FACT SHEETS
DRUGS
Please click on the topic below for details:
- Alcohol
- Amphetamines
- Anabolic Steroids
- Cannabis
- Cocaine
- Crack
- Heroin
- LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)
- Magic Mushrooms
- Poppers
It is a curious fact but true. Whenever human beings want to relax they frequently turn to chemical substances for help. We do this with alcohol, which has become ingrained in our society and is very much a daily part of our lives, and we do it with nicotine, a highly addictive drug for which the usual method of delivery, smoking tobacco, brings with it a whole host of poisonous and dangerous chemicals. But over the years we have learned that other substances can have mind-altering effects, some of which we find attractive. The trouble is that most of these chemicals are harmful to at least some degree. We make excuses to ourselves because we like the effects but we usually fool ourselves in doing so. Today, for example, it is interesting to see that the UK government is hastily backtracking on its liberalisation of cannabis, thought by some to be harmless, as leading medical advice grows stronger on the very real dangers to mental health. The Dutch authorities too, once the most liberal in Europe, are now believing that they have got to change their stance.
Help, advice and support is available. Call 0800 107 6163 to talk to a professional counsellor in confidence.We have prepared a brief list of the most common drugs, describing their effects and their dangers. Only you can decide whether the possible pleasures are worth the risks involved, and it can never be forgotten that all these substances are illegal. A conviction may do serious damage to a professional's career.
If you are concerned about a family member or colleague who is taking drugs and you would like to talk to someone in confidence, please call 0800 107 6163.
The information below is reproduced by kind permission of the Hertfordshire Constabulary.
Alcohol
Alcohol ... what are the effects?
Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream via the stomach and takes effect within 5-10 minutes. Effects vary according to individual health, weight and sex but, as a rough measure, three single whiskies drunk in one hour might result in 0.05% alcohol content in the blood - this would lift spirits and lessen inhibitions (a single whisky is equivalent to one glass of wine or half a pint of beer). Six double whiskies in an hour might produce uncontrollable behaviour and impair the functioning of the central nervous system; and 12 double whiskies in an hour might produce profound anaesthesia, near coma and death. Women get drunk more easily than men because they have less water per body weight. They also stay drunk longer if they are on the pill but get drunk slower during menstruation. Hangovers are actually the body's response of shock at being subjected to a substantial dose of a poisonous substance, combined with the dehydration caused by alcohol.
Alcohol ... what are the dangers?
Frequent intoxication damages the mouth, oesophagus, stomach and especially the liver, where overloading of the metabolizing process can cause hepatitis and cirrhosis. Heavy drinking affects the heart and is linked to brain disorders. Alcoholic drink provides calories, giving energy and thus reducing appetite. It contains no vitamins, minerals, amino acids or other essential nutrients.
If food consumption decreases there is a danger of malnutrition and if it continues, one of obesity (with attendant heart problems). Alcohol is particularly dangerous when taken with barbiturates or tranquillisers, causing deep sedation, a drop in blood pressure and possible breathing failure.
Alcohol is highly addictive. Severe withdrawal symptoms (delirium tremens or DTs) are acute panic, delusions, exhaustion and trembling to the point of seizure. This lasts 3-10 days. Severe DTs has a fatality rate of 20%, higher than any drug, except the barbiturates.
Amphetamines
Amphetamines ... also known as: Speed, Whizz, Billy.
Amphetamines ... what do they look like?
AmphetaminesProduced in tablet or capsule form, but mainly a coarse, off-white powder. It may contain other substances. It is usually wrapped into squares of glossy paper or self-sealed plastic bags.
Amphetamines ... how is it taken?
Amphetamines can be taken orally, snorted or sometimes injected.
Amphetamines ... what are the effects?
It can make people feel more alert and confident; some may feel very anxious and restless as the effects wear off. Taking amphetamines can also disrupt sleep and diet. Heavy use can cause mental health problems from depression to paranoia.
Amphetamines ... what does the law say?
