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Do
you want more information about drugs?
Do you or someone you know need help?
Call the National Institute on Drug Abuse at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for more
information or a referral to a program in your area.
You may also
find help from 12-step programs like Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics
Anonymous. Look in the white pages of your local phone book to find a
chapter near you.
The Hays-Caldwell Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse has
counselors available to talk to you. Please see your school counselor about
a small support group that meets on campus once a week.
37 Scary But True
Facts About Drugs
Cocaine and Crack (coke,
blow, rock, base)
The
immediate effects of cocaine and crack last only 5 to 30 minutes. Then
people usually "crash" or feel very depressed.
Cocaine and crack are as addictive as heroin.
Some users spend hundreds or thousands of dollars a week to support
their addiction.
Inhalants (laughing gas, poppers, amies)
Inhalants - including solvents, aerosols, and glues - cause
headaches, hallucinations, violent behavior and loss of control of bladder
and bowels.
Inhalants can cause brain damage so severe that the person may no
longer be able to walk, talk or even think.
Using inhalants (huffing) even one time can kill you. This is called
Sudden Sniffing Death.
Heroin and Other Narcotics (horse, smack, dope, tar, junk)
People become addicted to heroin very fast. They can
experience painful withdrawal symptoms including vomiting, cramping and
shaking.
Heroin overdoses are common and deadly. Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin and
River Phoenix all died heroin-related deaths.
Other narcotics that have similar risks include morphine, codeine and
Vicodin.
Marijuana and Hashish (pot, weed, reefer, hash, blunts)
Long-term effects include memory loss, lower sperm count in
men, and problems with menstrual cycles in women.
Smoking as few as five marijuana joints a week may expose you to as
many cancer-causing chemicals as smoking a pack of cigarettes every day for
a week.
Marijuana can be both emotionally and physically addictive.
Methamphetamine and Other Stimulants (speed, meth, crank, crystal,
ice, uppers)
Methamphetamine is an addictive drug that speeds up your
nervous system.
Long-term use and/or high doses can cause symptoms that resemble
schizophrenia - including paranoia, hallucinations and imagining bugs on the
skin.
Hallucinogens (acid, angel dust, magic mushrooms)
Some of the more common hallucinogens include LSD, PCP and
psilocybin mushrooms.
Everyone reacts differently to hallucinogens. There is no way to know
if the person using will have a "bad trip."
Panic, confusion, anxiety, paranoia and loss of control are symptoms of
a "bad trip."
Alcohol and Other Depressants (booze, 40's, downers, phenos, benzos)
Depressants are drugs that slow down the nervous system.
Common depressants include alcohol, phenobarbital, Valium and Xanax.
Because it is legal for adults, some people mistakenly believe that
alcohol is safe. But alcohol - including wine, beer and hard liquor - is a
powerful depressant.
Mixing alcohol and other depressants is very dangerous - the result can
be a coma or death.
Other Common Drugs (designer drugs, steroids, the date rape drug,
tobacco)
Ecstasy (MDMA), GHB, Special K (Ketamine) are just a few of the
many designer drugs. Designer drugs have caused hundreds of deaths in the
United States.
Rohypnol (the date rape drug, roofies) is a depressant. It has been
slipped into victims' drinks so they can be raped after passing out.
Steroids - used to increase muscle size - have dramatic side effects
that include: shrinking testicles in men; facial hair and problems with
menstrual cycles in women; acne; aggressive behavior and depression; liver
damage; heart attacks; and strokes.
Nicotine, found in tobacco, is a drug that is as addictive as heroin
and cocaine.
Drug Use is Risky!!
Drugs change the way your body and mind work.
Drugs can create problems with family, friends, school and work.
When people use drugs they are more likely to have unprotected sex -
risking sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancy.
Most date rapes happen when one or more of the people involved have
been using alcohol or other drugs.
Car crashes, suicides and violent crimes are often drug-related.
Drug use is illegal. The consequences are jail or prison.
Thousands of deaths each year are drug-related.
Make Good Decisions
Your best chance to avoid addiction and other problems with
drugs is to not use them.
If you have experimented with drugs, talk with someone you trust about
the risks.
If someone offers you drugs, give a clear, firm "NO."
Remember, choosing not to use drugs keeps you in control of your mind,
your body and your future.
If you or someone you know has a problem with drugs, get help!
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