing or swallowing.
EFFECTS
Depending on the dose, the effects of LSD begin within an hour of taking the drug.
This can last for 2 - 8 hours, and usually takes 12 hours to fade completely.
It may even take a further few hours to fully recover from the "trip".
The LSD experience can either be profoundly enjoyable or the complete opposite.
The biggest problem is the total unpredictability of the effects of LSD and the
hallucinations that come with that.
When LSD produces unpleasant experiences, it is called a "bad trip".
This may include a complete loss of emotional control, disorientation, depression,
dizziness and panic. Users can believe that they are being attacked and seeking
self-protection, resort to uncontrollable violence. On the other hand the user can
feel quite invincible and even attempt acts such as flying off the top of buildings,
walking on water or stopping oncoming cars.
There is more evidence of psychological dangers than of physical harm. After
a trip the user might suffer depression, anxiety and have disturbing flashbacks. I
found out that after taking acid the liquid actually crystallises at the bottom of the
spinal cord. This results in the user having flashbacks whenever (even 30 years
later) and that the user's children could even have flashbacks of their parent's trip -
Very scary stuff!!!!!!!!!!
To make matters even worse the drug can be inadvertently absorbed into the body,
through a scratch or even by licking a finger which has touched the drug. A minute
quantity can have an effect - 25 millionths of a gram can produce an effect. The
average dose on the market contains 100 - 250 mg.
The main physical effects include: dilated pupils, eyes being sensitive to
light, restlessness, sleeplessness and an increased heart rate.
But don't by any means let all this shocking information put you off trying the
drug!!!
COCAINE
Cocaine is a bitter tasting white powder extracted from the leaves of the
South American cocoa plant.
A powerful stimulant or "upper" cocaine acts on the pleasure centres of
the brain and is, according to drug experts, one of the most addictive substances on the
planet.
When cocaine first hit the streets of South Africa, it was the "yuppie
drug" because only the rich could afford it. This has now changed. As
more and more of the drug flooded into SA, the price dropped drastically, making it
available to people of all walks of life. Prices range from R40  upwards, depending on the quantity and quality.
HOW IS IT USED?
When cocaine first became available in SA, it was in powder form, which
was then snorted through the nose.
The powder, although originally pure, is "cut" repeatedly by adding
substances such as talcum powder, bicarb and even other substances to maximise profits.
The end product is only about 20% pure.
Today, snorting is confined to a small percentage of users. Smoking or
freebasing is now widely used.
Cocaine powder is converted to freebase by boiling it in water with a binding agent
i.e. bicarb to form a "rock" or "crack" which is about 90%. The
"rock" is then smoked in a pipe, bottle or jar. The high attained is
immediate and more intense than that attained by snorting. New users are introduced
directly to "freebasing" now, rather than snorting.
THE HIT
Smoking or "freebasing" gives the user an immediate high.
heart rate and blood pressure rise sharply
ears ring
they break out in a cold sweat
they start to shake
have increased energy
decreased need to sleep
They feel they can do anything / are on top |