Club Drugs and Teens

Introduction

In today's society, teens are a common target of anti-drug campaigns and government advertisements. The goal of these campaigns is to make teens and young adults aware of the dangers associated with drug use. While these campaigns are generally effective, teens are still greatly tempted by the dangerous, exciting, and fast-paced world of club drugs. Despite the information they are constantly receiving from their teachers, parents, and government media, some teenagers will still adamantly pursue drugs in hopes of finding "a good time."

Some of the club drugs that teens are likely to try are extremely dangerous and can ruin a person's mental or physical health with just a few uses. Because teenagers' nervous systems are still developing, it is very easy for them to become addicted to drugs after even one use. The lifestyle that can be brought about by the use of club drugs can be a vicious cycle of self-destruction, and can have a rapid detrimental effect on a teen's chances to excel in life.

However, many times facts are skewed by media and government agencies in order to keep teens off drugs. While this sort of propaganda has good intentions, many people find it morally unjust to deliberately misinform people, even for their own benefit. Some risks are greatly exaggerated, and some of the "facts" which are commonly accepted are barefaced lies.

In this report, I hope to create a source of unbiased, legitimate facts about club drugs and the ways they are used by teens, and the effects that they can have on a teenager's life. I believe it is better to know and understand the risks of drug use, and make an educated decision about using them, than to be told what to think and what to do by another person.

Ketamine Hydrochloride

("K", "Special K", "Ket", "Vitamin K", "Cat Tranquilizer")

Ketamine is one of the lesser-known club drugs around today, and gets far less media coverage than other more common drugs. It has been used as a veterinary and medical anesthetic since 1965, and was known for producing a fairly safe, if unusual, anesthesia in patients. It was only in 1999 that Ketamine became a controlled substance in the United States, after governmental anti-drug agencies took note of people using it as a recreational drug.

Generally, medical quality Ketamine is considered by the medical community to be a comparatively safe drug when used with caution. It is used as a dissociative drug, one that can cause near-death or out-of-body experiences in users. This was first realized when medical patients who were under the influence of Ketamine reported experiences in which they floated around the room they were in, watching their own body being operated on by doctors. While this was startling, Ketamine was still seen as a very useful anesthetic in the medical world, and continued to be used by doctors.

In today's club and rave scene, especially in Europe, buying and using Ketamine from non-pharmaceutical sources can be extremely risky, due to mislabeling, inaccurately noted or inconsistent potency, and a common practice of mixing Ketamine with other, more powerful drugs before sales. When a user buys Ketamine from a drug dealer, it is quite possible that he or she is also getting cocaine, heroin, or ecstasy mixed with their purchase.

Because teenagers can be uncaring about their own safety, some simply see Ketamine as a safe, harmless drug. However, the drug they buy can be something much stronger and much more dangerous than pure medical Ketamine. While it's use has declined since it's outlawing in 1999, Ketamine is still sold on the streets and used by teens. It is legal in many other countries, and fears of increased use are arising.

MDMA

("Ecstasy", "X", "E", "Rolls", "Adam")

MDMA, more commonly known as Ecstasy, is one of the most popular club drugs among teenage users today. It has been popular since the 1960s, and is known for causing feelings of closeness or temporary infatuation with others. Users generally take ecstasy before or during social outings, in hopes that it will make them more sociable and more attractive to others.

Because it is used for social purposes, ecstasy can be very attractive to teenagers who are worried about their social status. People who use ecstasy tend to believe they are doing well for themselves socially while under the drugs influences. These circumstances can lead to very quick and long-term addiction in teens, and often lead to teens taking great social and sexual risks which they may later regret.

Although ecstasy is popular, it is not by any means safe. Ecstasy works by triggering the release of serotonin in the brain, which makes the user feel relaxed and happy. When the drug wears off, the user hits a low point in their serotonin levels, which can lead to temporary episodes of severe depression and panic attacks. It also commonly makes users have strong desires for sexual activities, and its use has been noted as a factor in many teenage pregnancies.

A common misconception about ecstasy is that it damages, drains, or mixes with spinal fluid, and can later be released into the system, causing an unsuspected return of the drug's effects. This isn't proven to be true or false, but most experts agree that ecstasy can not be re-released into the system, and people reporting such experiences are probably just feeling them due to a placebo effect.

The popularity of ecstasy has grown rapidly over the past decade, with almost 20% of high school seniors stating that they have tried the drug. This is a sign that the laws passed in 1985 making it illegal in the United States were largely ineffective.

SODIUM OXYBATE

("GHB", "The Date Rape Drug", "G")

Sodium Oxybate, or GHB, is commonly identified as the "Date Rape Drug". It was sold as an over-the-counter treatment for sleeping disorder until 1990, when it was made illegal in the United States. GHB has received excessive media coverage since it was identified as a tool of sexual predators.

The effects of GHB are generally positive at low dosages. Users report feelings of relaxation, an increase in sociability, and mild dizziness or drowsiness. Recreational users are generally teens or young adults in social scenes such as clubs or raves, and users tend to aim for mild effects and a minor "buzz".

Every year, teenage girls