EFFECTS OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DRUGS _EFFECTS OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DRUGS

http://isabellaaa-drugsatcarmelcollege.blogspot.tw/2010/10/effects-of-different-types-of-drugs.html

Posted on Thursday, October 14, 2010 by Isabellaaa

Stimulants
Stimulants act on the central nervous system to speed up the messages to and from the brain. They can make the user feel more awake, alert or confident. Stimulants increase heart rate, body temperature and blood pressure. Other effects include reduced appetite, dilated pupils, talkativeness, agitation and sleep disturbance. Mild stimulants include:

• Ephedrine used in medicines for bronchitis, hay fever and asthma
• Caffeine in coffee, tea and cola drinks
• Nicotine in tobacco.

Stronger stimulants include:

• Amphetamines, including illegal amphetamines ("speed", "crystal meth", "ice", "shabu")
• Cocaine ("coke", "crack")
• Ecstasy ("E", "XTC", "eccy")
• Slimming tablets such as Duromine, Tenuate Dospan and Ponderax.

Large quantities of stimulants can "over-stimulate" the user, causing anxiety, panic, seizures, headaches, stomach cramps, aggression and paranoia. Prolonged use of strong stimulants can mask some of the effects of depressant drugs, such as alcohol, making it difficult for a person to judge their effects.
Depressants
Depressants are drugs that slow down the functions of the central nervous system. Depressant drugs do not necessarily make a person feel depressed. They include:

• Alcohol ("booze", "grog")
• Cannabis ("pot", "dope", "mull")
• Barbiturates, including Seconal, Tuinal and Amytal
• Benzodiazepines (tranquilisers), "benzos", "tranx" such as Rohypnol, Valium, Serepax, Mogadon, Normison and Eupynos
• GHB (Gamma-hydroxybutrate), or "fantasy"
• Opiates and opioids, including heroin ("H", "smack"), morphine, codeine, methadone and pethidine
• Some solvents and inhalants

In small quantities, depressants can cause the user to feel more relaxed and less inhibited. In larger quantities they can cause unconsciousness, vomiting and even death. Depressants affect concentration and coordination. They slow down a person's ability to respond to unexpected situations.
Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens affect perception. People who have taken them may believe they see or hear things that aren't really there, or what they see may be distorted in some way. The effects of hallucinogens vary a great deal, so it is impossible to predict how they will affect a particular person at a particular time.
Hallucinogens include:

• Datura
• Ketamine ("K", "Special K")
• LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide; "trips", "acid", "microdots")
• Magic mushrooms (psilocybin; "gold tops", "mushies")
• Mescaline (peyote cactus)
• PCP ('angel dust')
• Cannabis is an hallucinogen as well as a depressant. Ecstasy can also have hallucinogenic qualities.

Some effects of hallucinogens include dilation of pupils, loss of appetite, increased activity, talking or laughing, emotional and psychological euphoria and wellbeing, jaw clenching, sweating, panic, paranoia, loss of contact with reality, irrational or bizarre behaviour, stomach cramps and nausea.