The Drug Problem Today Signs of Drug Use 4 Stages of Abuse General Facts About Drugs Today What You Get With Our Program Package How Drug Testing Works Drugs of Abuse How Long Do Drugs Stay In The Body? The Drug Problem Today   Today's young people are faced with more choices than their parents had just 20 or 30 years ago. Cell phones, chat rooms, instant messaging, cable TV, email, and ipods- the world is changing at a rate that grows every day. We have instant and unfiltered access to information, products, media, and people. While this age of technology can be very exciting, it can also be quite overwhelming and brings new challenges to the family structure. Our kids now have tools that enrich their lives in some ways, but also raise the level of responsibility that they must assume at a young age. This new independence and accessibility makes our kids even more vulnerable to the allure of drugs than ever before. Every family and every child today is exposed to an ever growing presence of drugs. It is not just the “troubled” teens and slackers that are using drugs. Honor students, athletes and ordinary kids are unable to avoid drugs at school, parties, and friends’ homes. Temptation, curiosity and desensitization by the media lead otherwise good kids to make bad choices. Stable families and good schools provide only some protection. In interviews with students who use drugs with their parents, it is clear that there is no absolute barrier to drug use.  According to the most recent studies conducted in our nations school systems, 54% of all high school students will have used an illegal drug by the time they become seniors. These students are doing far more than "just" smoking marijuana - 82% have used cocaine and roughly 2% have tried heroine. They have far more to choose from than their parents did. Today, drugs like Ecstasy, Ketamine, GHB, and other substances are just as available as marijuana was only a few years ago. These drugs can have short and long term effects that can interfere with intellectual, emotional, and physical development, as well as produce more immediate dangers.   Many parents recall their own adolescence and wonder whether a little marijuana use or even experimentation with "harder" drugs is such a bad thing. After all, they survived, so how bad could it be? This view, more common than many would admit, is mistaken on several points. Drugs today, including marijuana, are more potent that they were even 15 years ago. In addition, newer synthetic drugs, such as Ecstasy and GHB, are used along with the more traditional intoxicants of alcohol and marijuana. These drugs are dangerous; they not only present a risk for habitual use and dependence, but also can produce abrupt and dramatic effects, including overdose and death. In addition to the dangers the drugs themselves pose, there is the threat from the environment where adolescents frequently acquire them. "Club drugs" are used at "raves" or parties where supervision is lacking, and the "underground" nature of the event fosters secrecy, unsafe sex, and impaired judgment. This environment leaves teens vulnerable to others to prey on them - to both introduce them to drugs and to add them to drinks without their knowledge, dubbed by the media as the "date rape" drug phenomenon. We are living in a society where 1 out of every 2 teens is trying drugs, and 2 out of 10 are using them on a regular basis. Parents and guardians risk the chance of their teenager getting behind the wheel of a car, loaded or high, and the parents are responsible for the damage their children do. The family car, personal property, private property, other peoples’ lives are at risk. Parents are ultimately held accountable for the actions of their kids. Not acknowledging that our kids are facing these situations is unrealistic. Parents who fear that the mere mention of drugs will put ideas into their kid’s heads are naïve. Kids know about drugs, see their friends taking drugs and are being offered drugs. Parents cannot assume that their attentive and thoughtful parenting will make their kids immune to the allure of drugs, and pressure from peers. Ignoring the problem will not make it go away. Proactive parents, who take their responsibility seriously, can make a difference in their kid’s lives. Adolescence is a period where young people undergo physical and behavioral changes that can be profound and alarming - to them as well as to their parents. Many of the following symptoms may indicate the presence of diseases or factors other than drug use and should be investigated by a trusted and competent physician. The following should be causes for concern: Abrupt changes in work or school attendance, quality of schoolwork or grades and/or discipline problems. Unusual outbursts or displays of temper. A shirking of responsibility. Unexplained changes in overall attitude, including depression, withdrawal or apathy. Deterioration or sudden change of physical appearance or grooming habits. Sudden secretiveness or inappropriate concerns for privacy; poorly concealed attempts to avoid attention and suspicion, such as frequent trips to the restroom or basement may be an attempt to conceal drug use. Wearing sunglasses, or frequent use of eye drops, to conceal the appearance of the eyes. Association with known drug users or "problem" students. Unusual borrowing of money from friends, siblings, or parents. Stealing - either at home or through shoplifting. Possessing unexplained valuables. Drug paraphernalia. But also be aware that kids are more sophisticated these days. They, too, know the above warning signs, and they will go out of their way to maintain good grades and an appearance of sobriety. The only way to know with certainty is by drug testing. 