Know the Score
What are
drugs?
A drug is any natural or
artificially made chemical
which is taken for
pleasure and that affects
your body.
Drugs like cannabis,
ecstasy, cocaine, speed,
heroin, LSD and magic
mushrooms are illegal.
But many are legal like
alcohol, headache
tablets, cigarettes and
glue.
Drugs affect lots of
people's lives. Even legal
drugs can be dangerous
when people become
addicted to them, like
alcohol or smoking.
How Drugs Work
All drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) affect the brain.
Different drugs have different effects and the same drug
can have very different effects at different times,
depending on its purity and the person's emotional mood,
health, circumstances and surroundings.
Drugs may be more harmful for young people because
their bodies and brains are still developing.
Some drugs are more addictive than others. And some
people are much more likely than others to become
addicted.
Main Types of Drugs
Drugs can be grouped into three main types:
Uppers - Also known as 'stimulants'. Drugs like
speed, ecstasy and cocaine speed the body up and
are extremely dangerous.
Downers - Also known as 'depressants'. Drugs like
heroin, alcohol and solvents slow the body down
and can be very dangerous if mixed together.
Hallucinogens - Hallucinogenic drugs, like acid
and magic mushrooms, alter the way you see, hear
and feel things.
Illegal drugs
What are class
are put into
A, B and C drugs? three different
classes - A, B,
and C.
Class A drugs
are considered
to be the most
harmful and
attract the most
serious
punishments
and fines.
Class A drugs
These include
heroin,
cocaine,
ecstasy and
LSD.
If found guilty
of possessing
Class A drugs
you could go to
prison for up to
7 years and
fined.
If you sell Class
A drugs you
could receive a
life
imprisonment.
Class B
drugs
These include
amphetamines such as
speed and barbiturates.
People found guilty of possessing a Class B drug
could go to jail for up to 5 years and be fined.
Those caught and found guilty of trafficking a
Class B drug can be sent to prison for up to 14
years.
Class C
drugs
Drugs in this
category include
cannabis,
tranquillisers and
anabolic steroids.
Maximum penalties
for possession are 2
years in jail plus an
unlimited fine.
Dealing or supplying
could get you 14
years in jail plus an
unlimited fine.
What can drugs
do to your body?
Illegal drugs can cause
things like
hallucinations,
sickness, depression,
liver and kidney
problems and fits.
Some illegal drugs can
kill the first time the
person takes them.
Taking too much of any
drug is called an
overdose. A serious
overdose of almost any
drug can kill you.
Which drugs are
against the law?
Drugs like
heroin,
cocaine,
ecstasy and
cannabis are
all illegal.
People who
take them, sell
them or are
found with
drugs on them
are breaking
the law and
could be
arrested by the
police and
sent to prison.
Which drugs
are dangerous?
All drugs, whether
legal or illegal, can be
dangerous.
Some drugs can hurt
people suddenly. An
illegal drug called
ecstacy, for example,
kills 60 people a year
in the UK.
But smoking and
drinking too much
alcohol can also kill
you. Alcohol is said to
cause more than
25,000 deaths a year.
120,000 people die
every year from
diseases caused by
smoking.
Effects of Drugs
Different drugs are taken for different effects. Drugs are split into
three general groups: (what are they?) Some examples are:
Drug group: Stimulants (Uppers)
Drug: Amphetamine, Cocaine
Effects: Increase energy, activity, heart rate, blood pressure.
Drug group: Depressants (Downers)
Drug: Alcohol, Heroin, Solvents
Effects: Relieves anxiety and tension. Calms users and slows them
down. High doses can make users drowsy and forgetful.
Drug group: Hallucinogens
Drug: Cannabis, LSD, Magic mushrooms
Effects: Cause hallucinations.
Drug name:
Cannabis
Group: Hallucinogen
Street name: marijuana/ bongo/ weed/ grass/ pot/ thai
sticks/ hash/ reefer/ blow/ draw
What it looks like: tobacco-like greenish or brownish
leaves mixed with seeds of the cannabis (hemp) plant.
Cannabis resin or “hash” is gummy brownish or black
substance, which is made into a powder or pressed into
slabs or cakes. Hashish is smoked or eaten. Cannabis oil or
“hash oil” is a liquid extracted from either the dried plant
material or the resin.
Immediate effects: Users feel relaxed and may have
sharper sense of colours and sounds. Some feel urge to
eat. If taken in food, effects can be stronger and harder to
control.
How does it
affect users?
How is it taken?
Can be smoked or cooked
and eaten with food or
brewed in tea.
