Commonly Abused
Drugs
Depressants
 A psychoactive drug that slows brain and body reactions
is called a depressant.
 Depressants slow body functions by decreasing heart and
breathing rates and lowering blood pressure.
Depressants- Barbiturates
 Barbiturate are also called sedative-hypnotics
 Small doses barbiturates are sedatives- they relax a person
 High doses barbiturates are hypnotics- they induce sleep
 High potential for abuse
 Abusers walk slowly, slur their speech, and react more slowly
to their environment.
 Withdrawal can be fatal
GHB
 Gamma Hydroxybutyrate: GHB; G; Liquid X; Liquid E;
GBH; Gamma-oh; Blue Verve
 GHB is most notorious for a few cases where it has been
given to unsuspecting individuals, it is more commonly
used as a recreational intoxicant like alcohol, as a sleepaid, or as a supplement by body-builders
 One of the major concerns with GHB is that the
recreational dosage range is narrow and even small
overdoses can cause temporary unrousable
unconsciousness (a type of coma) and large overdoses
(poisonings) can be life-threatening.
GHB
 GHB is illegal to possess or sell in the United States. It
became schedule I (federally) in March, 2000 though it
was scheduled in many states between 1997 and 1999.
 GHB was developed in the early 60s as a human
anesthetic, but was discontinued due to unwanted side
effects. It's use as a sleep aid and body building
supplement in the 80s and as a recreational psychoactive
in the 90s led to it being scheduled in the U.S. in March
of 2000.
CNS Depressants
 A CNS depressant is a sedative that slows the activity of
the central nervous system (CNS).
 This class of drugs used to be called tranquilizers
 Slow nerve activity, relax muscle tension, lower alertness,
and cause drowsiness.
 Doctors may prescribe CNS depressants to treat anxiety,
sleep disorders, muscle spasms, and convulsions.
 Long-Term Abuse: blood and liver disease
Depressants-Opiates
 An opiate is any drug made from psychoactive
compounds contained in the seed pods of poppy plants.
 Some opiates can be produced in a laboratory.
 In small doses, opiates act to dull the senses, relieve pain,
and induce sleep.
 Morphine and codeine, for example, are used in some
prescriptions medications to reduce severe pain.
Depressants- Opiates
 There is a growing concern in the use of opiatecontaining painkillers or cough syrups for a “high.”
 Larger than recommended doses
 Dangerous or life-threatening side effects
 Heroin is an illegal opiate made from morphine in a
laboratory
 Heroin is highly addictive
Stimulants
 A stimulant is a drug that speeds up activities of the
central nervous system.
 Stimulants increase heart rate, blood pressure, breathing
rate and alertness.
 Prescribed to treat sleep disorders and behavioral
disorders such as ADD and ADHD
Stimulants-Amphetamines
 Are a prescription drug that are sometimes sold illegally
as “speed” or “uppers.”
 Produces feelings of well-being and high energy.
 Effects wear off quickly and user feels depressed.
 The “down” often leads to taking another- and anotherdose.
StimulantsMethamphetamine
 Even more powerful than Amphetamines.
 AKA: Meth, Crank, Crystal or Ice
 Produces a rush or high
 After drug wears off the user may become shaky,
confused, anxious, irritable or violent.
 Meth users ultimately become paranoid and psychotic
due to brain damage.
 Meth may also cause strokes and deadly convulsions.
Stimulants- Cocaine
 Powerful but short acting stimulant
 Abusers sniff drug into nose, smoke it, or inject it
directly into their bloodstream
 Highly addictive, tolerance develops quickly
 Users often experience depression when coming “down”
 Overdose of cocaine, which can be caused by even a
small amount, may result in seizures, heart failure, or
respiratory failure.
 Overdose can be fatal
Stimulants- Crack
 A process known as “free-basing” changes cocaine into a
concentrated, smokable form known as “crack.”
 Strongest form of cocaine
 Short but powerful effects produced by crack occur
within eight seconds after it is smoked.
Hallucinogens
 Are drugs that distort perception, thought, and mood.
