THE FRIGHTENING TRUTH ABOUT BATH SALTS
Most of you are familiar with drugs like heroin, marijuana, cocaine, or crystal meth. However, another deadly illegal substance has plagued the streets of our country in recent years. Known by street names like Vanilla Sky or Purple Bliss, bath salts are potent, potentially lethal synthetic chemicals that can produce psychotic behavior and induce frightening […]
HOW LONG DOES A HIGH LAST?
Being ‘high’ is considered an altered state that results from illicit drug use. This feeling occurs when dopamine is released in the brain, causing an intense feeling of euphoria. The high from a drug depends on various factors. Things like a person’s history with drug use, the type of drug, and how the drug is […]
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FAKE COCAINE AND OTHER SYNTHETICS
Recently, health officials across the United States, Australia, and Europe have issued warnings about dangerous synthetic drugs called “bath salts,” which have been marketed as imitations of current illicit substances. Overall, the presence of these nasty hallucinogens is nothing new (unfortunately), but the most dangerous twist to this story is the fact that some people […]
THE BIZARRE CONNECTION BETWEEN COCAINE AND SEROTONIN
In a recent study conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), cocaine’s destructive effects on cognitive function and its ultimate triggering of addiction are directly related to its ability to disrupt serotonin. After people consume this powerful stimulant, cocaine immediately blocks receptors for the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and (most importantly) serotonin, which results […]
SOME STREET NAMES FOR COMMON DRUGS
At some point in your life, you may have encountered someone who wanted to introduce you to “Mary Jane” or share a few snow cones. While this sounds like an ordinary walk along the beach here in California, the person in this scenario is most likely not willing to introduce you to their best friend […]
HOW COCAINE WREAKS HAVOC ON YOUR HEART
Anyone who grew up during the Reagan era or had kids during that time remembers the phrase “Just Say No” (to drugs, of course). In schools, we may have heard the term “crack is whack,” but that hasn’t stopped millions of people from trying this potentially deadly stimulant. Accelerating physical and psychological functions, cocaine (derived […]
A CLOSER LOOK AT SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCES
What are the most addictive substances on our planet? Although you may initially think this question is easy to answer, think again. If you were to ask different researchers about the matter, you would most likely get a different opinion each time, given the tricky nature of these chemicals. Ultimately, a drug’s addictive qualities can […]
SIGNS YOUR LOVED ONE IS A COCAINE USER
Although cocaine, or “coke,” is derived from coca leaves, the most common form of cocaine for drug use is a fine white powder. Cocaine directly affects the brain through dopamine which results in euphoria and dramatic changes in the user’s personality. Users of cocaine tend to talk more, be more outgoing, and feel in control. […]
THE DEADLY NEW THREAT OF FENTANYL-LACED CRACK COCAINE
Earlier this year, reports revealed that a particularly dangerous opioid called fentanyl was responsible for a spike in overdose-related deaths in the United States. By 2016 alone, these fatalities increased from 11.4% (2015) to 21.5% at maximum. Even more disturbing, back in March, Emily Feinstein (executive vice president of the National Center on Addiction and […]
CHILDREN AND DRUG USE
Illicit drugs include LSD and other hallucinogens, narcotics including heroin and various pills, cocaine, barbiturates, tranquilizers without a doctor’s orders, and cocaine. Sadly, these drugs have made their way into schools across the nation. A report published in 2015 found that nearly one in every six 12th grade students in the United States reported using an illicit drug […]