Health Risks Associated with Alcohol and Other Drug Use
adapted from u.s. department of justice-publication drugs of abuse (website september 2009)
| Dependence | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | CSA Schedules | Trade or Other Names | Medical Uses | Physical | Psycho-logical | Tolerance | Duration (Hours) | Usual Method | Possible Effects | Effects of Overdose | Withdrawal Syndrome | |
| Narcotics | ||||||||||||
| Heroin | Substance I | Diamorphine, Horse, Smack, Black tar, Chiva, Negra (black tar) | None in U.S., Analgesic, Antitussive | High | High | Yes | 3-4 | Injected, snorted, smoked | Euphoria, drowsiness, respiratory depression, constricted pupils, nausea | Slow and shallow breathing, clammy skin, convulsions, coma, possible death | Watery eyes, runny nose, yawning, loss of appetite, irritability, tremors, panic, cramps, nausea, chills and sweating | |
| Morphine | Substance II | MS-Contin, Roxanol, Oramorph SR, MSIR | Analgesic | High | High | Yes | 3-12 | Oral, injected | ||||
| Hydrocodone | Substance II, Product III, V | Hydrocodone w/ Acetaminophen, Vicodin, Vicoprofen, Tussionex, Lortab | Analgesic, Antitussive | High | High | Yes | 3-6 | Oral | ||||
| Hydro-morphone | Substance II | Dilaudid | Analgesic | High | High | Yes | 3-4 | Oral, injected | ||||
| Oxycodone | Substance II | Roxicet, Oxycodone w/ Acetaminophen, OxyContin, Endocet, Percocet, Percodan | Analgesic | High | High | Yes | 3-12 | Oral | ||||
| Codeine | Substance II, Products III, V | Acetaminophen, Guaifenesin or Promethazine w/Codeine, Fiorinal, Fioricet or Tylenol w/Codeine | Analgesic, Antitussive | Moderate | Moderate | Yes | 3-4 | Oral, injected | ||||
| Other Narcotics | Substance II, III, IV | Fentanyl, Demerol, Methadone, Darvon, Stadol, Talwin, Paregoric, Buprenex | Analgesic, Antidiarrheal, Antitussive | High-Low | High-Low | Yes | Variable | Oral, injected, snorted, smoked | ||||
| Depressants | ||||||||||||
| gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid | Substance I, Product III | GHB, Liquid Ecstasy, Liquid X, Sodium Oxybate, Xyrem® | None in U.S., Anesthetic | Moderate | Moderate | Yes | 3-6 | Oral | Slurred speech, disorientation, drunken behavior without odor of alcohol, impaired memory of events, interacts with alcohol | Shallow respiration, clammy skin, dilated pupils, weak and rapid pulse, coma, possible death | Anxiety, insomnia, tremors, delirium, convulsions, possible death | |
| Benzodiazepines | Substance IV | Valium, Xanax, Halcion, Ativan, Restoril, Rohypnol (Roofies, R-2), Klonopin | Antianxiety, Sedative, Anti-convulsant, Hypnotic, Muscle Relaxant | Moderate | Moderate | Yes | 1-8 | Oral, injected | ||||
| Other Depressants | Substance I, II, III, IV | Ambien, Sonata, Meprobamate, Chloral Hydrate, Barbiturates, Methaqualone (Quaalude) | Antianxiety, Sedative, Hypnotic | Moderate | Moderate | Yes | 2-6 | Oral | ||||
| Stimulants | ||||||||||||
| Cocaine | Substance II | Coke, Flake, Snow, Crack, Coca, Blanca, Perico, Nieve, Soda | Local anesthetic | Possible | High | Yes | 1-2 | Snorted, smoked, injected | Increased alertness, excitation, euphoria, increased pulse rate & blood pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite | Agitation, increased body temperature, hallucinations, convulsions, possible death | Apathy, long periods of sleep, irritability, depression, disorientation | |
| Amphetamine/ Meth-amphetamine |
Substance II | Crank, Ice, Cristal, Krystal Meth, Speed, Adderall, Dexedrine, Desoxyn | Attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, narcolepsy, weight control | Possible | High | Yes | 2-4 | Oral, injected, smoked | ||||
