Other people may take drugs out of bordom or curiosity and some because thier friends do (peer pressure) and they feel the need to conform. This need to conform with friends is, perhaps, the strongest amoungst teenagers.

Are some people more likely than others to become depending on drugs?

Some people are more sensitive to others to the affects of drugs and may feel euphoric states more intensely. This may result in a reletively rapid attraction to and dependance on drugs. In others, feelings of tension or depression may be more acute, and a relief provided by drugs correspondingly greater, and so the dependance more probable.

A persons environment affects the likelyhood of drug dependance in many ways. For example, poor housing and umemployment are known to cause depression and anxiety, to states that are commen causes of drug addiction. It is also likely that dependance on a drug will be greater in a person who has to steal to get money for the drug than it will in a person who does not. There is for some people a special attraction in doing somthing illegal or nearly antisocial, and this attraction may put people in danger of becoming drug dependant.

Im some cases, the nature of the drug taken affects the likelyhood of dependancy. For example, a person taking herion is more likely to become drug dependant then a person taking barbiturates.

Which drugs may cause dependancy?

There are many drugs on which people can become dependant. These drugs can be categorized as those that depress the central nervuos system, those that stimulate the central nervuos sytsem, and those that produce hallucinations and also affect the central nervous system. The main group of drugs that depress the central nervuos system are the narcotics such as codein, herion, meperidine, methedone, morphein and paregoric. Other drugs in this catagory include alcohol, barbiturats, nicotine, tranquilizers and some sleeping pills.

Why are certian drugs classified as illegal?

governement classify certian drugs as illegal because they have been prooved to be dangerous to the individual and society. Evidence of the adverse effect of these drugs is based on reliable historical, epidemioloigical and scientific facts. Fharmacological studies indicate that opiates, cocaine and cannabis in minute amounts cause much greater disturbance in the brain mechanisim controlling behavior that does alcohol in smaller amounts. Use of these drugs also result in a greater incidence of compulsive drug orientated behavior and addiction.

Are there examples in history where street drugs have prooved to be harmful?

Harm associated with street drugs dates back to the 12th and 15th centuries. Historians recorded the social, cultural and economic regresion which resulted from the wide spread use of hashish in moslem medievil society. At the time the diversity of an opinion was so intence it divided the ancient islamic world. Those who favoured normalisation of hashish persueded the leaders of the time to lift sanctions to make hashish freely avaliable. It's use spreas rapidly through the middle eastern countries and when it became evident that the consequences of it's social acceptance were detriminal, Al Magrizy a historian of the period, recorded that for centuries sultons and emirs tried to reintroduce restrictions without sucess and the use of hashish became widespread. In 1980 Professor Souief produced a major study about the pernicious effects of centuries of hashish use in Egypt. Another country to be affected by a "street drug" was Peru. In south America, paintings on Mochican pottery depicting coca chewers have been found dating from 500 AD. In China the use of opium was encouraged by Great Britian, who, despite resistance by the Chinese, insisted on trading in opium. The total quantity of Indian opium imported by British traders into China was 4,000 chests in 1811 which esclated to 35,455 chests (2,250 tons) in 1839.

If street drugs are known to be harmful, why is there such a widespread problem thoughout the world?

What society is expieriencing at the moment is a phenominon which will eventually subside if correctly managed. The international scientific community refers to it as an "epidemic" (referring of course to drug-taking bahavior). Thoughout history some groups such as artists, writers, poets, criminals and people on the fringe, were the main users of illegal drugs. however, there have always been isolated incidents of drug use in the general population. In the 1960's there was a trend amoung some psychiatrists to experiment with drugs such as marajuana and hallucinogens. In the U.S.A culture figures became prominent in university life and gave the drug culture intellectural respectability. Tune in, Turn on and Drop out was popularised and before long this ecce signum was taken put by the highly visible and colorful hippie cult.

This growing acceptability within the medical profession coincided with the emergence of the drug culture. The result was street drugs started to gain acceptance in western society. The popularity of drugs, particularly marajauna spread throughout the world and eventually mooved into the mainstream of society.

There was two main factors favouring the acceptance of marajauna secondly the intoxicated level was fairly mild the taking of mild alterating drugs had now become so widespread that it has reached epidemic propertions.

