Club Drug Info

Warning to Club Drug Users and Parents


CLUB DRUGS is a general term for a number of illicit drugs, primarily synthetic, that are most commonly encountered at nightclubs and “RAVES”. The drugs include MDMA (ECSTASY), Ketamine, GHB, GBL, Rohypnol, LSD, PMA, PCP, methamphetamine, and to a lesser extent, cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms. The drugs have gained in popularity due to the false perception that they are not as harmful, nor as addictive, as mainstream drugs such as heroin.


ALL OF THESE DRUGS ARE ILLEGAL TO POSSESS OR SELL.
One of the dangers associated with this emerging drug market is that the drug quality may vary significantly, and substitute drugs often are sold when suppliers are unable to provide the drug currently in demand. This has been a significant problem with club drugs when the illicit supply has been limited and any number of “look-alike” products can be sold in its place.


Remember that these drugs are made by criminals who are profit motivated. These criminals have little regard for the health and safety of the customers they sell illicit drugs to. A buyer never knows what he/she is receiving.


WARNING TO USERS


Recent research by the National Institute of Mental Health directly measured the effects of ECSTASY on the human brain. The study revealed that recreational use of the drug causes brain damage that may manifest itself in depression, anxiety, memory loss, learning difficulties, and other neuropsychiatric disorders. All of the drugs listed above are equally dangerous.


While overdosing on the club drugs such as PMA and Ecstacy, in many cases it raises your body temperature so high that the body convulses violently and cooks from the inside. If the body temperature is unable to be lowered, bleeding begins from all openings and death becomes imminent. Upon death, your bowels release their contents and your body instantly begins to consume itself. Not a glamorous way to die. Overdoses with club drugs are common because users never know the true dose, they rely on the criminal dealers to tell them. IS IT WORTH THE RISK OF BRAIN DAMAGE, OVERDOSING, BEING POISONED BY THE DRUG SUPPLIER OR BEING ARRESTED?


Club Drug Warning Signs


SIGNS THAT YOUR CHILD MAY BE USING CLUB DRUGS


  • Staying out late. Most "RAVE" parties begin late and end at daybreak. "RAVE" parties are the primary distribution point for Club drugs.

  • Extreme or moderate irritability the day after consuming these drugs. Ecstasy is called the hug drug because it heightens a users sensory perceptors and lowers inhibitions. It triggers the release of serotonin in the brain, which governs mood. A depletion of serotonin in the brain causes irritability the day after use.

  • Possessing a baby pacifier or a pacifier made of candy. Some Club drugs cause the user to clench their teeth tightly which causes discomfort. The pacifier eliminates the discomfort.

  • Inability to sleep.

  • Possession of fluorescent light sticks. Because drug users sensory perceptors are heightened with drugs such as ecstasy, fluorescent light sticks are popular with club drug users.

    • Alcohol is not synonymous with club drug use. When alcohol is mixed with club drug use. When alcohol is mixed with club drug use, it compounds the effects of the drug. GHB and Rohypnol are considered date rape drugs and the date rape effect is heightened with the introduction of alcoholic beverages.


    For more information, email your questions to: lakecountymeg@lakecountymeg.org


    You can obtain more information on particular
    "Drugs of Concern" by clicking on the following link
    to the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) website,
    DRUGS OF CONCERN


    Ecstasy (MDMA) Fast Facts



    Common Street Names Ecstasy, E, XTC, Love Drug, Hug Drug, Lover’s Speed, and Disco Biscuits.


    Chemical Composition MDMA is a stimulant with mild hallucinogenic properties, similar in chemical composition to both MDA and Methamphetamine.


    User Patterns MDMA is taken orally in tablet or capsule form. The user begins to feel the effects within 1 hour of ingestion. Effects may last up to 6 hours, depending on dose, purity, and the environment in which it is taken. Some users take multiple doses in order to suspend the effect, sometimes consuming as many as 10 tablets in a single night.


    Physiological Effects MDMA use greatly increases blood pressure and heart rate. Body temperature can increase to 109 degrees if taken at a club or rave where there is physical exertion. Obvious physical effects include muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, rapid eye movement, faintness, chills or sweating, extreme relaxation, and tremors. Use can result in heart failure or heat stroke.


    Psychological Effects MDMA is a mood/mind-altering drug, affecting brain serotonin levels. Common psychological effects are feelings of emotional closeness coupled with the breakdown of personal communication barriers, a sense of peace with oneself and the world, an enhanced sense of pleasure, greater self-confidence, and an increased sense of energy. Some users may experience panic attacks.


    Short-Term Effects Short-term effects of MDMA include confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, severe anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, and amnesia. MDMA also suppresses the desire to eat, drink, or sleep.


    Long-Term Effects Recent studies on rats and monkeys indicate that MDMA causes permanent brain damage in the areas critical to thought and memory and that it damages the neurons that use serotonin to communicate with other neurons. Users who develop an acne-like rash and continue to use MDMA are at increased risk of severe liver damage. MDMA may alter motor skills, giving the user the appearance of suffering from Parkinson’s disease.