What are the other names for Cannabis?
Hash, Blow, Shit, Dope, Grass, Draw or Weed.
Is it widely used here?
Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in Ireland. According to research,
one-quater of all adults here in Ireland, aged between 15 and 34,
had tried cannabis at some time in their life. That's one in every four.
This figure changes to one-sixth of all adults, who are aged between 15 and 64.
(Source: National Advisory Committee on Drugs and Drugs and Alcohol Information and Research Unit, 2003).
What is it and how it is used?
Cannabis itself is a natural plant and is used in three main forms. The most common type is called resin,
which comes as solid dark-coloured lumps or blocks.
Less common are the leaves and stalks of the plant, called 'grass' or 'weed', and the third kind,
Cannabis oil, is rarely seen in Ireland.
Cannabis is usually rolled with tobacco into a 'joint' or 'spliff' and smoked,
but it can also be cooked and eaten.
What are the effects?
Getting 'stoned' on Cannabis makes users feel relaxed, talkative and happy.
Some people feel time slows down and they also report a greater appreciation of colours,
sounds and tastes. Users can develop strong cravings for food, commonly called 'the munchies'.
Are there any side effects?
Cannabis can affect memory and concentration and can leave people feeling tired and lacking motivation.
Inexperienced users or people using a stronger type of Cannabis than they are used to, can feel anxiety,
panic or confusion. Some people may experience delusions or hallucinations.
How about the risks?
Many people consider Cannabis to be a relatively safe drug.
But new research shows that long-term users can find it hard to
control their use of the drug and may become addicted.
As it is usually rolled with tobacco, smoking Cannabis increases the risk of heart
disease and cancers such as lung cancer and may also affect fertility.
Cannabis use may also trigger schizophrenia in vulnerable people and in Ireland,
it is the second most common drug found in the systems of 'drunk' drivers, after alcohol.
What are the other names for Cocaine and Crack Cocaine?
Other names for Cocaine include Coke, Charlie or Snow, while 'Rocks' is another name for Crack Cocaine.
Is it used a lot in Ireland?
Cocaine use is on the increase here. About 3% of Irish adults claimed to have used
Cocaine or Crack Cocaine in their lifetime. This figure is much higher for men than for women.
(Source: National Advisory Committee on Drugs and Drugs and Alcohol Information and Research Unit, 2003)
Cocaine is more available than ever before, especially on the club and pub scenes.
What is it and how is it used?
Cocaine is a white powder, made from the leaves of the coca plant, mainly grown in
South American countries like Columbia, Peru and Bolivia.
In Ireland, the drug is available in two forms: cocaine powder and crack.
Cocaine powder is usually snorted through the nose using a rolled-up banknote or straw.
Crack, which is a more addictive form of Cocaine, is usually smoked in a pipe.
Some users inject Cocaine and may combine it with Heroin to create a 'speedball'.
What are the effects?
Well, Cocaine is a very powerful stimulant and acts fast, so users may feel more alert and energetic.
They may also feel less hungry or thirsty.
These effects can last for up to 20 minutes after each use. Smoking Crack Cocaine on the
other hand gives a shorter but a more intense high.
Any side effects?
Because of its powerful effects, Cocaine users are often left wanting more.
Large doses of the drug can lead to exhaustion, anxiety and depression. Sometimes,
users become aggressive and may suffer from dry mouth, sweating, and loss of appetite or increased heart and
pulse rates.
With Cocaine, what are the risks involved?
The strong cravings for Cocaine, especially Crack Cocaine, can lead to an urge to take the drug all the time.
This can lead to the person losing control of their drug use.
When snorting Cocaine, you risk damaging the inside of the nose;
when smoking Cocaine you risk developing breathing problems and when injecting Cocaine over a long period,
you risk Hepatitis and HIV Infection.
The depression that follows the high can be severe, and can lead to suicide attempts.
With long-term or binge use, the excitement caused by cocaine can turn to restlessness, sleep loss and weight loss.
Some people can develop a paranoid psychosis where they may be violent.
What are the other names for Ecstasy?
E, Doves, Mitsubishis, Diamonds, Euros, Shamrocks or Yokes
What is it and how is it used?
Ecstasy doesn't grow naturally, it's usually produced in back-street laboratories in a
number of European countries. It is sold mainly as tablets, which feature different designs or logos,
and sometimes these tablets can contain other drugs or substances.
Is Ecstasy a common drug here in Ireland?
Yes, about 1 in 14 of young adults claimed to have tried Ecstasy at least once in their lifetime.