Amphetamines are prescription only under the Medicines Act, but also controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Unauthorised production, supply or possession is an offence. It is also an offence to allow premises to be used for their production or supply. This drug is Class B unless prepared for injection when they become Class A.
Anabolic Steroids
Anabolic steroids are a group of hormones, which occur naturally in the body and are responsible for the development and functioning of the reproductive organs.
In the male, the hormone produced in the largest quantity is testosterone, which has two main effects - androgenic and anabolic. Androgenic effects include sexual characteristics such as an increase in facial hair and deepening of the voice. Anabolic effects include the build-up of muscle.
Medically steroids have limited use but can be used in the treatment of anaemia, thrombosis and can assist in the recovery of weakened muscles after prolonged bed rest.
Anabolic steroids ... what do they look like?
Anabolic steroids are found either in tablet form or as liquid oAnabolic Steroidsften in ampoules. Common trade names include Durabolin (Nadrolene), Stanozolol and Dianabol.
Anabolic steroids ... how are they taken?
They can be taken orally or injected. When misused by athletes or body builders, these drugs are taken in multiple combinations over cycles of 6-8 weeks, in doses, which far exceed therapeutic recommendations.
Anabolic steroids ... what does the law say?
Anabolic steroids are prescription only drugs under the Medicines Act 1968. They are also a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. It is illegal to supply them but it is not an offence to possess them if they are in a medicinal preparation and for your own use.
Anabolic steroids ... how much do they cost?
If prescribed legitimately, anabolic steroids don't cost more than the prescription. However, on the black market, they cost on average around £20 for 100 tablets, although some like Deca-Durabolin and Sustanon cost in excess of £30 for 10 vials or ampoules.
Anabolic steroids ... what are the downs?
Regular use can lead to psychological dependence. There have been some cases of temporary psychiatric problems such as confusion; sleep disorders, depression and paranoia. Other health problems can result, such as damage to the liver and high blood pressure. Heavy use in men can lead to an initial increase in sex drive, which can then become depressed, until use is stopped. Some users become very aggressive. In women regular use can promote the development of male characteristics such as excessive hair growth and deepening of the voice, which appear to be irreversible. If anabolic steroids are injected and needles shared, then there is risk of infection with HIV/Aids and Hepatitis.
Anabolic steroids ... what are the ups?
Some athletes, to build up muscle mass and enhance strength and stamina, use Anabolic Steroids. High doses are believed to improve an individuals' performance. People who want to increase body mass quickly can also take them.
Cannabis
Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in the UK.
CannabisCannabis ... what does it look like?
Hashish (or resin) is the most common form of the drug. It comes from the dried leaves of the cannabis (or marijuana) plant. It is made by compressing the sticky coating from the flowering tops of the plants into brown-black blocks. Herbal cannabis is generally less strong and is made from the leafy parts of the plant.
Cannabis ... how is it taken?
Cannabis is generally smoked in a cigarette (joint). It is usually mixed with tobacco, but herbal cannabis may be smoked on its own. Resin can also be put into food or brewed into a drink.
Cannabis ... how much does it cost?
Street deals are usually measured by weight and are known as 'eight's' or 'quarters'. Prices start at £15 for an eighth. Larger blocks of resin are often referred to as nine-ounce bars. Deals are wrapped in foil or cling film. Herbal cannabis is usually sold on the streets in small plastic money bags.
Cannabis ... what are the effects?
These depend partly on the expectations and mood of the user - it is common to experience little the first time. Hilarity, relaxation, greater appreciation of sound and colour, greater awareness of all physical sensations, elongation of time, effects begin minutes after smoking and much longer after eating. There is no hangover of the alcohol type, though a jaded feeling may follow a heavy dose.
Cannabis ... what are the dangers?
