1
Chapter 1: Drug issues
ISSUES
: Drugs
Chapter
1
Drug issues
Get the facts about drugs
W
hat are drugs? Technically
speaking,
they
are
chemical substances that
affect the normal functioning of the
body and/or brain. Not all drugs are
illegal. For example, caffeine (found
in coffee or Coca-Cola), nicotine
(in cigarettes) and alcohol are all
technically legal drugs, although
they are usually not referred to
as such. Medicines, whether
prescribed by a doctor or available
over the counter at pharmacies, are
legal drugs to help us recover from
illnesses, although they can also be
abused.
Illegal drugs are drugs that are so
harmful that countries across the
world have decided to control them.
Countries have passed several
international laws, in the form of
United Nations conventions, that
specify which drugs are controlled.
All the drugs discussed in this
article are illegal. This means that
generally, it is against the law
to own, use or sell these drugs
worldwide.
Drugs tend to have several street
names and this article will tell you
some of them. However, it is not a
complete list and the drugs might
have different names in your country
or city. These names may also
change over time. The street names
do not tell you anything about the
strength or purity of a drug.
All illegal drugs have immediate
physical effects, which you can
read about in this article. But
drugs can also severely hinder
psychological
and
emotional
development, particularly among
young people. In fact, drugs can
take away potential that users can
never get back as drugs substitute
the development of other, natural
coping mechanisms.
Although each drug is discussed
separately in this article, drugs are
often used together. This mixing can
have unpredictable, severe effects
on the body and/or mind of the user.
Drugs cloud the judgement of users.
This means that drug users often
take more risks, such as having
unsafe sex. This can lead to them
getting infected with hepatitis or
HIV and other sexually transmitted
diseases.
There are lots of reasons why people
take illegal drugs. Some take them
to escape problems while others
are bored, curious or just want to
feel good. People may be pressured
into taking drugs to ‘fit in’ with a
particular crowd or to rebel or get
attention.
Drug users come from all kinds of
backgrounds. They are male and
female, young and old, rich and
poor, working and unemployed,
from the city and the countryside – it
does not matter. Drug use can affect
anyone.
While some of the physical effects
of drugs might sound nice, they
do not last long. Many people get
depressed and lonely afterwards
and start feeling sick. Also, it is
common for people who use drugs
to seem confused, have red eyes,
sweat a lot and not care about
their physical appearance. And, of
course, there is the risk of becoming
addicted.
Cannabis
Bongo/Ganja/Grass/
Marijuana/Pot/Thai sticks
What is it?
Cannabis is a tobacco-like greenish
or brownish material made of the
dried flowering tops and leaves of
the cannabis (hemp) plant.
Cannabis resin or ‘hash’ is the
dried black or brown secretion of
the flowering tops of the cannabis
plant, which is made into a powder
or pressed into slabs or cakes.
Cannabis oil or ‘hash oil’ is a liquid
extracted from either the dried plant
material or the resin.
How is it taken?
All forms of cannabis are usually
smoked. Cannabis resin and oil can
also be swallowed or brewed in tea.
How does it affect users?
Cannabis can make users feel
pleasurably relaxed and sometimes
euphoric.
Users
may
also
experience a more vivid sense of
sight, smell, taste and hearing.
What are the risks associated with
cannabis use?
In the short term, users have an
increased appetite and pulse rate.
Users also have problems performing
physical and intellectual tasks such
as driving a car and thinking logically.
With large doses, users’ perceptions
of sound and colour may be
sharpened, while their thinking
becomes slow and confused. If
the dose is very large, the effects
of cannabis are similar to those
of hallucinogens and may cause
anxiety, panic and even psychotic
episodes.
Regular
users
of
cannabis
risk
developing
psychological
dependence to the point where
they lose interest in all other
activities, such as work and personal
relationships. Recent studies in the
United Kingdom show a link between
cannabis use and an increase in
schizophrenia.
