ABOUT DRUGS
Marijuana / Cannibis
It is widely accepted that cannabis use can
slow motor skills and reduce task-attention, increasing in severity
with dose. It is standardly detectable in urine for 48-72 hours after
single use. Habitual or chronic use can be detected in urine for up to
12 weeks depending on quantity, duration, and frequency of use. More information on Marijuana / Cannibis.
Ecstasy (MDMA)
Ecstasy can affect people in different ways.
It depends on how much the person takes, what strength it is, how the
body reacts to it, whether people are used to taking it, what mood they
are in beforehand, where they are, and whether it is taken with other
drugs. 
Sometimes, users find the day after taking
the drug they have a 'hangover' which can last for several days. They
could feel depressed, tired (but can't sleep either) and find it hard
to concentrate. As more of the drug is taken (ie. more frequently)
people start to find they are never as 'high' as they have been in the
past, and the low or 'hangover' becomes more intense. Lots of people
find it a much less appealing drug when they notice this beginning to
happen.
Some people also experience 'flashbacks'
causing anxiety and confusion. This could happen days, weeks, months,
or even years after taking the drug. More information on Ecstasy (MDMA).
Speed
Speed (amphetamines) has been called the
party drug because some people use it to stay up and energised all
night. It does not always work that way, however, it can make you
jittery, angry and moody and this usually means being down and tired
the next day.
Some things that people experience are:
- feeling nervous, hostile or aggressive
- affected driving skills like judging
distances and how fast the car's going.
- shakiness, erratic heartbeat, cramps,
headaches and loss of coordination - some people have collapsed
More information on Speed.
Cocaine
Cocaine is a strong stimulant. It increases
temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, and constricts blood
vessels.
When the levels of cocaine in the body start
to decrease, the euphoria produced by cocaine will lessen, and the user
can start to feel nervous, irritable, tired and depressed - this is the
"crash". When a user starts to crash, they may have a craving to take
more of the drug straight away to prolong the euphoric effects. More information on Cocaine .
Benzodiazepines (Benzo)
Benzodiazepines are a class of drug commonly
known as tranquillisers and sleeping pills.
Benzodiazepines are only available on prescription in Australia, and
are predominantly used for anything associated with anxiety, or for
sleeping problems. A single dose can remain in the system for as long
as 32 hours. More information on Benzo .
More drug information can also be found at
the National
Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.
|