(Source: National Advisory Committee on Drugs and Drugs and Alcohol Information and Research Unit, 2003).
Ecstasy use is on the increase here and young people who come from a range of
different backgrounds mainly use it. As with Poppers, this drug is closely linked to the club scene.
Any effects?
Ecstasy users can feel more alert and in tune with their surroundings.
They can feel happy and calm and have a warm feeling towards other people.
Sounds, colours and emotions are more intense and users have more energy,
which allows them to dance for longer periods of time.
How about side effects?
Body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate can all rise. Other physical effects include muscle pain,
nausea, jaw stiffness and teeth grinding.
Some users experience severe sweating, tremors and palpitations. Users can also feel dehydrated,
confused and tired.
When you take Ecstasy, what are the risks?
Although Ecstasy is produced in laboratories, it's not clinically tested.
The direct effect of Ecstasy on body temperature and the heat generated by dancing can be quite serious.
For example, some users drink as much water as possible to counteract the rise in body temperature,
but the drug causes the brain to release a hormone, which shuts the kidneys down temporarily.
This excess water is then absorbed by the brain cells, which can swell. In the worst case scenario,
this brain cell swelling can lead to a coma.
Users may be at risk from short-term effects because their bodies absorb the drug slowly,
while other users are at risk of the long-term effects because they absorb the drug more quickly.
Regular weekend users experience a mid-week crash that can leave them feeling tired and depressed,
often for days. It could be years before the long-term effects are known.
Deaths from ecstasy are quite rare, but can be due to heat stroke, heart attaches or asthma attacks.
What are the other names for Heroin?
Gear, Smack, Scag, Junk or H.
What is it and how is it used?
Heroin is made from morphine, one of the opiate drugs that come from the opium poppy.
It is used by injecting or by smoking, known as 'chasing the dragon'.
Do many people use Heroin in Ireland?
According to 2001 estimates*, around 14,400 people in Ireland are using heroin.
Of these 14,400 people, 12,400 are based in Dublin.
This figure has decreased since 1996 though, when around 13,400 people based in
Dublin were using heroin at that time.
(*Source: National Advisory Committee on Drugs - Prevalence of Opiate Use in Ireland 2000 - 2001).
What are the effects of it?
Injecting Heroin gives a quick rush of excitement, followed by a peaceful,
dreamlike feeling. The person feels warm, relaxed and drowsy. Pain, aggression and sexual
drive are all reduced. Basically, the immediate effects are that it slows the brain, heart rate and breathing.
How about the side effects?
The side effects of Heroin and other opiates (such as morphine and methadone)
include constipation and weaker breathing. However, most of the dangers of Heroin come from overdose,
and from injecting the drug.
When you're taking Heroin, what are the risks?
What is sold on the streets as Heroin often contains other substances, such as sugar,
flour, talcum powder or other drugs. These substances may seem harmless, but when injected,
they can cause huge damage to a person's body, including blood clots, abscesses and gangrene.
There are three diseases that you can get from sharing or borrowing needles: HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
Addiction to Heroin is often the result of regular use, especially when injected.
What are the other names for Methadone?
Juice, Phy, Meth, Linctus, Molly, Molloy or Steak & Kidney Pie
What is it and how is it used?
Methadone is a synthetic opiate and a powerful painkiller, often prescribed to
Heroin users as part of their drug treatment programme. The concept of Methadone Maintenance Treatment
was pioneered in the 1960's and has become the most widely used form of treatment for opiate addiction.
A single dose of Methadone can halt withdrawals for 24 hours (where other opiates
only last between 6 and 8 hours) and the does would not need to be increased, unlike other opiates.
Patients are supposed to experience no euphoria from Methadone and because it is
chemically different from heroin and morphine, urine tests can confirm whether or not a
patient is using other drugs.
Are many people using Methadone here?
As of August 2005, over 7,600 people in Ireland were receiving Methadone Maintenance
Treatment from their local Clinic or G.P. (Source: Central Drug Treatment Centre, August 2005)
What are the effects?
Methadone is a powerful painkiller, so pain relief, drowsiness, sleep and nausea are all
major effects of the drug. Although it was claimed that patients would not experience euphoria,
this is not true in all cases.
Patients with a low tolerance level would experience quite a pleasant feeling from a dose of Methadone.
Any side effects?
As with other opiates, the side effects of Methadone include constipation and weaker breathing,
aswell as weight gain, itching, sweating and a 'flushing' of the skin.