| Methylphenidate | Substance II | Ritalin (Illy's), Concerta, Focalin, Metadate | Attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder | Possible | High | Yes | 2-4 | Oral, injected, snorted, smoked | ||||
| Other Stimulants | Substance III, IV | Adipex P, Ionamin, Prelu-2, Didrex, Provigil | Vaso-constriction | Possible | Moderate | Yes | 2-4 | Oral | ||||
| Hallucinogens | ||||||||||||
| MDMA and Analogs | Substance I | (Ecstasy, XTC, Adam), MDA (Love Drug), MDEA (Eve), MBDB | None | None | Moderate | Yes | 4-6 | Oral, snorted, smoked | Heightened senses, teeth grinding and dehydration | Increased body temperature, electrolyte imbalance, cardiac arrest | Muscle aches, drowsiness, depression, acne | |
| LSD | Substance I | Acid, Microdot, Sunshine, Boomers | None | None | Unknown | Yes | 8-12 | Oral | Illusions and hallucinations, altered perception of time and distance | (LSD) Longer, more intense "trip" episodes | None | |
| Phencyclidine and Analogs | Substance I, II, III | PCP, Angel Dust, Hog, Loveboat, Ketamine (Special K), PCE, PCPy, TCP | Anesthetic (Ketamine) | Possible | High | Yes | 1-12 | Smoked, oral, injected, snorted | Unable to direct movement, feel pain, or remember | Drug seeking behavior *Not regulated |
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| Other Hallucinogens | Substance I | Psilocybe mushrooms, Mescaline, Peyote Cactus, Ayahausca, DMT, Dextro-methorphan* (DXM) | None | None | None | Possible | 4-8 | Oral | ||||
| Cannabis | ||||||||||||
| Marijuana | Substance I | Pot, Grass, Sinsemilla, Blunts, Mota, Yerba, Grifa | None | Unknown | Moderate | Yes | 2-4 | Smoked, oral | Euphoria, relaxed inhibitions, increased appetite, disorientation | Fatigue, paranoia, possible psychosis | Occasional reports of insomnia, hyperactivity, decreased appetite | |
| Tetrahydro-cannabinol | Substance I, Product III | THC, Marinol | Antinauseant, Appetite stimulant | Yes | Moderate | Yes | 2-4 | Smoked, oral | ||||
| Hashish and Hashish Oil | Substance I | Hash, Hash oil | None | Unknown | Moderate | Yes | 2-4 | Smoked, oral | ||||
| Anabolic Steroids | ||||||||||||
| Testosterone | Substance III | Depo Testosterone, Sustanon, Sten, Cypt | Hypogonadism | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 14-28 days | Injected | Virilization, edema, testicular atrophy, gyneco-mastia, acne, aggressive behavior | Unknown | Possible depression | |
| Other Anabolic Steroids | Substance III | Parabolan, Winstrol, Equipose, Anadrol, Dianabol, Primabolin-Depo, D-Ball | Anemia, Breast cancer | Unknown | Yes | Unknown | Variable | Oral, injected | ||||
| Inhalants | ||||||||||||
| Amyl and Butyl Nitrite | Pearls, Poppers, Rush, Locker Room | Angina (Amyl) | Unknown | Unknown | No | 1 | Inhaled | Flushing, hypotension, headache | Methemo-globinemia | Agitation | ||
| Nitrous Oxide | Laughing gas, balloons, Whippets | Anesthetic | Unknown | Low | No | 0.5 | Inhaled | Impaired memory, slurred speech, drunken behavior, slow onset vitamin deficiency, organ damage | Vomiting, respiratory depression, loss of consciousness, possible death | Trembling, anxiety, insomnia, vitamin deficiency, confusion, hallucinations, convulsions | ||
| Other Inhalants | Adhesives, spray paint, hair spray, dry cleaning fluid, spot remover, lighter fluid | None | Unknown | High | No | 0.5-2 | Inhaled | |||||
| Alcohol | Beer, wine, liquor | None | High | High | Yes | 1-3 | Oral | |||||
To return to the Boston College Alcohol and Drug Education home page, go to www.bc.edu/ade.