Designer Drugs - Effects on the Body

Effects on the Body

"Every designer drug," noted Weatherly, "has the potential to kill the user." Strength and purity of dosages varies from batch to batch, and from dealer to dealer. So, a user who feels that a particular designer drug is "safe" based on prior use can never be sure what the next dose will be like. In addition, the long-term effects of these drugs on the body remain unknown. According to a 2005 report from "NIDA InfoFacts," however, "current science … is showing changes to critical parts of the brain" from the use of ecstasy, GHB, and ketamine, among other drugs.

2C-B

Small doses of 2C-B reportedly produce relaxation in the user, but larger doses may bring on hallucinationsVisions or other perceptions of things that are not really present.. Recreational users—those who use the drug to get high—say that 2C-B greatly heightens their reaction and sensitivity to music and enhances the enjoyment of dancing. At high doses, however, some users report seeing horrifying images, and others experience panic attacks. Such attacks are unexpected episodes of severe anxiety that can cause physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating, and shaking.

2C-B is also associated with increased feelings of anger and paranoiaAbnormal feelings of suspicion and fear.. The mood-altering effects of the drug can last for days. Unpleasant physical side effects of 2C-B use include nausea, diarrhea, cramps, and gas.

Ecstasy

Ecstasy probably has the highest name recognition among designer drugs. Known to many as the "hug drug," ecstasy lowers inhibitionsInner thoughts that keep people from engaging in certain activities. and encourages people to act on their impulses. Its use has been linked to casual sexual encounters, which can contribute to the spread of HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus) and eventually AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

The side effects of ecstasy may include nausea, dizziness, confusion, and anxiety. The drug acts on the body's muscular system, causing muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, and rapid eye movement. "Ecstasy deaths are a fact of life," noted Decca Aitkenhead in the Independent. High doses of the drug can bring on

Ecstasy is classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning that it is illegal and has no recognized medical value. Andrew Brookes/Corbis.
Ecstasy is classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning that it is illegal and has no recognized medical value. © Andrew Brookes/Corbis.

hyperthermia, a dangerously high increase in body temperature. This condition can damage internal organs such as the liver, kidneys, heart, and even the brain. Drug researchers have confirmed that ecstasy has the potential to cause permanent brain damage.

Because of high demand, ecstasy pills are frequently mixed with fillers and other active substances, most commonly amphetamines and caffeine. (Separate entries on these drugs are available in this encyclopedia.)

GHB

GHB was sold over-the-counter in the mid-1980s and used mainly by bodybuilders seeking to bulk up their muscles. The DEA later banned the drug. Recreational users report increased sociability, relaxation, and a positive mood while on GHB. People taking the substance often become talkative and giddy. They may become incoherent or hard to follow. Slurred speech is also common.

To help people test their drinks for possible date rape drugs such as GHB, various companies have developed testing kits. The effectiveness of such tests is highly debated, however. AP/Wide World Photos.
To help people test their drinks for possible date rape drugs such as GHB, various companies have developed testing kits. The effectiveness of such tests is highly debated, however. AP/Wide World Photos.

Because it is a depressant, GHB can bring on breathing difficulties, seizures, brain damage, and even comas in users who overdose. The drug becomes even more toxic when mixed with alcohol or other nervous system depressants such as benzodiazepinesA type of drug used to treat anxiety., painkillers, allergy medications, or sleeping pills. Combining even a low GHB dose with alcohol can trigger an overdose, leaving the user unconscious and barely breathing. Such effects have led to the use of GHB as a date rape drug.

Ketamine

The effects produced by ketamine are intense, but they do not last for long. This drug is often used as a booster to draw out the desired effects of other drugs. Because ketamine is an anesthetic, it produces significant effects when taken alone. Abusers of ketamine report immediate effects including numbness all over the body, altered vision, muffled hearing, and a floating sensation. The drug takes effect so quickly that users may collapse suddenly, injuring themselves in the process. After using the drug once, many people will never use it again, at least not knowingly. At higher doses, ketamine leads to hallucinations, the onset of a dreamy state, and so-called "out-of-body experiences." Some users have claimed they saw visions of angels after taking ketamine.

Combining ketamine with drugs such as alcohol or barbituratesPronounced bar-BIH-chuh-rits; drugs that act as depressants and are used as sedatives or sleeping pills; also referred to as downers. can create a life-threatening situation. (A separate entry on barbiturates is included in this encyclopedia.) Users mixing these drugs risk slowing their breathing and heart rates to dangerously low levels. This can starve the brain of oxygen, thus increasing the chances of permanent brain damage, coma, or death.

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is taken illicitly for its hallucinogenicA substance that brings on hallucinations, which alter the user's perception of reality. "feel-good" effects. Even small amounts of the drug are said to produce extreme alertness, increased energy, decreased appetite, and euphoriaPronounced yu-FOR-ee-yuh; a state of extreme happiness and enhanced well-being; the opposite of dysphoria.. Such effects are those generally sought by users.

Methamphetamine reduces users' inhibitions and increases their sensitivity to sound, light, and touch. Because it is a stimulant, which increases activity, this drug gives club-goers energy to dance well into the morning hours. Some users stay awake for two to three days while on a meth binge. People also report feeling especially witty, clever, and in control while under the influence of methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine users often want to extend the high brought on by the drug. The so-called "crash" that results when the effects wear off is quite unpleasant. Irritability, confusion, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping are common side effects.

Methamphetamine is highly addictive, and users who try to quit typically suffer from withdrawalThe process of gradually cutting back on the amount of a drug being taken until it is discontinued entirely; also the accompanying physiological effects of terminating use of an addictive drug. symptoms. These include severe depression, extreme anxiety, tiredness, tremors, convulsions, aggression, and intense drug cravings. Long-term abuse of methamphetamine may cause dangerously high blood pressure, insomniaDifficulty falling asleep or an inability to sleep., paranoia, and violent behavior that sets the stage for users to harm themselves or others.

When police raid methamphetamine labs, they have to wear protective suits because the chemicals used in the product are considered hazardous materials. Bottles of the drug seized in a raid in Tennessee are shown here. AP/Wide World Photos.
When police raid methamphetamine labs, they have to wear protective suits because the chemicals used in the product are considered hazardous materials. Bottles of the drug seized in a raid in Tennessee are shown here. AP/Wide World Photos.

PCP

PCP is another veterinary anesthetic used illicitly as a psychedelic drugThe ability to produce hallucinations or other altered mental states.. Individual responses to PCP at low and moderate doses are varied. Users generally feel detached and distant when they first take the drug, and later experience a surging sense of power and strength.

Some users report having bizarre hallucinations—seeing people with enlarged or detached heads and limbs—and disturbing feelings of isolation and numbness. Because PCP users typically cannot feel pain when under the influence of the drug, they may engage in acts of self-mutilation or violence. Self-mutilation involves deliberately cutting or injuring oneself in some way.

At high doses, PCP prompts a drop in blood pressure, pulse rate, and breathing. These reactions may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, uncontrolled eye movement, drooling, loss of balance, seizures, coma, and death. Taking PCP in combination with depressants such as alcohol or benzodiazepines increases the risk of overdose.