4 STAGES OF ABUSE Drug Abuse involves 4 stages: The first stage is experimentation. A person tries drugs for the first time, usually at a party or on a date. The second stage is occasional use. The drug is available from another person or openly offered at a party. The third stage involves regular use. The person finds he may like drugs and goes and purchases the drugs for himself. The fourth stage is habitual use. The person needs drugs. Drug hunger and craving control the user's life, and he will do anything to obtain drugs. The first, second, and possibly the third stage can be confronted within the family. The family needs to be very proactive in addressing the problem and discouraging any further drug use. Our Program is designed to be an important tool for families to implement their anti-drug policy in the privacy of their own home. If parents educate, define clear consequences of drug use, and implement home drug testing, they will be using powerful tools in shaping their kids lives, and keeping them on the right path. The fourth stage of drug abuse needs not only family understanding and recognition, but most likely requires professional help. Once identified through visible clues and signs, and verified by drug testing, parents must intervene and seek professional help immediately. Intervention gets results. Hunterdon Central High School in New Jersey was faced with a drug problem that had come to the attention of the parents, administration and school board. 80% of the senior class stated that they had used drugs within the past 12 months. A major anti-drug program was initiated that made clear to students that they would be tested for drugs. Drug use declined dramatically, with less than 5 percent of the students testing positive. John P. Walter, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, commenting on the Pride Survey Finding, said, "If our schools and parents were to utilize recognized, successful intervention techniques, including drug testing, we would be able to identify these youth and get them the counseling and treatment they need to turn away from drug use." GENERAL FACTS ABOUT DRUGS TODAY The average age for kids to begin experimenting with illegal substances is 13. The potency of marijuana THC levels is 15-20 times stronger than marijuana in the 1970s. Every year from 1975 to 1999, at least 82% of high school seniors surveyed have said they find marijuana "fairly easy" or "very easy" to obtain. In 2000, 88.5% of high school seniors said it was fairly or very easy to obtain. 60 percent of youngsters who use marijuana before age 15 go on to use cocaine. Columbia University has found that kids who smoke marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than their non-marijuana smoking peers. On average, kids found by their parents to be using drugs, have been using for two years prior to discovery. Most medical insurance policies have a clause that allows them to not pay a medical claim "if there is an illegal substance in the system, or an illegal act is being performed at the time of the loss." Parents can be held legally responsible for those bills. Several states are enacting Parental Responsibility Laws in which the parent is held responsible for the behavior of the child. Average cost of drug rehabilitation is $20,000 - $30,000 a month, with few, if any medical insurers paying anything on such a claim. The number of offenders under age 18 admitted to prison for drug offenses increased twelve fold (from 70 to 840) between 1985 to 1997. By 1997, drug offenders made up 11% of admissions among persons under 18 compared to 2% in 1985. The US has higher rates of illicit drug use by young people than European nations, as noted by the Monitoring the Future survey: "The MTF study found that in 1999, 41% of tenth grade students in the United States had used marijuana or cannabis at least once in their lifetimes. All the participating European countries had a considerably lower rate of lifetime use, averaging 17%. This proportion varied among European countries from 1% in Romania to a high 35% in France, the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic. Parental Responsibility & Control The statistics are real and alarming; 1 out of 2 teens is trying drugs, and 2 out of 10 are using them regularly. As a parent, you risk your teenager getting behind the wheel of a car, loaded or high, and it is you who are responsible for the damage your children do. Are you willing to assume the responsibility for their reckless behavior, damaged property and potentially loss of life? More ... Are you willing to assume the responsibility for their reckless behavior, damaged property and potentially loss of life? More importantly, do you want to wait and do nothing while drugs potentially do damage to themselves???? Drugs affect their ability to learn, their physical growth, and their motivation. It is unacceptable to stand by and do nothing while drugs destroy their future, because they are our future.   