Name | How usually taken | Effects sought | Harmful effects include: | Legal status |
HEROIN
(smack, horse, gear, H, junk, brown, stag, jack)
| Injected, snorted or smoked | Drowsiness, sense of warmth and well-being | Physical dependence, tolerance, overdose can lead to coma and even death. sharing injecting equipment brings risk of HIV or hepatitis infection | Class A |
COCAINE
(coke, charlie, snow, C)
| Snorted in powder form | Sense of well-being, alertness and confidence | Dependence, restlessness, paranoia, damage to nasal membranes | Class A |
CRACK (freebase, rock, wash stone)
| Smokable form of cocaine | Similar to those of snorted but initial feelings are much more intense | As for cocaine but, because of the intensity of its effects, crack use can be extremely hard to control, damage to the lungs | Class A |
ECSTASY
(E, XTC,doves, disco biscuits, echoes, scooby doos)
Chemical name:MDMA
| Swallowed, usually in tablet form | Alert and energetic but with a calmness and a sense of well-being towards others. Heightened sense of sound and colour | Possible nausea and panic, overheating can lead to dehydration if dancing, which can be fatal. Use has been linked to liver and kidney problems. Long term effects not clear but may include mental illness and depression | Class A |
LSD
(acid, trips, tabs, dots, blotters, microdots)
| Swallowed
in tiny squares of paper | Hallucinations, including distorted or mixed-up sense of vision, hearing and time. An LSD trip can last as long as 8-12 hours | There
is no way of stopping a bad trip which may be a very frightening experience. Increased risk of accidents can trigger off long-term mental problems | Class
A |
MAGIC MUSHROOMS
(shrooms, muchies) | Eaten raw or dried, cooked in food or brewed in tea | Similar effects to those of LSD but the trip is often milder and shorter | As for LSD, with the additional risk of sickness and poisoning | Not illegal in raw state but Class A once cooked |
CANNABIS
(hash, dope, grass, blow, ganja, weed, shit, puff, marijuana)
| Rolled with tobacco into a spliff, joint or reefer and smoked. Smoked in a pipe or eaten | Relaxed, talkative state, heightened sense of sound and colour | Impaired co-ordination and increased risk of accidents, poor concentration,
anxiety, depression, increased risk of respiratory disease. | Class B |
BARBITURATES
(Barbs, downers)
| Swallowed as tablets or capsules, injected- | Calm relaxed state, larger doses produce a drunken effect | Dependency and tolerance, overdose can lead to coma or even death. Severe withdrawal symptoms | Class
B |
AMPHETAMINES
(speed, whizz, uppers, billy sulph, amp)
| In
powder form, dissolved in drinks, injected, sniffed/snorted | stimulates the nervous system, wakefulness, feeling of energy and confidence | Insomnia, mood swings, irritability, panic, comedown (hangover) can be severe and last for several days | Class B |
ANABOLIC STEROIDS
(many trade names)
| Injected or swallowed as tablets | With exercise can help to build up muscle tone. However, there is some debate about whether drug improves muscle power and athletic performance | For men: risk of heart attack or liver problems.
For women: development of male characteristics. Injecting equipment brings risk of HIV or hepatitis | Class C |
ALCOHOL
| Swallowed | Loss of inhibitions such as shyness, relaxation | Nausea and headaches, Physical dependence, tolerance, overdose can lead to coma and even death. Liver, stomach brain and pancreas damage. Accidents, Violence | Not illegal |
SOLVENTS
(including lighter gas refills, aerosols, glues, some paint thinners)
| Sniffed or breathed into the lungs | Short-lived effects similar to being drunk, thick-headed, dizziness, hallucinations | Nausea, blackouts, increased risk of accidents. Fatal heart problems can cause instant death. Brain damage | Not illegal to possess but it is to supply |
TRANQUILIZERS
(brand names include: Valium, Ativan, Mogadon (moggies), Temazepam (wobblies, Mazzies jellies). Rohypnol.
Benzodiazepines
Non- benzodiaipines include heminevrine
Cholral.
Mandrax | Swallowed as tablets or capsules, injected | Prescribed for the relief of anxiety and to treat insomnia, high doses cause drowsiness | Dependency and tolerance, increased risk of accidents, overdose can be fatal, severe withdrawal symptoms | Class C |
| METHADONE | Swallowed in liquid form or injected | Prescribed as treatment for opiate addiction. However, methadone itself can be abused | Methadone has the same dependency as opiates. Same potential for dependence as heroin and other opiates. When legally prescribed it can greatly reduce opiate related problems. Gradual withdrawal under treatment. Methadone maintenance | Prescribed drug |