Glossary

In development

ABSTINENCE

- not using alcohol or other drugs

ADDICT

- is a drug user whose use causes them serious physical, social or psychological problems. As it is a much abused term, many people prefer to talk of problem drug users instead.

ADDICTION

- a chronic, relapsing disease characterised by compulsive drug-seeking abuse and by long-lasting chemical changes in the brain.

AEROSOLS

- a solvent which when inhaled has a similar effect to alcohol. They make people feel uninhibited, euphoric and dizzy. Solvents cover a large number of substances including: glues, gases, deodorants, air freshners and petroleum products.

AIDS

- acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A severe immunological disorder caused by the retrovirus HIV, that causes increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections and to certain rare cancers. It is transmitted primarily by exposure to contaminated body fluids, especially blood and semen.

ALCOHOL

 - is seen by many as a more socially acceptable drug, but that's not to say it's any less powerful than other drugs. Technically speaking, it's a nervous system depressant, which means it slows down your body's responses in all kinds of ways. Just enough can make you feel great, too much and you'll have a hangover the next day.

AMPHETAMINE

- a stimulant that people take to keep them awake and alert. The effects can kick in within half an hour of ingesting by the mouth. If you inject it you'll experience the effects quicker and these effects can last for up to six hours. The high is generally followed by a long slow comedown. Street name: speed.

AMYL NITRITE

- is a liquid chemical. It is sometimes put in small bottles and inhaled (known as Poppers) to deliver a short, sharp high. Amyl nitrates dilate the blood vessels and allow more blood to get  to the heart.

BENZODIAZEPINES

- are the most commonly prescribed minor tranquillisers (for daytime anxiety relief) and hypnotics (to promote sleep). They include products such as valium, temazepam and mogadon.

BINGE

 - a period of excessive or uncontrolled indulgence in food, drugs or alcohol.

BLACKOUT

 - a loss of memory while drinking large quantities of alcohol. This means the person does not remember events that occurred while he or she appeared to other people to be alert and still functioning. Repeated blackouts from drinking often means the person has alcoholism.

CANNABIS

- is the most widely used illegal drug in Britain. Made from parts of the cannabis plant, it’s a naturally occurring drug. It is a mild sedative (often causing a chilled out feeling or actual sleepiness) and it’s also a mild hallucinogen (meaning you may experience a state where you see objects and reality in a distorted way and may even hallucinate).

COCAINE

- powder, freebase and crack are all forms of cocaine. They are stimulants with powerful, but short-lived effects. Stimulants temporarily speed up the processes of your mind and body. 'Freebase' cocaine and 'crack' cocaine, can be smoked, and so can reach the brain very rapidly in high dosage. Snorted powder cocaine is absorbed more slowly.

CRYSTAL METH

- Methylamphetamine is one of a group of stimulant drugs that act on the brain and nervous system. Like cocaine and amphetamines, methylamphetamine has stimulant properties but is much longer acting. The crystalline form – sometimes called 'Ice' – like 'crack cocaine' can be easily smoked and can rapidly lead to high blood levels. It's also long-acting compared to crack so it's an extremely powerful and addictive stimulant.

DEPRESSANTS

- are drug that act on the central nervous system to suppress neural activity in the brain, and can cause loss of motivation and interest in surroundings. Opiates and opioids such as heroin, varieties of painkillers, tranquillisers and alcohol are classed as depressants.


DETOXIFICATION

- a process of allowing the body to rid itself of a drug while managing the symptoms of withdrawal; often the first step in a drug treatment programme.

DOPAMINE

- a brain chemical, classified as a neurotransmitter, found in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, motivation and pleasure.

ECSTASY

- this is often called the original designer drug because of its synonymous relationship with rave culture in the early 90s. Clubbers took ecstasy to stay awake and dance for hours. The effects take about half an hour to kick in and tend to last between 3 to 6 hours, followed by a gradual comedown.

HALLUCINOGENS

 - are drugs that produce hallucinations (distortion in perception of sights and sounds) and disturbances in emotion, judgment and memory. Hallucinogens are unpredictable and can cause intensified and mixed-up sensations. Cannabis, ecstasy, LSD, magic mushrooms and skunk can all be classed under this term.

HEROIN

- is a natural opiate made from morphine (morphine is extracted from the opium poppy). Like many drugs made from opium, including synthetic opioids (e.g. methadone) heroin is a very strong painkiller. 'Street' heroin sold as 'brown' is sometimes used by clubbers as a chill out after a big night out. Brown is still heroin but some people mistakenly think it's not as addictive.

HIV

- human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is a retrovirus that causes AIDS by infecting helper T cells of the immune system. The most common type, HIV-1, is worldwide, whilst HIV-2 is primarily confined to West Africa.

KETAMINE

- is a short-acting but powerful general anaesthetic which depresses the nervous system and causes a temporary loss of body sensation. That is why it has been used for operating on humans and animals. It has powerful hallucinogenic qualities that distorts objects and reality.

KHAT

- catha edulis (khat) is a herbal substance containing may different compounds. Its main effects are due to two compounds with stimulant properties similar to, but less powerful than, amphetamines. Stimulants speed up your mind and body. It comes from a leafy green plant of the same name. Used mostly in Africa, Khat is becoming more common in Europe - particularly in some immigrant communities.

LSD

 - lysergic acid diethylamide is a hallucinogenic drug. LSD is commonly called 'acid'. The experience is known as a 'trip' and these trips can be good or bad. A trip can take from 20 minutes to an hour to start and usually lasts about 12 hours. Once it's started you can't stop it. And until you take a tab of acid you can't tell how strong it is or how it's going to affect you.

PERSISTENT PSYCHOSIS

- unpredictable and long-lasting visual disturbances, dramatic mood swings, and hallucinations experienced by some LSD users after they have discontinued use of the drug.

POLYDRUG USE

- is the use of more than one drug, often with the intention of enhancing or countering the effects of another drug. Polydrug use may however simply occur because the user's preferred drug is unavailable (or too expensive) at the time.