Symptoms: bloodshot
eyes, giggling, hunger,
paranoid feelings
Cannabis can make users
feel relaxed and sometimes
euphoric. Users may also
experience a more vivid
sense of sight, smell, taste,
hearing, colours and sounds.
Some feel urge to eat. If
taken in food, effects can be
stronger and harder to
control.
Glossary: bloodshot налитый
кровью
giggling: to laugh nervously or
foolishly хихиканье
Risks
Short-term: Damages
ability to learn and carry
out many tasks,including
driving vehicles. Impairs
ability to concentrate
and conduct complex
tasks. Can lead to
tiredness and lack of
motivation
Long term: Regular heavy use
can lead to paranoia,
schizophrenia /,skɪtsə’fri:niə/
psychosis /saɪ’kəʊsɪs/, depression
and anxiety /æŋ’zaɪəti /. Smoked
with tobacco leads to lung cancer
and bronchitis /brɒŋ’kaɪtɪs/. Very
heavy use can lead to withdrawal
symptoms. Regular users of
cannabis lose interest to work,
study and personal relationships.
Paraphernalia
Paraphernalia may
include:
Marijuana is rolled in
cigarettes commonly
known as “joints”.
Hashish is smoked in
small pipes or water
pipes, cigarettes,
rollings, plastic bags,
clips (roach clips),
scales bongs
Legal status: Class C
Drug name:
Cocaine
Group: Stimulant
Street name: coke,
charlie, snow, C, toot,
flake, blow, Bazooka, Cake,
Coke, Lady
What it looks like and
how it's taken: Cocaine
is a white powder that is
snorted or dissolved and
injected.
The effects
Cocaine acts fast and lasts
about 30 min. Taking
cocaine makes users feel on top of
the world, wide-awake and
confident. Cocaine can raise the
body’s temperature, make the
heart beat faster and stave off
feelings of hunger.
Packed cocaine
Drug name:
Crack
Street name: rocks
What it looks like and
how it's taken: Crack, a
stronger version, comes as
rocks or stones and is
smoked or injected.
The effects
The effects of crack
smoking are virtually
immediate, peaking for
about two minutes and
lasting for only about 10
minutes. For snorted coke
there is a slower time to
peak but the effects lasts
around 20-30 minutes.
Crack
Risks
Short term: Some users
may feel tense and anxious
while using and afterwards
many feel very tired and
depressed. It can also
cause fits and sudden
death from heart attack or
stroke. Smoking crack can
cause breathing problems
and lung damage.
Long term: Frequent use
can lead to paranoia,
aggression, weight loss
and hallucinations. Cocaine
and especially crack
cocaine are highly
addictive. Chronic use also
causes severe mental
health problems.
Legal status: Class A
Paraphernalia
may include: Razors, blades,
mirrors, straws or something to
snort through (sometimes
specially made for the
purpose), glass pipe or tube,
plastic bottle or in foil, needles
and syringes, small brown glass
bottles, tiny spoons
Drug name:
Ecstasy
Group: Stimulant/
Hallucinogen
Street name: 'E‘
mitsubishi, diamonds, euros
eckies E/ Snackies/ New
Yorkers
What it looks like and
how it's taken: Tablets of
different shapes, sizes and
colours - often with a
designer logo. Taken by
swallowing the tablet.
Immediate effects:
Within 20 minutes to one
hour, increases energy and
sense of well-being.
Sounds, colours and
emotions more intense.
Lasts up to 6 hours.
Risks
Short term: Use can lead to overheating and
dehydration if users dance without taking breaks or
sipping non-alcoholic fluids. This can be fatal. Drinking a
pint of liquid every hour and eating a salty snack from
time to time are advised. Users can feel tired and
depressed for a few days after use.
Long term: Ecstasy use has been linked to mental health
problems, and liver, kidney and brain damage.
Legal status: Class A
Drug name:
PMA
Street name: Chicken Yellow, Chicken Fever, Double
Stacked, Mitsubishi Turbo, Red Mitsubishi, Killer.
What it looks like and how it's taken: Usually a white
tablet which is unusually thick compared to ecstasy, hence
the name 'Double-Stacked'. PMA is swallowed.
Immediate effects: similar effects to ecstasy although
effects last stronger.
Risks: Short term: PMA affects the body's temperature
control and as it is stronger than Ecstasy the risk of
overheating is much greater. Frequent use can also bring on
paranoia and depression.
Long term: As PMA is quite a new drug. Long term risks
are thought to be similar to the risks associated with
Ecstasy
Legal status: Class A
Drug name:
Heroin
Group: Depressant
Street name: Smack, scag, H, junk, gear
What it looks like and
how it's taken:
Brownish-white powder.