The pattern we set for them today is the example they will carry over into the next generation. You do have an alternative. And that alternative involves taking the parental responsibility you assumed when your child was born. Your responsibility is to recognize and to demonstrate that drug and alcohol use is not going to be tolerated, and that you care. You can do something very simple to get control.And that something is to do drug testing along with a program of education The education consists of an explanation of what drugs do and why they are harmful. The education also consists of your Family Pledge to show that you, the parent, care. You must understand that drug testing is not done in an attempt to "bust" your child in the act of doing something wrong. This is a health matter, and you must treat it as such. The presence of a regular drug testing schedule will actually discourage adolescents from taking a risk that they may otherwise seize in a moment of weakness. Many parents may be surprised to learn that their children not only need limits, but also crave limits on their behavior. In addition, children often use the fact that they are being tested for drugs as a good excuse as to why they don't "experiment" with drugs. When dealing with their peers, this is a relief for the child, as it saves face in difficult situations. Most parents want to be responsible about protecting their children from drugs, but they don't know how to do so without damaging their relationship with them. In addition, they are worried about what to do should their worst fears become real. They can't imagine dealing with a child who is using drugs and refuses to quit. Our program deals and confronts these issues head-on, answering your questions and more. It may be tempting to employ wishful thinking and just hope this critical phase passes without ever coming to your attention. But the truth is, wishful thinking cannot keep a child safe from drugs, and it cannot absolve a parent from the responsibility of providing a drug-free adolescence for their children. The time is now. It is time to take control!

What You Get 1.  Education Types of Drugs Signs & Symptoms Long Term Effects 2.  The Family Pledge A guide to help you open up a continuous dialogue with your child about drug abuse. An official family contract to create a “circle of trust”. 3.  Testing Helps Identify Teen Drug Use Tests for the 10 most commonly abused drugs. We offer urine and saliva based drug tests. 4.  Referral and Guidance Comprehensive Resource Guide for your hometown. Includes:  Counseling, Therapy, Treatment and Detox facilities. Ongoing consultation with Clarity Drug Test Consultants to decipher results and what to do next by a certified medical practitioner. Free consultation with Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor(CCDC) We think our program opens up many underlying issues between teens and their parents. Once you read and understand many of the presented topics you'll be better prepared to tackle this tough issue with your child. Feel free to email us with any questions about approaching your teen about alcohol and drug use. Not only will discussing these issues make your teen know how much you care but it will also let them know you're vigilant for any signs of use. When you start randomly testing for alcohol or drugs, it will provide them an excuse to tell their friends "No, my parents test me". We've found this to be an excellent manner for teens to resist peer pressure. Many parents tell us they're hesitant to talk their children, that they've used drugs or alcohol in the past but don't want their teens repeating their mistakes. We tell them "your past doesn't matter" and never feel "hypocritical". Your children can learn from your experiences and it also makes you more aware of the signs of abuse. Clarity Drug Test Consultants: Drug Test Kit Package   When a client receives our drug test kit and information packet it will include the following:             (1) Drug Test Kit           Instructions on how to use it and read the results           Material on signs of abuse and drugs of abuse           The Family Pledge           Guidelines for family communication and enforcing no-drug policy           Government pamphlets on drug abuse, law and intervention           List of local agencies, rehabilitation centers, and professionals           The packet gives the family detailed guidelines on how to begin, what to ask and discuss with their children, and where to go from there.  The information answers key questions about rights to privacy, how to handle the process, and alternative resources if home interactions does not work.  