Crystal meth is only one of the drugs your child or teen may encounter. Remember that every conversation you have helps your child make the right decision. Here are some of the others you may want to discuss:
MDMA (or ecstasy, MDA, euphoria, X, XTC or adam) – A stimulant and hallucination-causing drug. Euphoria and energy can give way to memory loss, sleeplessness, recklessness, dehydration, uncontrollable jaw clenching and nausea. In high doses, ecstasy can cause heart disruption, stroke and death.
GHB (or liquid ecstasy) – A colourless, odorless liquid. GHB makes users feel euphoric but sleepy, so users often combine it with other drugs, with dangerous and unpredictable results. It can reduce heartbeat, cause your lungs to stop working and trigger seizures.
Psilocybin (or magic mushrooms) – Causes hallucinations. Only experts can tell the difference between lethal poisonous mushrooms and “magic” ones. (In case of poisoning, even a brief delay can kill; call 911 immediately and bring any samples of the mushroom to the hospital.)
Cocaine (or coke, snow, powder, sniff, blow, crack, crack cocaine) - A powerfully addictive stimulant drug, may come powerdered or in a rock crystal form called crack. Causes constricted blood vessels, increased temperature, blood pressure and heart rate. Users can experience heart attack and stroke.
Rohypnol (roofie, roche, the “date rape drug”) – A tasteless, odorless tranquilizer. Because it causes sleepiness and memory loss, it is sometimes given to a victim in a drink by someone intending to commit sexual assault. Recently-made pills turn blue when dissolved but colourless tablets are still around.
Ketamine (special K, vitamin K, K, kitty) – Causes hallucinations and a sense of disconnection from the world. Ketamine is usually cooked into a white powder by dealers. It can disrupt your heart rate, depress your breathing and – especially in combination with other drugs – endanger your life.
LSD (acid, blotter) – A powerful drug that causes hallucinations, wild mood swings, panic attacks and profound feelings of fear and despair – not to mention fatal accidents. Users report “flashbacks” where they experience the effects of LSD even if they haven’t taken the drug in over a year.
One key thing to remember about these and other illicit drugs: you never know what you’re getting. Even the person selling the drug may have been lied to about the ingredients or the size of the dose – and the results can range from severe illness to overdose and death.
