What Are Designer Drugs?

“Designer” drugs, are as defined by pharmacologists, drugs of abuse that are:

• Made from common chemicals
• Exempt, at least initially, from control by Drug Enforcement Administration regulations because of their chemical structure
• Skillfully marketed on the street as legal through attractive, exotic names.

Designer drugs are predominately amphetamines. Because amphetamines can be easily modified, new drugs occasionally appear on the streets. Although thought of as new, companies trying to find decongestants and diet pills originally synthesized most of these drugs from 1940 to the 1960s, to compete with other amphetamine base remedies. Many of the chemicals were too toxic to be marketed at that time, have been rediscovered by today’s illicit drug dealers. Designer drugs are generally manufactured in clandestine laboratories from readily available chemicals. These synthetic drugs can be twice as powerful as cocaine or heroin, yet they cost little to produce. Designer drugs should not be confused with “look-alikes” combinations of ephedrine, caffeine and phenylpropanolamine (PPA), which are stimulants often found in over-the-counter drugs. These are often sold on the street as more powerful but illegal amphetamines.

What Is Ecstasy?

Other drugs chemically related to amphetamines include DOM (STP), MDA, and MDMA. MDMA stands for methylendioxymethamphetamine. Called “Ecstasy” or ” Adam” on the streets, MDMA has maintained its popularity throughout the United States, Canada, and Britain, despite that Drug Enforcement Administration’s has classified it as an illegal drug. Ecstasy is popular in the dance club crowds and on college campuses. Ecstasy is a unique amphetamine derivative because it causes hallucinations as well as feelings of exhilaration and excitement. In effect, this drug combines the punch of amphetamines and LSD. Ecstasy and other designer drugs work by releasing chemicals in the brain. After using designer drugs, a user’s mind is flooded with irrelevant and incoherent thoughts.

What Are The Side Effects Of Ecstasy?

Many of the problems users have encountered after using Ecstasy are psychological confusion, depression, sleep problems, severe anxiety, and paranoia. In some cases, users experienced psychotic episodes and then died after taking the drug. Ecstasy can also cause lesser physical side-effects, including nausea, chills, fainting, sweating, blurred vision, involuntary teeth clenching, and rapid eye movement. Ecstasy may also cause permanent brain damage.

What Are AMF And Fentanyl Nitrate?

Until a string of recent deaths, the public was unaware of the strength of designer drugs. Two such drugs, 3-methyl fentanyl (Fentanyl Nitrate) and alpha-methyl- fentanyl (AMF) were created to replace morphine, the active ingredient in heroin. AMP was the first substance to be called a designer drug. Commonly referred to as “China White,” “Persian White” and “Mexican Brown” on the street, these drugs are 3000 times more potent than morphine or heroin. Responsible for over 100 overdoses in California alone, there is little difference between a dose that produces euphoria and one that is fatal. Many deaths occur because users believe they are using heroin and shoot up their normal dose. Some victims die so rapidly they never get the needle out of their arm.

What is Ketamine?

The main form in which Ketamine is sold is in powder form, to be insufflated. Due to this, many phrases have arisen, synonymous with this format of taking the drug. A person may say “Sniff the ketamine” or alternatively “Sniff the meen”. It is often insufflated off a key or the

Ketamine Liquid

corner of a bank card, commonly in the nightclub scene where a user may say “Give us a ‘key’ there mate” or “let’s have a ‘corner’”, but can also be put into long thin lines on a hard surface and insufflated, and often the phrase “That’s a smart line of Ketamine” can be heard.

Ketamine is sold in either powdered or liquid form. In powdered form, its appearance is similar to that of cocaine and it can be insufflated, injected, or placed in beverages. It is also possible to smoke the drug in a joint or pipe, usually mixed with marijuana and tobacco. The smoke has a distinctive bitter taste but the effects of the high hit much faster than when insufflated, ingested or injected intramuscularly. Ketamine is typically injected into the leg, the onset for IM is about one minute. Heavy ketamine users solely use IM as their primarily method of administration due to the bypassing of the liver, its increased efficiency, and smoother high. Oral use usually requires more material, but results in a longer trip. However, when administered orally, ketamine is rapidly metabolised to norketamine, which possesses sedating effects; this route of administration is unlikely to produce a dissociative state characteristic of ketamine unless very high doses (500 mg+) are ingested. Intravenous self-injection of ketamine is very dangerous

What Is GHB?

Gamma hydroxy butyrate (GHB) is a depressant of the central nervous system approved as an anesthetic in some countries. Except for research, it is not approved for any use in the United States. In the past couple years, GHB has become a commonly abused drug, all but replacing Ecstasy as the chic drug of choice. Commonly referred to as “Liquid Ecstasy,” “Grievous Bodily Harm,” “Georgia Home Boy,” J/Liquid X,” “G- Riffick,” and J/Organic Quaalude,” it is available on the street as a liquid and is sold in small plastic bottles. Each bottle contains approximately nine doses and, at about $10 a bottle, is not only potent, but very cheap. Primarily used by people at parties and nightclubs, GHB is one of several drugs now characterized as a date rape drug. amphetamines. GHB is found nat- urally in every cell in the human body and is considered a nutrient. Both Ecstasy and GHB enhance the sense of touch, but GHB has sedative effects causing users to go to sleep or fall into a helpless, immobile state.

What Are The Effects Of GHB?

GHB was first synthesized as an anesthetic to be used in surgery about 30 years ago. Due to the unpredictable side effects, the medical community soon discarded it. Later, physicians realized the hormonal benefits of the drug and used it to promote muscle growth and weight loss. During the late 1980s, further research was conducted because GHB was becoming popular among body builders. Until 1991, GHB was a legal over-the-counter drug. In that year, the FDA restricted its use to licensed researchers only. GHB affects users like Ecstacy. Its chemical composition differs greatly. Ecstasy is a relative of amphetamines. GHB is found naturally in every cell in the human body and is considered a nutrient. Both Ecstasy and GHB enhance the sense of touch, but GHB has sedative effects causing users to go to sleep or fall into a helpless, immobile state. during August 1995, through September 1996, poison control centers in New York and Texas received reports of 69 overdoses and one death from GHB. This one fact alone proves that terms such as natural, organic, or supplement do not imply safety or legality. The negative effects of GHB are well documented – nausea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, drowsiness, amnesia, epileptic seizures, or even comas. Side effects of GHB can last from a few hours to as long as two weeks. Other common side effects are head- aches, reduced heart rate, sudden drop in blood pressure and car- diac and respiratory suppression can occur. These side effects led the FDA to make the drug illegal. ocybe mushrooms are addictive. In strong doses they cause paranoia and panic. Paranoid users may hurt themselves or others. Because the active ingredients in these drugs are chemically related to LSD, their side effects are similar.