DRUGS
The use of drugs can (and will) cause very undesirable effects. Aside from the huge health risks associated with drug use, doing things you wouldn't normally do, causing problems with friends and relatives, etc - they are VERY addictive. Once a person is addicted to drugs, they will do whatever it takes for another "high" from their drug of choice. This includes stealing drugs or expensive items which can be sold to buy drugs, from strangers or possibly even your friends/loved ones. You can cause serious harm or even death to yourself, your loved ones, or innocent bystanders. Drugs can ruin your life and your future. Not to mention, jail time. Today I'd like to talk about some of the most common types of drugs, how they are used, and their side effects.
METHAMPHETAMINE (Meth, Ice, Speed, Crystal Meth, Glass, or Poor Man's Cocaine Etc.)
METHAMPHETAMINE (Meth, Ice, Speed, Crystal Meth, Glass, or Poor Man's Cocaine Etc.)
- Can be injected, snorted, smoked, or taken orally.
- Can be seen in many forms, such as: small brightly colored tablets, large clear crystals- looks like rock candy, or white odorless powder.
- Side Effects: Paranoia; irritability; increased nervousness; violent and erratic behavior; picking at the skin; hallucinations; temporary hyper activity; increased heart-rate, respiration rate (breathing), blood pressure, and body temperature; dilated pupils; tremors.
- VERY addictive and VERY dangerous drug. Easy to overdose. Below is a before and after photo of a meth user. Directly below the photos are 2 links where you can see more before and after photos. This is a serious drug, please do yourself and your loved ones a favor- stay clear of this terrible drug and do not even try it once.
MARIJUANA (Weed, Pot, Wacky Weed, Grass, Mary Jane, Reefer, Herb, Skunk, Boom, Ganja, Chronic, Etc.)
- Can be smoked, brewed into tea, or put in food.
- Is a mixture of dried and shredded leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds of the cannabis plant.
- Many people believe that since Marijuana is a plant, it is all natural and can do no harm. This is not the case. It contains roughly 400 chemicals that can do damage to you body, the worst of which is THC.
- People smoke marijuana because it makes them "feel good." But that good-feeling is short-lived and comes with many consequences and dangerous side effects. It has many of the same dangerous side effects as alcohol. Like alcohol, it increases your chance of unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, and accidents- you may do things while under the influence that you would not normally do.
- Loss of coordination; memory loss; impaired judgement, decision-making, and perception; slowed reaction times; increased heart-rate; interferes with brain function; has been associated with depression & anxiety; makes smoker more susceptible to chest colds, bronchitis, and coughs.
- Addictive drug. Smoking marijuana tends to put people in contact with individuals who use and sell other drugs, which could lead to the experimentation and addiction to those other drugs as well.
COCAINE (Coke, Blow, Tornado, Wicky Stick, Nose Candy, Etc.)
- Can be smoked, snorted, or injected.
- Comes in the form of white powder or an off-white colored "rock."
- Can cause anxiety; restlessness; increased blood pressure, body temperature, alertness, and pulse rate; dilated pupils; respiratory problems- cough, shortness of breath, lung trauma and bleeding, chest pain; nervousness; irritability; heart failure; cerebral hemorrhage; stroke; respiratory failure; paranoia; crash.
- Highly addictive and dangerous drug.
PHENCYCLIDINE (PCP, Angel Dust, Supergrass, Killer Weed, Animal tranq, Magic Dust, Peter Pan, Etc.)
- Can be smoked, snorted, or taken orally.
- Comes in the form of powder, liquid, capsule, or tablet. Can be white or dyed other colors.
- Can cause: memory loss; depression; difficulty in speech; weight loss; seizures; coma; delusions; paranoia; schizophrenia; violent & compulsive behavior; difficulty thinking & concentrating; death.
- Very addictive and dangerous drug.
ECTASY (MDMA, Molly, X, XTC, The Love Drug, Lover's Speed, Etc.)
- Usually comes in the form of a pill, capsule, or tablet.
- Is typically taken orally.
- Can cause: Memory loss; depression; anxiety; increased blood pressure & heart rate; nausea, blurred vision, teeth-clenching; muscle tension; agitation; anxiousness; sweating; chills; dizziness; dehydration; hyperthermia; seizures; rapid heart beat; kidney & heart problems; aggression; sleep problems; death.
- Is addictive.
INHALANTS (Huffing)
- Inhalants are every day products (chemicals) that are "huffed" or breathed in through the nose or mouth. Gas, glue, paint thinner, permanent marker, white-out, kerosene, etc.
- Can cause: loss of consciousness; heart damage; kidney damage; liver damage; brain damage; bone marrow damage; sudden sniffing death syndrome; anxiety; irritability; sores around mouth; nausea; loss of appetite; dizziness; death.
- Very addictive. It is possible to die of sudden-sniffing-death-syndrome the very first time you try it (or the 3rd, 5th, 15th, 50th, etc. It can happen at any time. It is very dangerous.)
Abusing PRESCRIPTION DRUGS (Oxy-Contin, Adderall, Xanax, Valium, Vicodin, Ritalin, Etc.)
- Prescription drugs can be abused in multiple ways. Taking another person's prescription, taking your own prescription in a higher dose than intended, or taking your own prescription in a different administration method than intended.
- Some people believe that prescription drugs are a much safer drug choice (safer than say Meth, Cocaine, Etc.) but this is entirely UNTRUE for several reasons. ALL prescription drugs have side effects, and that's when you're taking them how you're supposed to! So image what they can do when you're not taking them for the intended purpose or in the intended manner! There may be an ingredient in the drug that you are allergic to, and do not know it. Drugs can interfere with one-another, some drugs can not be taken if you have a certain health condition, etc.
- Very addictive and dangerous. Easy to over-dose.
You can find more great resources at:
JustThinkTwice.Com & https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/teen-addiction/