Drugs

Cannabis

Cannabis comes in many forms, the most common being dried green leaves, or buds (weed). 
It can also be found in resin form which looks like a soft brown chunk or the least common is cannabis oil which looks like dark brown syrup. 

Main effects: 
Cannabis makes users feel more relaxed, chatty and happy. It can also increase your appetite – commonly known as “the munchies” 

Dangers: 
Regular use of cannabis has been linked to increased feelings of anxiety and panic. It can cause poor concentration and a lack of motivation. It has also been linked to psychotic episodes the risk of which increases if you have an underlying mental health issue. 

Cannabis is commonly used with tobacco which itself can cause addiction and increases the risk due to the toxins associated with it. 

Mixing cannabis with other drugs, even alcohol, can mean you’re more likely to have an accident. 

It is classed as a class B drug and is also a depressant.  

Cannabis can be detectable in saliva/oral fluid for up to 24 hours after use.  

Cocaine

Cocaine is a stimulant which is normally in the form of a white powder 

Main effects:  
Makes users feel on top of the world, alert and awake. Cocaine makes your heart beat faster, increases your blood pressure and body temperature and reduces your appetite.  Users generally get a “comedown” after taking cocaine and can experience a sense of worthlessness, sadness and generally feeling fed up. 

Dangers:  
Because using cocaine can make you feel super confident you can sometimes take greater risks which increase your chances of having an accident. If mixed with alcohol it produces a new substance called cocaethylene, a highly toxic drug which builds up in the liver.  If you snort cocaine over a period of time it can cause damage to the cartilage and mucosa in the nose – some people are known to have lost the cartilage in their nose through cocaine abuse.  Frequent users can build up a tolerance and so crave larger quantities to achieve the desired effect. 

It is a class A drug 

Cocaine can be detectable in saliva/oral fluid for up to 5 days.   

Ecstasy and New or Novel Psychoactive Substances 

Ecstasy in its pure form is a white powder but is usually sold as tablets and is taken as a stimulant.  These tablets come in a variety of colours often with a picture or logo on them. 

Main effects: 
Ecstasy can make you experience things in a heightened way; music and colours appear more intense for example. Users often become very chatty and lose track of time and sometimes call it the love drug as people may experience loving feelings for the people they are with.  Physical effects of ecstasy can include an increase in heart rate and an increased body temperature.  You might also experience tightening of the jaw muscles which makes people “gurn” or grind their teeth and it can dilate your pupils. 

Dangers: 
Sometimes the effects take a while to kick in and users might take a second dose as they don’t think it’s worked increasing the risk of overdose. It’s also difficult to know what you’ve taken; the ecstasy could be cut (mixed) with a number of substances before being made into pills. You get a gradual ‘comedown’ after taking ecstasy; possible side effects include feeling anxious or having panic attacks, being confused and possibly paranoia or even psychosis.  

It is a class A drug.  

NPS: 

-These are depressants, stimulants and hallucinogens depending on what is used. 

-They were also known as legal highs but they are not legal or safe.  

-Some have been linked to poisoning, emergency admission and in some cases death.  

Dangers and problems 

- stimulants can cause anxiety, paranoia and psychosis.  

-Depressants can cause forgetfulness, unsteadiness, increased risk of accident, unconsciousness, coma and death.  

-Psychedelics/Hallucinogens-confusion, panic, hallucinatory reactions ‘trips’  

-Synthetic cannabinoids- fast heart rate, high blood pressure, seizures, sweating, agitation and increased body temperature