It honestly tells you and your children about the harmful effects of illegal drugs and how to rise above the problem. After studying the information, they can then discuss family policies and sign their Family Pledge.  It is then that the drug test kits will be utilized.   Depending on the family and the situation, drug testing can be performed in a number of ways. Clients can review the information in their packet which details strategies for implementing drug testing at home.  These strategies include random testing, covert collection and testing, regular planned testing, and testing as a consequence for curfew breaking or other action.  It is up to the client to determine how they will be using the drug test kits, but it is recommended that testing be performed on a regular basis. This, of course, translates into selling more kits.   The home test kit includes two separate test "strips" used to check the presence of several commonly used drugs of abuse:  marijuana, cocaine, Ecstasy, methamphetamine, opiates, amphetamines, pcp, barbiturates, benzodiazepines and methadone.    Parents, don't wait to implement this program. If you have children the age of ten, this is a great time to start talking to them about the perils of drug and alcohol use. Be proactive, this program saves lives; not only theirs but potential victims of their actions.     How Drug Testing Works     Addressing the Problem: Identify   Drug use must be confronted head on. Parents must identify the problem and intervene. Parents cannot simply rely on trust and open dialogue with their kids.  If preteens and teens are using drugs, they will almost always deny it to their parents.  Most drug counselors will tell you that by the time drug use is suspected, it’s already well under way.   Parents want to keep their children away from drugs, but they don’t know how.  A combination, proactive approach which includes home drug testing can be extremely effective. Not only does drug testing provide parents with tangible proof of use, but it also provides them with a deterrent for future drug use.   Many parents, however, feel that their situation requires some sort of proof or report card to let them know that their child is staying away from drugs. At no time do we offer any kind of therapy.  There are professionals in this field that do that.  Our purpose is to work with parents who wish to administer a drug test in the privacy of their own home.        Finding a Solution: Intervene   The best way to confront drug use in adolescents is to bring the issue home to them.   Our comprehensive program for home use that not only discourages children from using and abusing drugs, but can also increase communication within the family. Parents are encouraged to initiate a dialogue with their kids about what behaviors are acceptable and what clear consequences will result from not adhering to the behavior guidelines. The Family Pledge is offered as a tool to realize this understanding.   Parents call a family council, sit down with their children and decide together what they think appropriate disciplines should be - loss of driving privileges, curfew, etc.  Clients use The Family Pledge as a sort of contract, adding any amendments or changes as desired. When the parents and children sign the contract, they now have a tangible starting point for their renewed commitment to a drug free family. This is a fresh start for the family, without consequences for past actions. The children are given a new chance to say “no”.   The critical element in enforcing the guidelines of the pledge and preserving its integrity is home drug testing. The Drug Test Consultant test kits are US FDA 510 (K) approved for accuracy they meet the same drug cut-off levels established by the United States Department of Transportation for drugs of abuse testing.  The drug test is reliable, non-invasive, and provides immediate results.

Drugs of Abuse   Alcohol   Street names/Slang terms: Booze, Jungle-juice, Spirits   What is it and How is it used? Alcohol is the ordinary name for a substance called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, or pure spirits (chemical name, ethanol).  Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is formed by the fermentation of grains or any sweet fruit juice.  An alcoholic drink is any beverage that contains ethyl alcohol in intoxicating quantities.  The amount of alcohol may be as little as 2 percent, as in beers, and or as much as 68 percent, as in absinthe.   Alcoholic content in most alcoholic beverages is measured in proof, which is half of the actual content of alcohol in the drink.  A 90 proof whiskey actually only contains 45 percent alcohol.  Beer is one of the beverages containing the lowest proof.  They range from 2 to 6 percent.  Wines have anywhere from 14 percent or less.   Alcohol is the most commonly used and widely abused psychoactive drug in this country.  It is a legal product for adults to purchase and consume.   IT’S Effects: When a person drinks alcohol, the ethanol is rapidly absorbed from the stomach and enters the bloodstream, which then goes to all the tissues.  