The main dangers are those related to smoking. Herbal cannabis ('grass') produces 50% more tar than the same weight of a popular strong tobacco brand. Also, cannabis cigarettes are usually smoked to the end and the smoke held longer and deeper in the lungs than tobacco. This means that two or three cannabis cigarettes can carry the same risk of lung damage as a greater number of ordinary cigarettes. Furthermore, recent studies have suggested that users may be up to seven times more likely to develop psychosis, delusions or manic depression.
Cannabis ... what does the law say?
Cannabis is a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. It was reclassified from a Class C drug in January 2009. It is illegal to grow, produce, posses or supply. It is an offence to allow your house or premises to be used for growing, preparing, supplying or smoking cannabis.
Cocaine
Cocaine is derived from the leaf of the Coca Plant Cocaine and was originally used as an effective local anaesthetic, widely used in eye, ear, nose and throat surgery before safer synthetic substitutes were discovered.
Commercial uses soon followed, such as cold cures and chewing gum, it was also found in the popular fizzy drink 'Coca-Cola' until 1903.
More recently, use of cocaine has been associated with the rich and the famous and was closely linked with the lifestyles of yuppies in the 1980's.
Cocaine ... also known as : Charlie, Coke, Toot, Chaz, and Snow
CocaineCocaine ... what does it look like?
A white crystalline powder. The Coca plant is grown most commonly in the mountains of South America, Columbia, Peru and Brazil.
Cocaine ... how's it taken?
Snorted or sniffed into the nostrils. Occasionally injected.
Cocaine ... what does the law say?
Cocaine is a Class A drug. If you are caught in possession of it, you could face a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and/or an unlimited fine. If you are caught supplying cocaine, you could be sentenced to life imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. Cocaine and its salts can still be prescribed but otherwise it is illegal.
Cocaine ... how much does it cost?
On the street, cocaine can cost about £50 a gram. However, you can never be quite sure what you're getting. Other substances such as milk powder, glucose and caffeine are often used to bulk it out so those dealers can push up their profits.
Cocaine ... what are the downs?
High doses may make people feel depressed, anxious or paranoid. Lack of energy may follow. The high lasts for a short time. Rapid psychological dependence may occur. Heavy regular use may result in aggressive behaviour and violent mood swings. Repeated snorting can damage nostrils and may lead to breathing problems or even heart failure. High spending on cocaine is often associated with debt and violence.
Cocaine ... what are the ups?
Cocaine is a strong stimulant with short-lived effects of up to 30 minutes. Users often feel more alert, physically strong and confident. Pain, tiredness and hunger may also be eased.
Crack
Crack is a derivative of cocaine, and first became popular in the 1980s, when its use was linked to gangs in America. Stories were rife about youngsters becoming addicted to the drug after just one use. Its appearance emerged in the UK a little later.
Crack ... also known as: Rock, freebase, wash, stone etc
CrackCrack ... what does it look like?
Crack is processed from cocaine to allow the drug to be more easily smoked. Its purity and appearance varies according to the method of production but it is often mixed with other substances. It can appear in various forms from yellow, pinkish or waxy white rocks similar to chips of broken porcelain to white granules similar to dried milk.
Crack ... how's it taken?
Users generally prefer to smoke crack by means of a water pipe. Homemade pipes are most likely to be found at street level and these are made from soft drinks cans, plastic and glass bottles, glass tubing and aluminium foil. The drug is heated gently in the 'pip' until it vaporises, and the fumes are then inhaled. It can also be burnt on tin foil and inhaled.
Crack ... what does the law say?
Crack is a form of cocaine and therefore a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. It is illegal to possess, supply or produce. It is also an offence to allow premises to be used for its production or supply.
Crack ... how much does it cost?
Prices vary between £5 and £10 for a small rock, which can contain around a quarter of a gram of cocaine.
Crack ... what are the downs?
Rapid psychological dependence can occur. Because the effects are short-lived, the need to achieve them grows with the dependence. Its frequent use is often associated with debt and violence and users have been known to spend more than £1,000 in one weekend to feed their habit. Those who are regular users may experience tiredness, depression, aggressive behaviour and a false degree of confidence. Regular smoking can lead to breathing problems and loss of voice.