Some heroin comes in a brown/
black form that looks like hard toffee. Smoked, dissolved or
injected. Immediate effects: Slows the brain, heart rate
and breathing. Small doses bring a sense of warmth and
well-being; larger doses make users drowsy and relaxed,
and free from worry and pain.
Risks
Paraphernalia may include:
Needles, syringes, spoon,
lighter or candle
Short term: There is a
real risk of drug overdose,
possibly leading to coma
or death. Heroin is often
mixed with domestic
household substances and
other additives which can
be harmful.
Long term: Heroin is
highly addictive. Injecting
can damage veins; sharing
needles can spread
hepatitis and HIV.
Legal status: Class A
Drug name:
LSD
Group: Hallucinogen
Street name: Acid
What it looks like and how
it's taken: Comes in small
squares of paper, often printed
with designs, or as tiny tablets
called microdots and dots.
Tablets are swallowed. It is a
myth that LSD can be
absorbed through the skin.
Immediate effects:
Hallucination—the 'trip'. Starts
within an hour and can last 8 12 hours or longer.
Surroundings seem altered,
colours brighter, sounds
different or new, movement
and time may seem to speed
up or slow down.
Risks
Short term: Trips cannot be controlled or stopped.
A bad trip can be terrifying, which requires help and
reassurance from others.
Long term: Users may have 'flashbacks' where
they relive a trip without taking the drug again.
Legal status: Class A
Drug name:
Methadone
Group: Depressant
Street name: meth, linctus
What it looks like and how it's
taken: Comes as a green, amber
or blue mixture liquid, or as white
tablets. Usually swallowed, but it can come in tablet or
injectable form.
Immediate effects: Effects similar to heroin, although less
intense but longer acting.
Risks
Short term: Drug overdose, possibly leading to coma or
death, if taken by someone not used to the drug.
Methadone should only be taken as part of a prescribed
and supervised programme to treat addiction to opiate
drugs, especially heroin.
Long term: Methadone can be addictive, and it should
never be given or sold to someone else.
Legal status: If possessed without a prescription or
supplied illegally, classified as Class A.
Drug name:
Amphetamines
Group: Stimulant
Street name: Speed, whizz
What it looks like and how it’s
taken: Grey or white powder that
is snorted, swallowed, smoked,
injected or dissolved in
drink.Tablets are swallowed.
Immediate effects For 3 or 4
hours users feel excited, confident,
alert and full of energy.Reduces
appetite and ability to sleep.
Risks
Short term: Some users may feel tense and anxious
while using and afterwards many feel very tired and
depressed. The drug can cause sudden death from heart
attack or stroke.
Long term: Frequent high doses can cause panic,
hallucination and weight loss. Heavy long-term use
places strain on the heart and can cause mental illness.
Amphetamines are addictive.
Legal status: Class B; Class A if prepared for injection
Paraphernalia may include: Possibly needles and
syringes.
Drug Name:
methylamphetamine
Group: stimulant
Street names: Crystal Meth,
Ice, glass, Tina and Christine, yaba
What it looks like and how it’s taken: produced in
tablets, powder, or crystalline forms. It can be swallowed,
sniffed/snorted, smoked or injected. The tablet form is
sometimes referred to as 'yaba' and the crystalline
smokeable form often referred to as ‘ice’.
Legal status: was reclassified as a Class A drug on 18th
January 2007. It is illegal to have, give away or sell.
Immediate effects:
Can act on the brain and
nervous system. Like
cocaine has stimulant
properties but is much
longer acting. ‘Ice’ – like
‘crack cocaine’ can be easily
smoked and can rapidly lead
to high blood levels. It’s also
long-acting compared to
crack so it’s an extremely
powerful and addictive
stimulant.
Drug name: Group: Hallucinogen
Street name: Shrooms,
Magic
mushies
What it looks like and how
Mushrooms it’s taken:
Grow wild throughout Scotland
and are eaten raw, dried,
cooked in food, or stewed into
a tea.
Immediate effects: Similar to
LSD but the trip is milder and
shorter, usually lasting about 4
hours.
Risks
Short term: Stomach pains,
sickness and diarrhoea. Can
complicate mental illnesses.
Legal status: Unprepared not
controlled under the misuse of
drugs legislation. Classified as
Class A when prepared for use
(dried or stewed).
Solvents, glues,
gases, aerosols
Group: Depressant
What it looks like and how it's
taken: Butane gas cigarette lighter
refills, disposable cigarette lighters,
aerosol sprays (hairsprays, air
fresheners), whipped cream cans and
glue tins or tubes. Breathed in through a
cloth or sleeve. Gas to be squirted
straight into the back of the throat.
