Drug Abuse

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Alternative Names

Heroin abuse; Substance abuse; Marijuana abuse; Illicit drug abuse; Narcotic abuse; Cocaine abuse; Hallucinogen abuse; PCP abuse; LSD abuse

Marijuana

About 2 in 5 Americans have used marijuana (also called “grass,” “pot,” “reefer,” “joint,” “hashish,” “cannabis,” “weed,” and “Mary Jane”) at least once. Approximately 10% of the population uses it on a regular basis. Next to tobacco, and alcohol in some areas, marijuana is the most popular substance young people use regularly.

The source of marijuana is the hemp plant (cannabis sativa). The active ingredients are THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and other cannabinoids, which are found in the leaves and flowering shoots of the plant.

Hashish is a resinous substance, taken from the tops of female plants. It contains the highest concentration of THC.

The drug dose delivered from any particular preparation of marijuana varies greatly. The concentration of THC may vary as much as a hundred fold, due to diluting or contaminating materials.

The effects of marijuana may be felt from seconds to several minutes after inhaling the smoke (from a joint or a pipe), or within 30 – 60 minutes after ingestion (eating foods containing marijuana, such as “hash brownies”).

Because the effects are felt almost immediately by the smoker, further inhalation can be stopped at any time to regulate the effect. In contrast, those eating marijuana experience effects that are slower to develop, cumulative (they add up), longer-lasting, and more variable, making unpleasant reactions more likely.

The primary effects of marijuana are behavioral, because the drug affects the central nervous system (CNS). Popular use of marijuana started because of its effects of euphoria (feeling of joy), relaxation, and increased visual, auditory (hearing), and taste perceptions that may occur with low-to-moderate doses. Most users also report an increase in their appetite (”the munchies”).

Unpleasant effects that may occur include depersonalization (inability to distinguish oneself from others), changed body image, disorientation, andacute panic reactions or severe paranoia.

Some cases of severe delirium, hallucinations, and violence have also been reported. Such cases should raise suspicion that the marijuana may have been laced with another agent, such as PCP.

Marijuana has specific effects that may decrease one’s ability to perform tasks requiring a great deal of coordination (such as driving a car). Visual tracking is impaired, and the sense of time is typically prolonged.

Learning may be greatly affected because the drug reduces one’s ability to concentrate and pay attention. Studies have shown that learning may become “state-dependent,” meaning that information acquired or learned while under the influence of marijuana is best recalled in the same state of drug influence.

Other marijuana effects may include:

Blood-shot eyes
Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Bronchodilatation (widening of the airways)
In some users, bronchial (airway) irritation leading to bronchoconstriction (narrowing of the airways) or bronchospasm (airway spasms, leading to narrowing of the airways)
Pharyngitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, and asthma in heavy users
Possible serious effects on the immune system

Regular users, upon stopping marijuana use, may experience withdrawal effects. These may include agitation, insomnia, irritability, and anxiety. Because the metabolite (the substance formed when the body breaks down the drug) of marijuana may be stored in the body’s fat tissue, evidence of marijuana may be found in heavy users through urine testing up to 1 month after discontinuing the drug.

The active component in cannabis is believed to have medical properties. Many people maintain that it is effective in the treatment of nausea caused by chemotherapy in cancer patients.

Others claim that cannabis stimulates appetite in patients with AIDS, or is useful in the treatment of glaucoma. While the active ingredient in marijuana has been approved as a synthetic medication by the Food and Drug Administration (dronabinol) for these purposes, use of whole marijuana remains hugely controversial. Currently, cannabis is illegal even for medical use under federal law.

Phencyclidine

It is difficult to estimate the current use of phencyclidine (PCP, “angel dust”) in the United States, because many individuals do not recognize that they have taken it. Other illicit substances (such as marijuana) can be laced with PCP without the user being aware of it.

A 1986 National Institute of Drug Abuse survey of high school seniors revealed that over 12% of the students had used hallucinogens (substances that cause hallucinations), and that many of these drugs probably contained PCP.

PCP use in the U.S. dates back to 1967 when it was sold as the “Peace Pill” in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco. Its use never became very popular because it had a reputation for causing “bad trips.”

PCP use grew during the mid-1970s, primarily because of different packaging (sprinkling on leaves that are smoked) and marketing strategies. During the 1980s it became the most commonly used hallucinogen, with the majority of users aged 15 – 25.

Although phencyclidine was initially developed by a pharmaceutical company searching for a new anesthetic, it was not suitable for human use because of its psychotropic (mind-altering) side effects.

PCP is no longer manufactured for legitimate, legal purposes. Unfortunately it can be made rather easily and without great expense by anyone with a knowledge of organic chemistry. This makes it a prime drug for the illicit drug industry. It is available illegally as a white, crystalline powder that can be dissolved in either alcohol or water.

PCP may be administered in different ways. How fast it affects the user depends on the means of administration. If dissolved, PCP may be taken intravenously (”shot up”) and its effects noted within seconds.

Sprinkled over dried parsley, oregano, or marijuana leaves, it can be smoked, and effects noted within 2 – 5 minutes, peaking at 15 – 30 minutes. Taken by mouth, in pill form or mixed with food or beverages, PCP’s effects are usually noted within 30 minutes. The effects tend to peak in about 2 – 5 hours.

Lower doses of PCP typically produce euphoria (feelings of joy) and decreased inhibition similar to drunkenness. Mid-range doses cause numbness throughout the body, with changes in perception that may result in extreme anxiety and violence.

Large doses may produce paranoia, auditory hallucinations (”hearing voices”), and psychosis similar to schizophrenia. Massive doses, more commonly associated with ingesting the drug, may cause cardiacarrhythmias, seizures, muscle rigidity, acute kidney failure, and death. Because of the analgesic (pain-killing) properties of PCP, users who incur significant injuries may not feel any pain.

Ketamine, a compound related to PCP, has grown in popularity in recent years. It is commonly referred to as Special K.