Crack ... what are the ups?
Users get a strong initial rush although the effects are short-lived and only last for about 10 minutes. Users often feel more alert, physically strong, talkative and confident.
Heroin
Heroin has been used throughout the centuries and was first recognised for its pain relieving qualities. To this day morphine, produced from the opium poppy, is used as a high strength painkiller and is often used to treat cancer patients.
In the early 1980's illicit use of heroin rocketed. For the first time, the spread of the Aids virus was linked to those users who injected the drug and shared needles.
A widespread government campaign encouraging addicts to only use their own needles was screened throughout the country. Needle exchange schemes were also set up where users could take their dirty needles and swap them for new sterile ones.
Recently, heroin use has started to increase again with the number of dependant users registering for methadone treatment rising. A contributory factor is thought to be linked to the fact that heroin is often sold on the streets as 'brown', so uneducated users don't know that they are buying heroin.
Heroin ... also known as: Brown, Gear, H, Heaven, Horse, Junk, Skag, and Smack.
Heroin ... what does it look like?
heroinHeroin is made from the dried milk of the opium poppy. Illicit heroin can vary from off-white to mid-brown in colour. Generally it contains other substances such as glucose, paracetamol or brick dust.
Heroin ... how much does it cost?
Prices vary between £60 - £80 a gram. It is usually sold on the street in wraps, which can be made from folded squares of glossy magazine paper in much smaller amounts for between £10 and £20.
Heroin ... what does the law say?
Heroin is a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, making it illegal to supply or possess without prescription. It is also illegal to allow premises to be used for its production or supply.
-Heroin ... what are the downs?
When you come down, you can feel tired and sweaty and your breathing becomes heavy and uneven. The effects can last for several hours and can block out physical and emotional pain. If you get a particularly pure or impure dose of Heroin, it can kill you. Using it with other drugs, such as alcohol, can also be fatal.
Heroin ... what are the ups?
You feel a wave of pleasure sweep over you and intense relaxation. Any worries or pain you might be feeling fade away.
Heroin ... what's the damage?
You can easily become mentally and physically dependent on Heroin. Once dependant, larger doses of Heroin are required to achieve a high. Users may then reach a point when they have to take the drug just to feel normal and avoid withdrawal symptoms. It is very easy to take an overdose. Those who smoke heroin to begin with usually turn to injecting it to make it go further. Beating a dependency is often a very long and painful process. Doctors most commonly prescribe methadone as an alternative to heroin with the dosage strictly controlled. Users who inject often run the risk of catching diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis, particularly if needles are shared.
LSD
LSD is derived from a fungus found growing wild on rye and other grasses. It was first produced in 1938 and its discoverer underwent the first LSD trip in 1943.
In the 1950s and 1960s, LSD was commonly used in psychotherapy before it began to be used recreationally.
LSD ... also known as: Acid, trips, tabs, dots etc
LSDLSD ... what does it look like?
LSD is most commonly found impregnated onto small squares of blotting type paper of approximately 8mm square. These squares of paper are often printed with designs which reflect the latest film and fashion images. Less commonly, LSD is found as a white powder. Minute amounts are generally mixed with other substances and formed into tablets, capsules or microdots.
LSD ... how's it taken?
LSD is taken orally by placing the paper square directly in
the mouth or into a drink.
LSD ... what does the law say?
LSD is a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. It is illegal to possess, supply or produce or to allow premises to be used for its production or supply.
LSD ... how much does it cost?
Individual squares of LSD can cost as little as £3.
LSD ... what are the downs?
Strengths vary and it is impossible to know how strong a dose is being taken. A trip begins after about 45 minutes and can last between eight and 12 hours. Once it has started it is impossible to stop. LSD is unpredictable and what it does largely depends on the users state of mind. It can be very frightening and panic and paranoia can follow. Some users experience flashbacks. The long term effects of LSD aren't known and although physical addiction is unlikely, users might become psychologically dependent on the drug.
