|
Prescription drugs
that can be abused and become deadly Three
types of drugs are misused or abused most often:
- Opioids—prescribed for pain relief
- CNS depressants—barbiturates and
benzodiazepines prescribed for anxiety or sleep
problems (often referred to as sedatives or
tranquilizers)
- Stimulants—prescribed for attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the sleep
disorder narcolepsy, or obesity.
Substances:
Category and Name |
Examples of
Commercial
and Street Names |
How
Administered |
Intoxication Effects/Potential Health
Consequences |
|
Depressants |
reduced pain and
anxiety; feeling of well-being; lowered
inhibitions; slowed pulse and breathing;
lowered blood pressure; poor concentration/confusion,
fatigue; impaired coordination, memory,
judgment; respiratory depression and arrest,
addiction
Also, for barbiturates—sedation,
drowsiness/depression, unusual
excitement, fever, irritability, poor
judgment, slurred speech, dizziness
for benzodiazepines—sedation,
drowsiness/dizziness
for flunitrazepam—visual and
gastrointestinal disturbances, urinary
retention, memory loss for the time under
the drug's effects |
|
barbiturates  |
Amytal, Nembutal,
Seconal, Phenobarbital; barbs,
reds, red birds, phennies, tooies, yellows,
yellow jackets |
injected,
swallowed |
|
benzodiazepines (other than flunitrazepam)
 |
Ativan, Halcion,
Librium, Valium, Xanax; candy,
downers, sleeping pills, tranks |
swallowed |
|
flunitrazepam (date rape drug)
 
 |
Rohypnol;
forget-me pill, Mexican Valium, R2, Roche,
roofies, roofinol, rope, rophies |
swallowed,
snorted |
|
Dissociative Anesthetics |
increased heart
rate and blood pressure, impaired motor
function/memory loss; numbness;
nausea/vomiting
Also, for ketamine—at
high doses, delirium, depression,
respiratory depression and arrest |
| ketamine
 |
Ketalar SV;
cat Valium, K, Special K, vitamin K |
injected,
snorted, smoked |
| Opioids
and Morphine Derivatives |
pain relief,
euphoria, drowsiness/respiratory
depression and arrest, nausea, confusion,
constipation, sedation, unconsciousness,
coma, tolerance, addiction
Also, for codeine—less
analgesia, sedation, and respiratory
depression than morphine |
| codeine
 |
Empirin with Codeine,
Fiorinal with Codeine, Robitussin A-C,
Tylenol with Codeine; Captain
Cody, Cody, schoolboy; (with glutethimide)
doors & fours, loads, pancakes and syrup |
injected,
swallowed |
| fentanyl
(with an analgesic potency of about 80 times
that of morphine)
|
Actiq, Duragesic,
Sublimaze; Apache, China girl,
China white, dance fever, friend, goodfella,
jackpot, murder 8, TNT, Tango and Cash |
injected,
smoked, snorted |
| morphine
 |
Roxanol, Duramorph;
M, Miss Emma, monkey, white stuff |
injected,
swallowed, smoked |
| opium
 |
laudanum, paregoric;
big O, black stuff, block, gum, hop |
swallowed,
smoked |
| other
opioid pain relievers (oxycodone, meperidine,
hydromorphone, hydrocodone, propoxyphene)
 |
Tylox, OxyContin,
Percodan, Percocet; oxy 80s,
oxycotton, oxycet, hillbilly heroin, percs
Demerol, meperidine
hydrochloride; demmies, pain
killer
Dilaudid;
juice, dillies
Vicodin, Lortab,
Lorcet; Darvon, Darvocet |
swallowed,
injected, suppositories, chewed, crushed,
snorted |
|
Stimulants |
increased heart
rate, blood pressure, metabolism; feelings
of exhilaration, energy, increased mental
alertness/rapid or irregular
heart beat; reduced appetite, weight loss,
heart failure
Also, for amphetamines—rapid
breathing; hallucinations/tremor,
loss of coordination; irritability,
anxiousness, restlessness, delirium, panic,
paranoia, impulsive behavior,
aggressiveness, tolerance, addiction
for cocaine—increased
temperature/chest pain, respiratory failure,
nausea, abdominal pain, strokes, seizures,
headaches, malnutrition
for methamphetamine—aggression,
violence, psychotic behavior/memory
loss, cardiac and neurological damage;
impaired memory and learning, tolerance,
addiction
for methylphenidate—increase
or decrease in blood pressure, psychotic
episodes/digestive problems, loss
of appetite, weight loss |
|
amphetamines
 |
Biphetamine,
Dexedrine; bennies, black
beauties, crosses, hearts, LA turnaround,
speed, truck drivers, uppers |
injected,
swallowed, smoked, snorted |
| cocaine
 |
Cocaine hydrochloride;
blow, bump, C, candy, Charlie, coke, crack,
flake, rock, snow, toot |
injected,
smoked, snorted |
|
methamphetamine
|
Desoxyn;
chalk, crank, crystal, fire, glass, go fast,
ice, meth, speed |
injected,
swallowed, smoked, snorted |
|
methylphenidate
 |
Ritalin;
JIF, MPH, R-ball, Skippy, the smart drug,
vitamin R |
injected,
swallowed, snorted |
| Other
Compounds |
no intoxication
effects/hypertension, blood
clotting and cholesterol changes, liver
cysts and cancer, kidney cancer, hostility
and aggression, acne; adolescents, premature
stoppage of growth; in males, prostate
cancer, reduced sperm production, shrunken
testicles, breast enlargement; in females,
menstrual irregularities, development of
beard and other masculine characteristics |
| anabolic
steroids
 |
Anadrol, Oxandrin,
Durabolin, Depo-Testosterone, Equipoise;
roids, juice |
injected,
swallowed, applied to skin |
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