Teens and drugs: What you need to know

Cocaine
Street names: blow, c, coke, crack, dust, flake, freebase, powder lines, rock, snow

What is it?
Cocaine is a stimulant drug made from the leaves of the South American coca bush.

What does it look like?
• White powder that is inhaled or snorted
• Liquid that is injected
• Crack, the most highly addictive form

Cost: One-half gram of powder, $45; $15 to $25 for a rock, or hit, of crack

Who uses it?
One in 20 Ontario students -- about 43,000 -- in grades 7 to 12 used cocaine at least once in the past year.

Physical and mental effects
The impact of this drug depends on how much is used, how often, in what form (powder, liquid or crystals) and whether or not other drugs are involved.
• When snorted or injected, cocaine takes effect within minutes and the
high lasts up to an hour.
• When smoked, drug takes effect within seconds but lasts only five to 10 minutes.
• You initially feel energetic, confident, talkative and excited.
• When high fades, you feel agitated, paranoid and unable to relax or sleep.

Health risks
Cocaine can be mixed, or "cut," with dangerous substances. As well, cocaine:
• is highly addictive, especially "freebase" or "crack" cocaine;
• can cause a heart attack or stroke;
• can cause sinus infections, loss of smell and nosebleeds;
• can damage tissues in the nose;
• can lead to weight loss, malnutrition, anxiety, depression and psychosis; and
• is easy to overdose on.

Telltale signs of use
• Loss of appetite
• Extremely talkative and energetic
• Stays up all night
• Sleeps for one to two days after "coming down"
• Irritable, paranoid, confused

Heroin
Street names: black tar, brown sugar, goods, H, Harry, horse, junk, Lady, smack, white girl

What does it look like?
• A white powder, a brown grainy substance or a dark sticky gum; most often injected but can be snorted
• Can be heated in tin foil or on a spoon and the fumes inhaled in a ritual known as "tooting" or "chasing the dragon"

Who uses it?
• Wide range of people from different cultural, social, economic and age groups
• Twice as many males as females
• Most first-time users are teens and young adults
• Most regular users are over 30

Cost: It varies according to availability and market trends.

Physical and mental effects
• When injected, immediately produces a surge of euphoria known as a “rush” that lasts for a few minutes
• Slowed breathing due to depression of the autonomic nervous system
• Followed by up to one hour of sedation referred to as being “on the nod”
• New users may become nauseated and vomit
• Feeling of detachment from physical and emotional pain
• Feeling of well-being
• Effect with snorting or smoking not as intense

Health risks
• Bacterial infection, blood poisoning, abscesses, endocarditis (infection of the heart lining), collapsed veins, overdose, infection with HIV, hepatitis B or C from shared needles, dependence and addiction, changes in brain function
• Overdose, particularly when injected, and, when combined with other sedating drugs such as alcohol, can cause breathing to stop completely

Telltale signs of use
• "Track marks" along the arms from repeated injections
• Changes in mood and behaviour
• Decreased awareness of the outside world
• Drowsiness
• Docile and compliant when high
• Irritable and aggressive during withdrawal, which can set in within six to 12 hours of last dose
• Withdrawal symptoms include runny nose, sneezing, diarrhea, vomiting, restlessness, sweating, chills, shaking and involuntary leg movements; intense craving for more drug

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