LSD ... what are the ups?
LSD is an hallucinogenic drug, which distorts the senses. Sight and sound may be intensified, colours may be sharpened and some users experience visions.
Magic Mushrooms
There are about a dozen varieties of hallucinogenic or 'magic' mushrooms that grow in the UK, the most common of which is the Liberty Cap derived from the Psilocybe family.
Magic mushrooms were originally harvested for their medicinal properties and references to them date back to ancient tribes and civilisations.
Magic Mushrooms ... also known as: Shrooms, Mushies etc
Magic MushroomsMagic Mushrooms ... what do they look like?
Because of the numerous varieties of mushrooms with hallucinogenic properties, it is often extremely difficult to distinguish them from their poisonous and sometimes deadly cousins and identification can be very complex.
Magic Mushrooms ... how are they taken?
Can be eaten raw, cooked or brewed into a tea, some may be preserved by drying and then taken at a later date.
Magic Mushrooms ... how much do they cost?
Most users pick their own, but less commonly they can be bought from dealers. Prices vary depending on the season, but a bag containing about 30 mushrooms can cost around £5.
Magic Mushrooms ... what are the downs?
As with LSD, tolerance rapidly develops to magic mushrooms and users may find that increasingly higher doses are needed to achieve a similar effect. Nausea, stomach pains and vomiting are common. Bad trips can also occur which may develop into brief psychotic episodes. There have also been reports of flashbacks. By far the greatest danger is the fact that poisonous mushrooms can be mistakenly taken.
Magic Mushrooms ... what are the ups?
The effects are similar to a mild LSD experience but may also include the feeling of euphoria and an increased heart rate, blood pressure and pupil size may result. The sensations also take effect in a much shorter time - usually after 30 minutes - but also last for a shorter time - between four and nine hours. If high doses are taken, the user may experience visual distortion and vivid hallucinations.
Poppers
Poppers is the term given to a group of chemicals known as Alkyl Nitrates which include Amyl, Butyl and Isobutyl Nitrates.
They are sold in clubs, sex shops, bars, market stalls and some record or clothes shops as room odorizers under various brand names.
Mostly people within the dance and club scene and in the gay community take poppers for their euphoric effects. When taken, body muscles relax and a warm sensation is felt across the body. Blood vessels enlarge, lowering blood pressure and increasing the heart rate, sending large amounts of oxygenated blood rushing through the heart and brain.
PoppersPoppers ... what do they look like?
Most often poppers appear in small brown glass bottles as clear or yellow volatile and inflammable liquids. They are described as having a sweet smell when fresh but the odour of dirty socks when stale.
Poppers ... how are they taken?
Poppers are inhaled either directly from the bottle or from a cloth or anything absorbent.
Poppers ... what does the law say?
Amyl nitrate has now been classed as a prescription only drug under the Medicines Act 1968 and its sale from clubs, shops and other entertainment venues is illegal.
Poppers ... how much do they cost?
They can be purchased relatively cheaply. Between £5 to £7 per ten ml bottle. Poppers ...
Poppers ... what are the downs?
The user may feel light headed and dizzy. Some people experience mild nausea and a pounding headache afterwards. Accidents are more likely because co-ordination is affected. Poppers are dangerous for people with high blood pressure, heart or glaucoma conditions. Swallowing the substance can prove fatal.
Poppers ... what are the ups?
A fast-acting drug but with short lived affects which usually last between 30 seconds and two to three minutes. Emotions are intensified followed by a feeling of well being.
Reproduced by kind permission of Hertfordshire Constabulary.
Help, advice and support is available.
To talk to a professional counsellor in confidence, call CABA's 24 hour Advice and Counselling Helpline on 0800 107 6163.
If you are concerned about a family member or colleague who is taking drugs and you would like to talk to someone in confidence, please telephone 0800 107 6163
