A parent's guide to drugs and STREET slang
The Bottom Line: Be aware of all the drugs that are available on our streets.
It wasn't long ago that I was in high school - that I was a teenager. In 1993, and the
5 years preceding that I was in high school and junior high, and as far as drugs are
concerned, the worst things we ever had to worry about were alcohol, caffeine pills
and marijuana. This is not to say that other drugs weren't available, however, in our
area, they were not prevalent.
I would have to say that I was part of the majority of students in school - not in the
"IN" crowd, but not in the "OUT" crowd either. Yeah, we experimented with alcohol,
yes we got drunk, yes we did things that now, I as a parent would choke my
daughter for trying to do, HOWEVER, what teens are exposed to now is absolutely
frightening, both from a parental standpoint, as well as I would assume from a
teenager's standpoint.
As I was graduating from high school, sniffing inhalants like household chemicals and
nitrous oxide was just on the edge of breaking. Only the "losers" at that time did it.
There was no work of Ecstasy, GHB, Rohypnol, or "Special K" or any of the so-called
"designer drugs" that are available to our children now. Not to mention all the legal
herbal blends that can be purchased over the counter at any local drug store.
Last week, I sat in on a class in a local Citizen's Police Academy. The topic: DRUGS.
Great, I thought, expecting to be told of the basic four: Marijuana, Crack, Cocaine,
and Heroin. Most of us are familiar with all these drugs... they have been around
forever, for the most part, however, I was alarmed to find out that the availability
and affordability of Ecstasy, GHB, Rohypnol, and Ketamine, far supercede that of the
initial four.
In this class, I learned quite a bit on a lot of drugs that are out on our streets, in our
towns, and I want to pass the information along to as many people as I can, so we
can all stay better informed on the issue. As parents, unless we work with teens on a
professional level on a regular basis, we are out of the loop. It is up to us to stay in
the loop and on top of things, for the protection of our families and those we hold
dear.
The following is a list of drugs out on the streets, their street names, and how to
detect if a person is taking the drugs. This information comes from the Los Angeles
Police Department Drug Recognition Expert Program, which was made available to all
those attending the police academy last week.
There is also a website called "The Vaults of Erowid" that gives a lot of information
about the drugs - geared toward the users of the junk.
Ecstasy
Better known as XTC, MDMA, Adam, or just X, is a methamphetamine base that
costs between $10 and $40 per dose. The pills have designer logos on them or cute
designs - definitely catered to teens. It acts as a stimulant and a hallucinogen and
has been associated with deaths from exhaustion and heat stroke. According to
police detectives, When a person takes ecstasy, may times you will see them sucking
on a pacifier, a sucker, or some sort of stick, because the drug will make a person
grind their teeth, ultimately leading to broken teeth if they don’t have something to
chew on. Other Ecstasy paraphernalia includes the use of Vicks VapoRub and a facial
mask, which is said to heighten the euphoria of the drug.
GHB
Also known as Liquid X, Liquid Ecstasy, Grievous, Bodily Harm, Georgia Home Boy,
or just G, is synthesized from a solvent used to clean computer circuit boards and is
mixed with bottled water. One dose costs about $10 and the effects last about 3
hours. It brings on extreme relaxation, and has been associated with date rape,
seizures, comas, liver failure, and death. Used along with Ecstasy, it can cause
extreme hallucinations.
Special K "Ketamine"
Also called Vitamin K, and New X or New Ecstasy, Ketamine is a tranquilizer used by
veterinarians and costs anywhere from $20 to $40 for a dose that lasts one or two
hours. It is either snorted or smoked and is usually combined with Ecstasy. Effects
include hallucinations, and may result in impaired motor function and respiratory
distress.
Rohypnol
AKA: Roofies, the Forget Pill; is a sedative stronger than Valium and cost about $5
and may last up to eight hours. Its relaxing qualities intensify the effects of alcohol
and often results in complete memory loss. It is also known as the date rape drug.
STIMULANTS
Cocaine:
Dilated pupils, pulse and, blood pressure and body temperature are up. Some
possible effects include nasal redness, runny nose, talkativeness, increased
alertness, euphoria, loss of appetite and anxiety. Smoking "Crack" causes more
intense high of shorter duration.
The trade name of Cocaine is cocaine hydrochloride; street names include: coke,
snow, uptown, crack and rock.
The high of cocaine can last up to 90 minutes, and can be take orally, injected,
smoked, or inhaled.
Overdose symptoms include agitation, extremely high body temperature,
hallucinations, convulsions, and death.