How can drug-taking be discrbed as epidemeic?

Dr Nils Berejot research fellow in drug dependance at the Karolinska University Sweedan Identified 3 distinct patterns of abuse.

Culture!

This pattern is demonstrated by the coco chewing of south american Indians, Cannabis smoking in central parts of africa, India and the Middle East, Opium smoking in the Far East and alcohol consumption in the Western World.

Epidemic!

It is the contagion factor in contempory drug taking behavior which classifies it's patterns as epidemic. In it's third phase drug taking spreads to board groups of the normal population and in particular young people. Whilst psycological cultural or economic factors may count for some drug use the epidemic pattern with it's inherent contagious nature is the view favoured by the international scientific community.

The' epidemic patern' is characterised by the following:

It spreads almost without exception through psycological contact between an establised abuser and a novice.

It spreads rapidly.

It is subject to fashion.

It has close interaction of exposure and susceptibility.

The pressure of exposure causes people to react differently over a period of time.

Isn't Herion only dangeruos when it is adulterated?

In the late 1980's it was reported in the scientific literature that Herion {Derived from thier German word Heroisch: of supernatural power} is genotoxic and immunodepressive. The study indicated that the Herion impairs the immune system by facilitating entry of viruses into lymphocytes the cells which moove against foreign substances.

What are halluncinations/ psycodelics?

Hallucinogens or psycodelics are any mind-aitering substance that distorts the user's sensations thinking self-awareness,emotions and perceptions of reality. hallucinogens include such drugs as lsd (lysergic acid diethylamide).

The effects of psychodelics are unpredictable.They depenp on the amount taken the user's personality, mood, expectations and the surrouudings in which the drug is used. Usually the user feels the first effects of the drug 30 to 90 minutes after taking it. The physical effects include dilated pupils, higher body temperature, increased heart rate,increased blood pressure, sweating, loss of appetite, sleeplessness,dry mouth tremors.All of these changes can be frightening and can cause panic.Lsd is one of the strongest of the street drugs. One pinhead-sized drop can bring on an intense psychodelic highlasting twelve hours or longer.Flashbacks, in which the person experiences drug affects without having to take the drug again, can occur six monthes after use of the drug.

LYSERGIC ACID DIETHYLAMISE - LSD

LSD is manufactured from lysergic acid which is found in ergot, a fungus which grows on rye and other grains. LSD is on the the most potent mind altering chemicals. It is odourless, colorless, and tasteless.

Reasearch has shown some changes in the mental functions of users of LSD.

LSD is sold on the streets in many forms: tablets, capsules, liquid, or thin squares of gelatin (window panes). Often it is added to absorbent paper, such as blotting paper and divided into small decorated squares, with each square representing one dose.

PHENCYCLIDINE - PCP

PCP is somtimes considered a hallucinogen because it has some of the same effects. It is frequently sprinkled onto marajuana to intensify the effects. This is referred to as "killer weed".

MESCALINE

Mescaline comes from Peyote cactus and although not as strong as LSD, it's affects are similar. Mescaline is smoked or swallowed in capsule form or tablets.

Psilocybin comes from certain mushrooms. It is sold in tablet or capsule form. The mushrooms themselves are fresh or dried, eaten.

N,N, -DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE - DMT

DMT is another psychodelic drug that acts like LSD. It's effects begin almost immediately and last for 30 - 60 minutes.

What is ment by designer drugs?

Designer drugs are deriviates of synthetic chemicals used in various combinations. They aredrugs of potencially dangerous potency which are difficult to quantify because those who produce them to have no regard for quality control. For example, 3-methyl-fentanyl is an analogue of fentanyl, often sold as synthetic herion. An amount as small as the head of a pin can kill 50 people.

It has been calculated that one operator working eight hours a day for a week can make enough synthesised opiates to supply the whole United States for 6 six monthes. And the entire amount would fit onto three shoe boxes.

As the use of ecstasy spreads thoughout the Australiain community, hospitals are seeing people suffering the effects of overdose, usually psychotic reactions.

Opinions differ on the addictive properties of 'designer drugs' and, although there is little research material available, the fact that new variations of molecules can be created un intensionally, means there is a very real danger that highly toxic drugs will be produced.