The factors that influence alcohol's effects range from a person's size and weight to the amount of food that was eaten prior to drinking to the type of alcohol that is consumed.  A single drink can begin to relax a person and their senses, which can make one less inhibited and is why alcohol is used in many social situations; however, a lot of people don't stop at just one drink.   Immediate effects of alcohol on a person include a lack of coordination, dulled mental processes, slowed reaction time and slurred speech.  Drinking large quantities can lead to sleepiness, disturbed sleep,nausea, and vomiting.  Hangovers are another effect after large amounts of alcohol are consumed; a hangover consists of a headache with nausea, thirst, dizziness, and fatigue.   Prolonged, heavy use of alcohol can lead to an addiction called alcoholism.  Alcoholism is considered a disease, and is characterized by four factors: 1) a strong urge, or need, to drink; 2) the inability to stop drinking once drinking has begun; 3) physical dependence on alcohol, which shows itself in withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, after stopping drinking; and 4) an increased tolerance to alcohol, where one needs to consumer greater amounts to get "high”.   An alcoholic can come from any walk of life and be of any age and ethnic group.  Investigations have found that alcoholics use alcohol as a means of escape from the day-to-day pressures of everyday life.  They feel that they cannot cope without the alcohol in their system.  Not all alcoholics are "drunks."  Some alcoholic's don't even like the taste of alcohol but will still continue to drink in order to cope with life.  Aggressive acts and violent crimes have been linked to alcohol abuse, including domestic violence, murder, rape, and child abuse.   Long-term effects of consumer large quantities of alcohol can lead to permanent damage of vital organs, such as the brain and the liver, and ultimately, death.  In addition, mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy may give birth to infants with fetal alcohol syndrome.  These infants may suffer form mental retardation and other irreversible physical abnormalities.  Research also indicates that children of alcoholic parents are at a greater risk than other children of becoming alcoholics.     Amphetamines   Street names/Slang terms: Bennies, Black beauties, Dexies, Jollies, Speed, Uppers, Ups, Wake-ups.   What is it and How is it used? Amphetamines are stimulants that affect the central nervous system of the body, causing reactions similar to cocaine.  The effect is not as immediate,   but it is more prolonged. Amphetamines are synthetically reproduced in a laboratory, and are frequently ingested in a pill form, though they can also be inhaled or injected.   IT’S effects: Amphetamines may produce euphoria, while increasing feelings of sexuality and invigoration. Increased talkativeness, aggressiveness, heart rate, and blood pressure, as well as dilated pupils, hallucinations, and compulsive and repetitive actions are some of the effects this drug may have on the user.  In addition, because of their stimulating, "speed" effect, amphetamines are commonly used as appetite suppressants.  They interfere with normal sleep patterns, and decrease fatigue and the apparent need for sleep.   Amphetamines and cocaine produce markedly similar psychological effects, including excitability, progressively severe anxiety and confusion, and ultimately, paranoia.  Vivid visual, auditory, and olfactory hallucinations, delusions of persecution, body image changes, and sometimes picking and excoriating of the skin characterize the fully developed amphetamine psychosis.  In chronic amphetamine users, this psychosis may be difficult to distinguish from a schizophrenic reaction, especially when the physical signs are not apparent.    The effects of large doses can produce a whole range of health problems in users.  The speed aspects of the drug causes the body to almost literally burn itself out.  It makes the body run harder and longer than it was ever supposed to.  Since speed takes away the desire for food, malnutrition occurs.  Teeth and bones are quickly affected, as are the heart, liver, and lungs.  An increased tolerance and dependence on amphetamines can lead to violent and aggressive behaviors.  Amphetamines can be addictive.                                                                                      Cocaine   Street names/Slang terms: Big C, Blow, Coke, Crack, Flake, Freebase, Lady, Nose candy, Rock, Snow, Snowbirds   What is it and How is it used? Cocaine is an alkaloid extracted from the leaf of the coca bush (Erythroxylum coca), which is cultivated at high altitudes in Columbia, Peru, and other Andean countries.  Cocaine is a powerful stimulant.   When cocaine is processed into a white powder, it can be absorbed into the blood stream by the mucous membranes of the body.  The chemical acts directly on the instinctive pleasure centers of the brain to produce a surge of energy, pleasure and a sense of confidence that lasts about 20 minutes.  A user, who wants to maintain the high, takes one dose after another.  