ISSUES
: Drugs
Chapter 1: Drug issues
3
How does it affect users?
Heroin can relieve users’ tension,
anxiety and depression. Users
feel detached from emotional or
physical distress or pain. With
large doses, users may experience
euphoria.
What are the risks associated
with heroin use?
Short-term
effects
include
constricted
pupils,
nausea,
vomiting, drowsiness, inability to
concentrate and apathy.
Heroin is very addictive and users
may quickly develop physical and
psychological dependence. They
also risk developing tolerance for
the drug, which means they need
constantly higher doses to achieve
the effect they want.
Long-term heroin use has a variety
of severe health effects.
Among other things, it can cause
severe weight loss, malnutrition
and constipation. It can also lead
to menstrual irregularity, sedation
and chronic apathy.
Abruptly quitting heroin use leads
to withdrawal symptoms which
can be severe such as cramps,
diarrhoea, tremors, panic, runny
nose, chills and sweats.
Other risks
Users risk overdosing on heroin,
which can lead to coma and death
through respiratory depression.
LSD
Acid/Hippie
What is it?
LSD is a semi-synthetic drug
derived from lysergic acid, which
is found in a fungus that grows on
rye and other grains.
LSD, commonly referred to as
“acid”, is usually sold on the street
as small squares of blotting paper
with drops containing the drug.
It can also be sold as tablets,
capsules or occasionally in liquid
form. It is a colourless, odourless
substance with a slightly bitter
taste.
How is it taken?
It is usually swallowed.
How does it affect users?
Taking LSD leads to strong changes
in thought, mood and senses in
addition to feelings of empathy
and sociability. However, the exact
effects of LSD vary depending on
the mental state of the user and the
environment when taking the drug.
What are the risks associated
with LSD use?
Short term, LSDproducesdelusions
and distorted perceptions. The
user’s sense of depth and time
changes and colours, sound and
touch seem more intense.
Some LSD users experience
severe, terrifying thoughts and
feelings such as fear of losing
control, fear of insanity and death,
and despair.
The physical effects are small
compared to the psychological and
emotional effects. They include
dilated pupils, increased heart
rate and blood pressure, loss of
appetite, sleeplessness, dry mouth
and tremors.
Methamphetamine
Crack meth/Ice/Crystal
meth/Tik/Shabu/Yaba
What is it?
Methamphetamine
is
part
of the group of drugs called
amphetamine-type
stimulants
(ATS). It is a synthetic drug that
is usually manufactured in illegal
laboratories.
Methamphetamine comes as a
powder, tablet or as crystals that
look like shards of glass.
How is it taken?
It can be swallowed, sniffed/
snorted, smoked or injected.
How does it affect users?
Methamphetamine stimulates a
feeling of physical and mental
well being, as well as a surge of
euphoria and exhilaration. Users
experience a temporary rise in
energy, often perceived to improve
their performance at manual or
intellectual tasks. Users also
experience delayed hunger and
fatigue.
What are the risks associated
with methamphetamine use?
Short term, users can lose their
appetite and start breathing
faster. Their heart rate and blood
pressure may increase and their
body temperature may rise and
cause sweating. With large doses,
users can feel restless and irritable
and can experience panic attacks.
Excessive
doses
of
methamphetamine can lead to
convulsions, seizures and death
from respiratory failure, stroke or
heart failure.
Long term methamphetamine use
can lead to malnutrition, weight
loss and the development of
psychological dependence.
Once chronic users stop taking
methamphetamine, a long period
of sleep, and then depression,
usually follows.
Other risks
Methamphetamine use sometimes
triggers aggressive, violent and
bizarre behaviour among users.
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The above information is
reprinted with kind permission
from the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Please visit
for
further information.
© UNODC 2016
“Heroin is very
addictive and
users may quickly
develop physical
and psychological
dependence”
