Teenage Drug Facts

Teenagers can be very vulnerable to drug abuse, especially when they are uniformed about the consequences of taking illegal drugs. It is for this reason children should be made aware of the dangers of taking unauthorized drugs. Knowing that taking drugs can result in death and knowing what these drugs look like could save your child's life. Since children start experimenting with drugs as early as 12 years of age, it's best to discuss the subject with them sometime before they enter middle school.

Significance

• According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, 7.5 million teens living in the United States in 2003 admitted they took an unauthorized drug at least once at some time in their life. That combined with the fact that forbidden drugs taken by teenagers stimulates reckless behavior that can lead to serious results, including arrest and death, is something to be concerned about. Besides running the risk of becoming infected with HIV or hepatitis, teenagers who misuse drugs also face the possibility of developing mental disorders.

Types of Drugs

• There are many types of drugs teenagers can get involved with. Two club drugs that circulate in places like nightclubs and party scenes are ecstasy (MDMA) and GHB, which is also known as Liquid X and Georgia Home Boy. Other drugs are cocaine (also called dust, snow and blow), mind-altering drugs such as LSD (also called acid and blotter), heroin (also called smack, brown sugar and mud), drugs that are inhaled (sniffed from containers or sprayed into the oral or nasal cavity), marijuana (also called pot, Mary Jane and reefer), methamphetamine (also know as speed, chalk and meth) and steroids (also referred to as gym candy, juice and stackers). Teens also abuse cough and cold medicines to obtain the mind-altering effects the ingredient DXM produces.

Effects

• Excessive use of ecstasy can alter the way the brain functions, and GHB can trigger a seizure or induce a coma. Cocaine can make users feel energized, and it can provoke a heart attack, respiratory failure, a stroke, a seizure and death. LSD can make its user hallucinate. It can also accelerate the heart, elevate blood pressure, induce a coma, provoke a heart attack, cause lung failure and bring on paranoia. Heroin can cause tiredness, unclear thinking, fatal overdose and HIV or hepatitis infection. Drugs inhaled can cause instant death, choking, suffocation, or a heart attack. Marijuana can impair memory and mental ability. Methamphetamine is stimulating and suppresses the appetite. The use of steroids makes users vulnerable to infection, heart attack and stroke, and it can change a person's appearance and make its user hostile.

How Teenage Drugs are Used

• The drug ecstasy is ingested in pill, tablet or capsule form. Cocaine is inhaled through the nose, delivered by injection or smoked. LSD is consumed. Heroin can be taken by injection, by mouth, by smoking and by inhalation. Inhalant drugs are inhaled. Marijuana is rolled or put in a pipe and smoked. Methamphetamine can be inhaled, injected or smoked. Steroids can be swallowed or injected into the bloodstream.

Identification

• Ecstasy pills come in various colors, and they may have a cartoon on them. Cocaine is a white powder. LSD can be a pill, a liquid or it can be on printed blotter paper that may be sectioned into small squares. Heroin looks like a powder that is white or brown. Inhalants are fumes released from such items as paint thinner, hair spray or butane lighters. Methamphetamine appears in crystal or powder form. Steroids can be in liquid form or pill form. Marijuana looks like dried leaves.

Solution

• A drug treatment program appropriate for teens abusing drugs can be successful. The first step toward rehabilitation is to find a substance abuse treatment center nearby. Some facilities, such as hospitals, may have outpatient or inpatient treatment programs. Treatment usually starts with detoxifying the body of drugs. Medication and/or behavioral therapy may be the next step. In severe cases of drug abuse, the patient may start to take drugs again after being treated. Additional treatment will then be needed.