As a result, the body develops a tolerance to cocaine and a strong dependence on it.  When animals are taught to medicate themselves with cocaine, they will ignore food, water, and a receptive mate and continue to compulsively administer the drug until death - usually from cocaine-induced seizures.   Users will snort cocaine through the nose, inject it directly into the bloodstream, or inhale the fumes of a specially prepared cocaine base, call "free-basing," where absorption into the bloodstream is as rapid as by injection.  "Crack" is an example of cocaine, which has been prepared for smoking or "free-basing."   IT’S effects: Cocaine's immediate effects include dilated pupils, increased temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite, feelings of restlessness, irritability and anxiety.  Its euphoric effects, such as energy and a mental clarity, depend on how it is used.  The faster the absorption, the more intense the high.  The more intense the high, the shorter-lived it is.  The high from snorting may last from 15 to 30 minutes, while smoking may last 5 to 10 minutes.  Cocaine withdraws rapidly from the brain, making the user feel depressed, irritable and fatigued.  This "coke crash" reinforces the brain's craving for a repeated dose to reduce the withdrawal symptoms. High doses and/or regular usage can lead to many health problems, such as sinusitis, damage to vocal cords, ulceration of nasal membranes, dental infection, malnutrition, and vitamin deficiencies.  Users frequently become paranoid.  Injecting, smoking and snorting have killed people through cardiac arrest, irregular heart rhythms, breathing problems, and convulsions.     Ecstasy   Street names/Slang terms: Adam, Bean, E, Ecstasy, M, Roll, X, XTC     What is it and How is it used?   Ecstasy is a synthetic drug with amphetamine-like and hallucinogenic properties.  Its chemical name is a 3-4 methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine or MDMA.  Since it is synthesized in clandestine laboratories, its purity can vary from lab to lab, and other compounds are easily combined into the same tablet, like caffeine, ephedrine and ketamine.    The nerve pathway that is affected by Ecstasy is called the serotonin pathway.  Serotonin is involved in the regulation of several processes within the brain, including mood, emotions, aggression, sleep, appetite, anxiety, memory and perceptions, and sweating and heat regulation.   It comes in a tablet form and is ingested, frequently at all-night dance parties called "raves," to keep one's energy level up and for its mood enhancement effects.  "Stacking" is a common practice, where users will take multiple doses of Ecstasy in one night to reinforce its effects.   IT’S Effects: The chemical structure of Ecstasy allows it to reach the brain quickly after ingestion.  Taken on an empty stomach, its effects can be felt as quickly as 15 minutes.  The most desirable effect of Ecstasy is its ability to provide feelings of warmth and empathy.  Physical symptoms can include muscle tension, involuntary grinding of teeth, nausea, blurred vision, rapid eye movement, faintness, and chills or sweating.   Ecstasy is an unusual drug.  Even after the drug itself has been flushed form the body, it still has effects that continue to develop and persist.  These often include the development of depression-like feelings, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, and sleep disturbances.  These "after-effects" occur because of the chemical change that takes place at the serotonin synapse.   Chronic use of MDMA has been found, first in laboratory animals and more recently in humans, to produce long-lasting, perhaps permanent, damage to the neurons that release serotonin, and thus, verbal and visual memory impairment.   In addition, Ecstasy inhibits normal sweating, which cools the body.  Because of this, the body may overheat, especially when used at dance parties, and the person can have a heat seizure and stop breathing.  They may have heart irregularities, too, because of the over-heating, and this combination is the most frequent cause for death.     Heroin   Street names/Slang terms: Big H, Black Tar, Brown Sugar, China White, Dope, H, Horse, Junk, Mud, Skag, Smack   What is it and How is it used? Heroin is a highly addictive drug derived from morphine, which is obtained from the seed pod of the opium poppy plant.  It is a "downer" that affects the brain's pleasure systems and interferes with the brain's ability to perceive pain.   Heroin usually appears as a white to dark brown powder, or as a tar-like substance.  Some varieties are nicknamed for the geographical area in which the heroin is produced, such as "Mexican Black Tar." Heroin can be used in a variety of ways, depending on user preference and the purity of the drug.  Heroin can be injected into a vein, called "mainlining," smoked in a water pipe or a standard pipe, mixed in a marijuana joint or regular cigarette, inhaled as smoke through a straw, known as "chasing the dragon," or snorted as a powder through the nose.  Smoking and snorting heroin is becoming increasingly popular, because the purity of street heroin is greater than in previous years, alongside the misconception that these forms will not lead to addiction.      