Immediate effects: Similar to being
very drunk. Users feel dizzy, giggly and
light-headed. Some hallucinate. Effects
last from a few minutes to 30 minutes.
Risks
Short term: Hangover for a day or two. Nausea, vomiting,
blackouts, bad cough, spots/sores around mouth, persistent
cold and heart problems. Inhaling with a plastic bag can
cause suffocation. It is extremely dangerous to squirt gas
into the mouth as this can cause sudden death. Never
chase anyone sniffing solvents as their heart may suddenly
stop beating.
Long term: Damage to brain, liver, kidneys, nervous
system, lungs and reproductive organs.
Legal status: It is illegal for retailers to sell butane gas
refills to anyone under 18.
Paraphernalia may include: plastic bag.
Drug Name:
Tranquillisers
Group: Depressant
Street name: Jellies, tranx, benzos.
Brand names include: Valium, Librium,
Mogadon
What it looks like and how it's taken:
Tablets or capsules. Can be swallowed or injected.
Immediate effects: Relieves anxiety and tension. Calms users
and slows them down. High doses can make users drowsy and
forgetful.
Risks: Short term: Dangerous mixed with alcohol or other
drugs.
Long term: Regular use can damage short term memory and
reduce energy. Almost all tranquillisers are addictive. Withdrawal
symptoms include depression, insomnia and panic attacks.
Legal status: If possessed without a prescription or supplied
illegally, classified as Class C.
Drug Name:
2CB & 2-CT-7
Legal status: Class A
Group: Hallucinogens
Street name: 2CT-7 is
known as T-7, 7-up,
seventh-heaven, Tripstacy.
What it looks like and
how it’s taken: white
powder or tiny 5mg pills.
Normally swallowed, they
can also be snorted.
Immediate effects: Most
people take several at a
time and effects can last
from 4-8 hours. The more
you take, the more intense
and uncontrollable the
experience.
Risks: bring on
headaches, nausea,
vomiting, panic attacks
and, at high doses, even
delirious states.
The Consequences
Class A
Drugs: Ecstasy, acid, cocaine, heroin &
methadone, mushrooms (if prepared), speed (if
prepared for injection).
Possession: Up to 7 years imprisonment or an
unlimited fine or both
Production or dealing: Up to life imprisonment
or an unlimited fine or both.
The Consequences
Class B
Drugs: Speed, Ritalin (without prescription),
Pholcodine
Possession: Up to 5 years imprisonment or an
unlimited fine or both.
Production or dealing:Up to 14 years
imprisonment or an unlimited fine or both.
The Consequences
Class C
Drugs: Cannabis, tranquillisers & some
painkillers (without prescription), GHB.
Possession: Up to 2 years imprisonment or an
unlimited fine or both
Production or dealing:Up to 14 years
imprisonment or an unlimited fine or both.
Drugs and Driving:
The Effects
Driving under the
influence of drugs
can seriously affect
your driving ability,
increasing your risk
of having an
accident and
endangering both
your life and the
lives of others.
The effects of driving under the
influence of drugs include:






Impaired co-ordination
Distorted visual perception
Over-confidence
Loss of concentration
Inappropriate driving
Reduced ability to judge
distances and speeds
Warning signs of
possible drug use
Warning signs of possible drug use include:
• sudden changes in mood from happy and alert to sullen
and moody
• aggressive or irritable behaviour which is out of
character
• a loss of interest in school, sport or other activities
• unusual sleep patterns or difficulty in sleeping
• unusually secretive behaviour or lying
• money going missing or belongings being sold
• unusual objects found, such as powders, capsules,
scorched tinfoil, empty plastic bags smelling of glue or
repeatedly folded small pieces of paper.
DRUG ENFORCEMENT
DEPARTMENT
Drug Enforcement Department is an autonomous structural
division in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Its units are
responsible for preventing and combating illicit trafficking in
drugs, psycho tropic substances, precursors, as well as
detecting the sources, routs, places of sale and consumption
areas.
purpuse
Much attention is paid to locate clandestine laboratories
specialized in production of synthetic and semi-synthetic
drugs; starting and ultimate points of drug transit
channels; criminal groups of drug traffickers as well as
their inter-regional and international ties; and ceasing of
their activities. Meanwhile a close cooperation with
foreign law enforcement agencies is being established.
The Department conducts anti-drugs propaganda,
creates conditions for medical treatment and social
rehabilitation of drug addicts.