Non-cocaine:
Pupils will be dilated, and pulse, blood pressure and body temp will all be up.
Possible effects of the drugs include restlessness, talkativeness, excitation, dry
mouth, body tremors, increased alertness, euphoria, insomnia, loss of appetite, and
anxiety.
Trade names include: Benzedrine, diphetamine, desoxyn, dexedrine, methedrine,
preludin, ritalin, and caffeine. Street names include: Dennies, copilots, black
beauties, dex, speed, meth, crank, uppers, and beans.
A high can last anywhere from 4-8 hours when taken orally, however any of these
can be taken by injection, smoked, or inhaled as well. Overdose symptoms are the
same as with cocaine.
PHENCYCLIDINE
Trade names include: Ketamine Hydrochloride, Ketalar, Ketaject, Sernyl, and
sernylan. Street names are: angel dust, crystal, doa, bust, green, sherms,
supercools, Jac, zombie, "Special K" and tictac.
Pupils will be near normal with these drugs, blood pressure, pulse and body
temperature will be elevated. Effects include a blank stare, cyclic behavior, warm to
the touch, perspiration, muscle rigidity, disorientation, repetitive speech, incomplete
verbal responses, speech difficulty, non-communicative, confusion, agitation,
increased pain threshold, illusions, may become combative, and the inability to focus
on an object as it is drawn closer to the face.
These drugs can be taken orally, smoked, injected, used as eye drops, or inhaled.
Hallucinogens
Trade names include mescaline, LSD, MOM, Peyote, and psilocybin. Street names are
Acid, love drug, cactus, buttons, magic mushrooms, and barrels. The drugs can be
taken orally, smoked, injected, and breathed in from another person.
Possible effects include a dazed appearance, body tremors, hallucinations,
perspiration, memory loss, poor perception of time and distance, uncoordinated,
paranoia, muscle tension, hypersensitivity, nausea, disorientation, speech difficulty,
flashbacks, and mood shifts. Duration of the highs varies depending on the way the
drug is taken and what drug is taken in this category.
Overdose symptoms include longer, more intense "trips", psychosis, and possibly
death.
Cannabis
Trade names: Hash oil, hashish, marinol, marijuana, and drowsinol. Street names:
Herb, Honey, Joint, Grass, Moth, Ganga, Weed, and Reefer. Effects of the drug last
about 3 hours.
Effects include: red eyes, body tremors, marijuana debris in mouth, odor of burnt
marijuana, relaxed inhibitions, disorientation, increased appetite, impaired time and
distance perception, lack of attention, paranoia, inability to focus on close objects.
Cannabis can be taken orally or smoked. Overdose symptoms include fatigue,
paranoia, and possible psychosis.
Inhalants
Trade names include: Amyl Nitrate, Butyl Nitrate, Toluene, paint thinner, nitrous
oxide, gasoline. Street names include: glue, locker room, rush, laughing gas,
snappers, kick, whiff.
Pupils may dilate, blood pressure and pulse will rise and body temperature may
elevate depending on the substance. Effects include an odor of the substance,
possibility of the substance being on the hands or face, confusion, disorientation,
slurred speech, bloodshot or watery eyes, laughing uncontrollably. Duration of the
high varies and overdose symptoms include coma and death.
Depressants
Street names include: downers, blues, and yellow jackets. rainbows, ludes, 714s,
booze, snooze, reds. Trade names are Phenobarbital, alcohol, valium, librium,
secoval.
Effects include slow pupil reaction, uncoordinated, drowsiness, droopy eyes,
sluggishness, thick, slurred speech, disorientation, drunken behavior, and the stupor
can last anywhere from five to 18 hours.
Depressants can be taken orally or injected. Overdose symptoms include shallow
breathing, cool/clammy skin, rapid or weak pulse, coma and possible death.
Narcotics
Trade names: Codeine, demerol, morphine, opium, methadone, percodan, and
heroin. Street names: schoolboy, smack, junk, and downtown.
Narcotics can be taken orally, injected, or inhaled, and last from one to six hours.
Methadone will last 12 to 24 hours. Effects include droopy eye lids, drowsiness,
depressed reflexes, low, raspy speech, dry mouth, facial itching, euphoria, fresh
puncture marks, nausea, and poor motor coordination.
Pupils will be constricted, pulse and blood pressure will be down, and body temp will
be close to normal. Overdose symptoms include those listed for depressants.
Author Unknown. Article published on Eopinions.com in April 4, 2001