Its Effects   According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the short-term effects of heroin abuse appear soon after a single dose and disappear in a few hours.  The user reports a surge of euphoria, or "rush," accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, a dry mouth, and heavy extremities.   Following this initial euphoria, the user goes "on the nod," an alternately wakeful and drowsy state.  Mental functioning becomes clouded due to the depression of the central nervous system.  Other effects included slowed and slurred speech, slow gait, constricted pupils, droopy eyelids, impaired night vision, vomiting, and constipation.   Chronic users may develop serious health conditions, such as collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulitis, and liver disease.  Pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may result from the poor health condition of the abuser, as well as from heroin's depressing effects on respiration.   In addition to the effects of the drug itself, street heroin may have additives that do not readily dissolve and result in clogging the blood vessels that lead to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain.  This can cause infection or even death of small patches of cells in vital organs.                                                                                         Heroin abuse can result in fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, and infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.                                                                                                 Inhalants   Street names/Slang terms: Laughing Gas, Poppers, Rush, Snappers, Whippets   What is it and How is it used? Inhalants are everyday household products that are being misused by children to get high by being sniffed or inhaled.  At last count, there are over 1400 products on the market that are being abused.  Examples include model airplane glue, nail polish remover, cleaning fluids, hair spray, gasoline, the propellant in aerosol whipped cream, spray paint, fabric protector, air conditioner fluid (freon), cooking spray and correction fluid.   The chemical vapors of these products are sniffed or snorted through the nose, "bagged" (inhaling fumes from a plastic bag), or "huffed" (stuffing an inhalant soaked rag into the mouth).  Many people do not think of inhalants as drugs, because most of the products were never intended to be used that way.   IT’S Effects: Nearly all inhalants produce effects similar to anesthetics, which act to slow down body functions, yet the user feels stimulated.  These intoxicating effects can last from a few minutes to several hours, if the inhalant is used repeatedly.  Other effects include nausea, loss of appetite, bad breath, double vision, runny or bloody nose, lack of coordination, feeling and looking tired, eye irritation, sneezing, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, chest pain, ringing in the ears, and an erratic heart beat.   Sniffing highly concentrated amounts of the chemicals in solvents or aerosol sprays can directly induce heart failure and death.  This is especially common from the abuse of fluorocarbons and butane-type gases.  High concentrations of inhalants also can cause death from suffocation by displacing the oxygen in the lungs and the central nervous system, so that breathing ceases.  Other irreversible effects caused by inhaling specific solvents are hearing loss, limb spasms, central nervous system or brain damage.  Serious but potentially reversible effects include liver and kidney damage and blood oxygen depletion.  Death from inhalants is usually caused by a very high concentration of fumes, and can occur on the very first use.     Ketamine   Street names/Slang terms: Breakfast Cereal, Date Rape Drug, Ketaject, Ketalar, New Ecstasy, Psychedelic Heroin, Special-K, Super-K, Vitamin K   What is it and How is used? Ketamine hydrochloride is a short-acting, hallucinogenic, 'dissociative' anesthetic.  The anesthesia is the result of the patient being so 'dissociated' and 'removed from their body' that it is possible to carry out surgical procedures.  This is wholly different from the 'unconsciousness' produced by conventional anesthetics, although ketamine is also an excellent analgesic (pain killer) by a different route (i.e. not due to dissociation).  Ketamine is related to phencyclidine (PCP).  In contrast to PCP, ketamine is relatively safe, is much shorter acting, and is still marketed in the US and a number of foreign countries as a general anesthetic in both human and veterinary medicine.   Ketamine is sold as an injectable liquid, which can be converted into a white powder, similar to cocaine, which is then re-packaged into small clear bags or capsules.  Generally, ketamine is snorted, but sometimes it is added into tobacco or marijuana and smoked.  "Special K" refers to ketamine used in combination with other drugs, such as Ecstasy, heroin, and cocaine.   IT’S Effects: Most people snort small lines or "bumps" for a mild, dreamy effect.  