 Hallucinogens overload the brain with sensory
information, causing a distorted sense of reality.
 Illegal and have no medical use.
 Frightening and unpredictable mood swings, abusers
cannot tell what is real, memory loss and personality
changes.

Hallucinogens- LSD
 Lysergic Acid Diethylamide: LSD or Acid
 It can either stimulate or depress the CNS
 User may see colorful visions
 Can have frightening episodes known as “bad trips.”
 User may have a “flashback” – unexpected reoccurrence
of a bad trip
 May happen years later
Hallucinogens- Psilocybin
 AKA: Mushrooms or Shrooms
 Chemical found in certain mushrooms
 Ingested
 Effects are similar to LSD but not as strong
 Similar-looking but deadly mushroom is sometimes
mistaken for psilocybin.
 In 1968 possession of psilocybin mushrooms was made
illegal in the United States.
Hallucinogens- PCP
 Phencyclidine: PCP or Angel Dust
 Once used as an anesthetic, or painkiller for large animals.
Only available illegally now.
 Users may smoke it with marijuana, inject, sniff or eat it.
 Eliminates pain, users may injure or kill themselves
unintentionally
 Some abusers develop schizophrenia
 Effects remain log after drug use ends, flashbacks may occur
MDMA Ecstasy
 Psychedelic Amphetamine- Stimulant/Hallucinogen
 MDMA was first synthesized in the 1890s and later
patented by Merck pharmaceuticals on December 24,
1912, but it wasn't until the mid 1970s that articles
related to its psychoactivity began showing up in
scholarly journals.
 In the late '70s and early '80s MDMA was used as a
psychotherapeutic tool and also started to become
available on the street. Its growing popularity led to it
being made illegal in the United States in 1985 and its
popularity has continued to increase since then.
MDMA Ecstasy
 Many users also experience some level of post-MDMA
depression, often starting on the second day after the
experience and lasting for up to 5 days.
 Negative effects can include overheating, nausea,
vomiting, jaw-clenching, eye-twitching, and dizziness, as
well as depression and fatigue in following days. After
frequent or heavy use, some users report bouts of
dizziness or vertigo which gradually subside after
cessation of use.
Marijuana
 The leaves, stems, and flowering tops of the hemp plant.
 AKA: Pot, weed, dope or grass
 Smoked in a “joint” or “blunt”, mixed with food and
eaten.
 It also comes in a more concentrated resinous form
called hashish, and as a sticky black liquid called hash
oil.
Marijuana
 Both sales and possession of cannabis are illegal in the
United States and most countries, however many states
have legalized the medical use of cannabis.
 Additionally, some states have decriminalized the
possession of personal use quantities (under 1/2 - 1
ounce) choosing to punish this with a fine rather than jail
time.
Marijuana- Medical
 Marijuana has many possible medical uses. Positive
effects are claimed for ailments such as cancer, AIDS,
and glaucoma. AIDS can cause a loss of appetite known
as the "wasting syndrome" which can lead to drastic
weight loss and weakness.
 Chemotherapy used in the treatment of cancer causes
nausea resulting in an inability to keep down food.
Marijuana's healing nature for these two illnesses is a
result of it's ability to increase a person's appetite as well
as relieving nausea allowing a patient to regain weight.
Marijuana reportedly helps glaucoma patients by
reducing occular pressure which can cause damage to
the eye.
Marijuana- History
 The cannabis plant has been used both medicinally and
recreationally for thousands of years. It wasn't until the
early 19th century that the use of cannabis spread from
China and the Middle East to the population of Europe
and then to America in the middle of the century.
 Cannabis was made illegal in the U.S. in 1937.
Effects of Marijuana
 It is one of the most frequently abused psychoactive drugs. It’s
main ingredient changes the way information reaches and is
acted upon by the brain.
 Side effects can include: distorted perception- sights, sounds,
time and touch.
 Difficulties thinking and problem solving
 Loss of motor coordination, increased heart rate, feeling of
anxiety or paranoia
 May damage short-term memory