DON'T RUIN YOUR FUTURE,SO STAY DRUG FREE (2017)

Reuploaded from the Ama Duniya Magazine in November 2017 at age 11, unedited from back then.

So let's see, you know what drugs are, no not the medical drugs, illegal drugs you see, lots of people say they won't do it, but they do, want to know how bad it is, I will talk about it today, they are the types of drugs, Cocaine, Cannabis, Ecstasy, Hallucinogens, Heroin, and Methamphetamine. You should NOT do DRUGS, if you even do a small bit of it, it will ruin your life, and a long time in prison as today I shall explain what the names of the drugs are and explain what happens if you do, now Cocaine or known as Crack/Bazooka/Blanche/Cake/ Coke/Lady/ and Star Dust. Now, what is it you ask, Cocaine is a fine white or off-white powder that acts as a powerful stimulant. In its pure form, cocaine is extracted from the leaves of the coca plant. On the street, it can be diluted or "cut" with other substances to increase the quantity. Crack is cocaine that has been further processed with ammonia or baking soda, they look like small rocks, how do you take it you ask? you just sniff it or injected, crack is smoked, so you don't really eat it., how does it affect you? Cocaine can make users feel exhilarated and euphoric. Furthermore, users often experience a temporary increase in alertness and energy levels, and a postponement of hunger and fatigue, which can affect your body pretty much a lot, this is why it is known as a bad drug. Now we move onto Cannabis, or known as Bongo/Ganja/Grass/Marijuana/ Pot/Thai sticks, now what is it? Cannabis is a tobacco-like greenish or brownish material made up of the dried flowering tops and leaves of the cannabis (hemp) plant. Cannabis resin or "hash" is the dried black or brown secretion of the flowering tops of the cannabis plant, which is made into a powder or pressed into slabs or cakes. Cannabis oil or "hash oil" is cannabis resin in liquid form. Cannabis is by far the most cultivated, trafficked and abused illicit drug, as they come from a plant, this is very illegal, the only way to get it is to plant or buy it from a black market, which is also illegal, people are trying to stop this as some parts of the world are based of this, now how is it taken? Most of it can be smoked, but some can be ingested orally or brewed in tea, how does it affect you? Cannabis can make users feel relaxed and heighten their sensory awareness. Thus, users may experience a more vivid sense of sight, smell, taste and hearing. We will move on to Ecstasy or known as E/Snackies/New Yorkers/Disco biscuits, but what is it? Ecstasy is a psychoactive stimulant. In fact, the term "ecstasy" does not refer to a single substance, but rather to a range of substances similar in chemistry and effects. It is usually distributed as a tablet or pill but can also be a powder or capsule. The tablets can be in many different shapes and sizes, for the last 10 years, it has become a known thing in the world for some countries, and younger people think it is safe, which it is not. How is it taken, and how does it affect you? It is usually taken orally but can also be snorted or injected, as you see Ecstasy can heighten users' empathy levels and induce a feeling of closeness to people around them. It is often used at "rave parties" to increase participants' sociability and energy levels. Now we move on to Hallucinogens, what are they, and what is it? Hallucinogens, or "psychedelics", are drugs that alter users' state of consciousness and produce different kinds of hallucinations.

The main types of hallucinogens are d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), phencyclidine (PCP), hallucinogenic amphetamines, mescaline and psilocybe mushrooms, what is it? LSD is a semi-synthetic drug derived from lysergic acid, which is found in a fungus that grows on rye and other grains.