The effect comes on within about 5 to 10 minutes.  If swallowed, the effects come on in 10 to 20 minutes.  Numbness in the extremities is also common.           Higher doses produce a hallucinogenic effect, and may cause the user to feel very far away form their body.  A lost sense of time is common.  This experience is often referred to as entering a "K-hole" and has been compared to a near death experience with sensations of rising above one's body.  While in a K-hole, it is very difficult to move, and people usually remain seated or lying down during the experience.  However, these near overdose experiences also can cause delirium, impaired motor function, potentially fatal respiratory problems, convulsions, and vomiting.     LSD   Street names/Slang terms: Acid, Doses, Hits, Microdot, Sugar Cubes, Tabs, Trips   What is it and How is it used? LSD is synthesized from lysergic acid, which is found in the fungus on rye and other grains.  LSD is also the most potent mood and perception-altering drug known: oral doses as small as 30 micrograms can produce effects that last 6 to 12 hours.   It is initially produced in a crystalline form, which is then crushed into a powder and mixed with binding agents to produce tablets known as "microdots" or thin squares of gelatin called "window panes."  More commonly, it applied to sheets of paper called "blotter paper," which is then cut-up into 1/4 inch squares for individual usage.  The color of LSD can range from clear or white, which is its purest form, all the way to black, due to various manufacturing techniques and contaminants.  Even uncontaminated LSD begins to degrade and discolor soon after it’s manufactured; thus, drug dealers frequently apply LSD to colored paper to hide the drug's purity or age.   All LSD manufactured in this country is intended for illegal use, since LSD has no accepted medical use in the United States.   IT’S Effects: LSD's effects typically begin within 30 to 90 minutes after ingestion and may last up to 12 hours.  Users refer to the hallucinogenic experience as a "trip”, and to negative reactions as a "bad trip."  Basically, the effects of LSD are unpredictable.  They vary with amount taken, and the user's personality, mood, expectations, and surroundings.   Some effects include increased blood pressure and heart rate, dizziness, loss of appetite, dry mouth, sweating, nausea, numbness, and tremors.  However, most of the dramatic changes are emotional and sensory.  The user's emotional state may swing dramatically from one end of the spectrum to the other, and have such rapid transitions the user may seem to experience several emotions simultaneously.  In addition, sensory perceptions may overlap in a phenomenon known as "synesthesia," which gives the person the feeling of hearing colors and seeing noises.   Often, visual and aural hallucinations take place, and the person may be disoriented, not knowing where they are, the time it is, or may perceive their own body physically changing.  These changes can be frightening and can cause panic.   One long-term effect of LSD is the experience of "flashbacks."  Days later, even up to a year later, the user may suddenly, often without warning, have a recurrence of certain aspects of a previous "trip."  But users who used the drug only once have also noted this effect.   LSD is not considered an addictive drug, because it does not produce compulsive drug-seeking behavior like cocaine, amphetamines, heroin, alcohol, or nicotine.  More users voluntarily decrease or stop its use over time.     Marijuana   Street names/ Slang terms: Aunt Mary, Boom, Chronic, Dope, Gangster, Ganja, Grass, Hash, Herb, Kif, Mary Jane, Pot, Reefer, Sinsemilla, Skunk, Weed   What is it and How is it used? Marijuana is the most frequently used illegal drug in the United States          today.  It is made from the leaves and shredded flowers of the Indian hemp plant, called Cannabis sativa.  Of the 421 active chemicals found in the plant, THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the most powerful, slowly releasing a fat-soluble substance that is absorbed by the user and can be detected for 3 to 4 weeks after ingestion.  In addition, because of advanced techniques of genetic selection and high intensity lighting, the TCC levels of marijuana today may be 15 to 20 items stronger than that available just 20 years ago.  An example of this is the Sinsemilla variety produced and favored by heavy users.   Most users roll loose marijuana into cigarette-form, called a "joint," or smoke it in a pipe.  One well-known type of water pipe is the "bong."  Marijuana can also be eaten, usually mixed into a food, or brewed as a tea.  Another method is to slice open a cigar and replace the tobacco with marijuana, making what's call a "blunt."   A more concentrated form of marijuana is known as "hash" (or hashish), and is the result of removing the dark brown resin form the leaves of the plant and compressing it into cakes or sheets.  Hash oil, obtained by the further refinement or extraction of cannabis, is its most potent form, containing as much as 50% THC.   IT’S Effect: