Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Teens: Drugs
What is a drug? A drug is any substance that causes impairment. Drugs can include controlled substances, prescription and over-the-counter medicines, natural intoxicants, and impairing chemicals. Five different classifications of drugs have been established based upon the effects they have on the human body. These include:
- Cannabis: Marijuana, hashish, hash oil, and Marinol. Signs of cannabis use include euphoria, difficulty concentrating, short-term memory loss, increased appetite, lack of motivation, disorientation, bloodshot eyes, and dilated pupils.
- Stimulants: Cocaine, Crack, amphetamines like crystal meth and speed, Ritalin, Adderall, and Ecstasy. Signs of stimulant use include increased alertness, excitation, euphoria, loss of appetite, insomnia, dilated pupils, and a “wild-eyed” look.
- Depressants: Barbiturates, sleep producers such as Ambien and Resteril, tranquilizers such as Xanax and Valium, Rohypnol, Klonopin, and club drugs like GHB. Signs of depressant use include slurred speech, disorientation, eyelids drooping into the black pupil of the eye.
- Narcotics: Heroin, morphine, opium, pain killers including Codeine, Demerol, Vicodin, OxyContin, and Fentanyl. Signs of narcotic use include euphoria, drowsiness, nausea, deepening or cracking of voice, licking lips due to excessive dry mouth, drooping eye lids, and pin-point pupils.
- Hallucinogens: LSD, mescaline, peyote, PCP, and Ecstasy. Signs of hallucinogen use include poor time and distance perception and, of course, hallucinations.