LSD, commonly referred to as "acid", is one of the most potent hallucinogens. It is usually sold on the street as small squares of blotting paper with drops containing the drug, but also as tablets, capsules or occasionally in liquid form. It is a colourless, odourless substance with a slightly bitter taste. How do people take it? It is mostly eaten. Now we move on to Heroin, or known as Smack/Brown/H/Horse/Junk/ Harry/White lady, with this people might have heard it before, and it is a drug. I will explain what it is. It is Heroin is an addictive drug with painkilling properties processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance from the Asian opium poppy plant. Pure heroin is a white powder. Street heroin is usually brownish white because it is diluted or "cut" with impurities, meaning each dose is different. How is it taken? It is usually injected but can also be snorted, smoked or inhaled. Heroin affects users by making them feel an initial surge of euphoria, along with a feeling of warmth and relaxation. Users also often become detached from emotional or physical distress, pain or anxiety. Now we move on to the last one, after this, I will explain the risks of these drugs. Now we move on to Methamphetamine, or known as Crack meth/Ice/Crystal meth/Tik/Shabu/Yaba, what is it? Methamphetamine is part of the group of drugs called amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS). It is a synthetic drug that is usually manufactured in illegal laboratories. Methamphetamine comes as a powder, tablet or as crystals that look like shards of glass. How is it taken? It can be swallowed, sniffed/snorted, smoked or injected. But how does it affect users? Methamphetamine stimulates a feeling of physical and mental well being, as well as a surge of euphoria and exhilaration. Users experience a temporary rise in energy, often perceived to improve their performance at manual or intellectual tasks. Users also feel postponement of hunger and fatigue.

Now we move on to the risks of these drugs, the credits are at the end, let's start with Cocaine, the risk are short-term effects include faster breathing and increases in body temperature and heart rate. Users' behaviour can also become bizarre, erratic and violent. Excessive doses of cocaine may lead to convulsions, seizures, stroke, cerebral haemorrhage or heart failure.

Long-term users of cocaine risk a number of health problems, some of them depending on the ingestion method. Sniffing cocaine severely damages nose tissue, smoking can cause respiratory problems, whilst injection can lead to abscesses and infectious diseases.

Other risks, regardless of ingestion method, include dependency, malnutrition, weight loss, disorientation, apathy and a state similar to paranoid psychosis, but that is just cocaine, what about cannabis? Short-term effects include increased appetite and pulse rate.While high, users' intellectual and physical abilities are impaired. With large doses, users may experience severely altered sensory perceptions and slow and confused thinking. If the dose is very large, the effects of cannabis are similar to those of hallucinogens and may cause anxiety, panic and even psychotic episodes.

Regular users of cannabis risk developing dependency to the point where they lose interest in all other activities, such as work and personal relationships.

Furthermore, cannabis smoke also contains 50 percent more tar than high tar cigarettes, thus putting users at an increased risk for lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. Now we move onto to Ecstasy, what are the risks? Well in the short term, ecstasy can make the body ignore distress signals such as dehydration, dizziness and exhaustion, and it can also interfere with the body's ability to regulate temperature. Furthermore, ecstasy can severely damage internal organs such as the liver and the kidneys and sometimes lead to convulsions and heart failure.

Large doses of ecstasy also cause restlessness, anxiety and severe visual and auditory hallucinations.

Longer-term ecstasy use can damage certain brain regions, resulting in serious depression and memory loss, next is LSD or Hallucinogens, the risks are short-term, LSD produces delusions and distorted perceptions. The user's sense of depth and time changes and colours, sound and touch seem more intense.

Some LSD users experience severe, terrifying thoughts and feelings such as fear of losing control, fear of insanity and death, and despair.

The physical effects are small compared to the psychological and emotional effects. They include dilated pupils, increased heart rate and blood pressure, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, dry mouth and tremors. What are the risks for Heroin? Well, short-term effects include constricted pupils, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, inability to concentrate and apathy.

Furthermore, heroin is very addictive, and development of tolerance and physical and psychological dependence occurs rapidly.

Long-term heroin use has a variety of severe health effects. Among other things, it can cause severe weight loss and malnutrition that can lead to damaged veins and liver disease. It can also lead to menstrual irregularity, sedation and chronic apathy.

Abruptly quitting heroin use leads to moderate/severe withdrawal symptoms such as cramps, diarrhoea, tremors, panic, running nose, chills and sweats, and last but not least Methamphetamine, what are the risks? Well short-term, users can lose their appetite and start breathing faster. Their heart rate and blood pressure may increase and the body temperature may go up and cause sweating. With large doses, users may feel restless and irritable and they may experience panic attacks.

Excessive doses of methamphetamine can lead to convulsions, seizures and death from respiratory failure, stroke or heart failure.

Long-term methamphetamine use can lead to malnutrition, weight loss and the development of psychological dependence. Once chronic users stop taking methamphetamine, a long period of sleep, and then depression, usually follows. Thank you for reading this far, please don't do DRUGS and be DRUG FREE! Written by Ishaan Padhi, most of the credit for the information and most of it is by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.