How about the risks?
As with Heroin, Methadone usage can lead to chronic addiction. Unlike Heroin however,
Methadone has a longer withdrawal period. There have been some cases where Methadone patients have overdosed.
What are the other names for Amphetamines?
Amphetamines are also known as speed, whizz or uppers.
What are they and how are they used?
Amphetamines are a group of stimulant drugs, some of which were used years ago as slimming tablets.
They usually come as a white-grey powder, sold in folded paper packages called 'wraps'.
They are usually taken by mouth, but can also be injected or snorted.
A type of Amphetamine called 'ice' or 'crystal' can be smoked.
Are they used a lot here in Ireland?
According to one survey, amphetamine use has dropped, while at the same time,
Ecstasy use has increased. (Source: Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition, 2003).
What are the effects?
The effects depend on how the drug is actually taken. A small dose by mouth can make users feel more alert,
excited, confident and energetic for around 3 or 4 hours.
Higher doses are taken when injecting or smoking the drug, and give the user a 'rush' of pleasure.
Some 'speed' users go on binges and become overactive and talkative.
Any side effects?
As with other stimulants, such as Cocaine, users can experience a 'crash' after the 'high'.
High doses can cause panic, paranoia and hallucinations. As amphetamines were previously used as slimming tablets,
they can also reduce appetite aswell as reducing the ability to sleep.
With long-term use of amphetamines, a condition known as 'amphetamine psychosis'
can develop, with symptoms similar to schizophrenia. The paranoia can cause people to become violent,
if they believe that they are being threatened.
How about the risks?
The 'amphetamine psychosis' described above, can continue after the person has stopped using the drug.
If someone taking amphetamines becomes aggressive or violent,
they can get themselves into dangerous situations, where they put themselves at risk.
When you share or borrow needles, there are serious risks from injecting amphetamines,
as with the injecting of cocaine or heroin.
What are the other names for solvents?
We're not aware of any other names for solvents. If you do, please e-mail us at info@gbrd.ie.
What are they and how are they used?
Solvents are mainly household products that you can find in any supermarket,
such as glues, paint thinner, nail polish remover, lighter fuels and aerosol sprays.
To give the user a 'high', these products are then inhaled from a soaked rag,
a coat sleeve or directly from the bottle. Aerosols, such as deodorants or whipped cream cans,
are often sprayed into the mouth and lungs.
Do many people inhale solvents here?
Solvent abuse is most common among primary school and secondary school students.
In fact, solvents are the second most commonly used drug after cannabis,
among school-going children here in Ireland. (Source: Health Behaviour in School-aged Children 2003).
In that survey, nearly 8% of boys and 5% of girls had claimed to have used
solvents during their lifetime. This shows an increase over the 1998 figures.
What are the effects?
Inhaling solvents can give a 'high' or a 'buzz', which is like feeling drunk.
The effects normally wear off after half an hour or so.
Someone who has just inhaled solvents can appear drunk, with slurred speech,
staggering, giggling and lack of control. They can also feel drowsy afterwards.
How about the side effects?
When inhaling solvents, a person's judgement can be affected and they can become aggressive.
Hallucinations, vomiting and blackouts are also common. There is usually a hangover after use,
with headache and poor concentration.
And the risks?
Deaths from solvent abuse are rare but they can happen for a variety of reasons,
and can happen the first time that solvents are inhaled. It is extremely dangerous to
squirt gas into the mouth as this can cause sudden death.
People under the influence of solvents are more likely to have accidents.
They may also choke, either on the solvent itself when sprayed into the lungs, or on their own vomit.
Users who place a plastic bag over their heads to try and get a better effect, could suffocate.
Many solvents can also cause heart failure or can damage the brain, the kidneys,
the nervous system and the lungs.
What are the other names for LSD?
LSD is commonly known as Acid.
What is LSD and how is it used?
LSD usually comes as tiny tablets known as 'dots' or 'tabs', in or on
small squares of paper or cardboard. These 'tabs' usually have
various pictures or logos on them, and are swallowed.
Some people believe that LSD can be absorbed through the skin from transfers, but this isn't true.
What are the effects?
LSD is a hallucinogenic drug. About one hour after taking a 'tab', it causes a 'trip'
where the user's environment appears different, with colours, sounds and objects appearing unreal or abnormal.
During a 'trip' the person may see visions and hear voices, and time seems to slow down or speed up.
The effects can last for around 12 hours.
Is it widely used?
Insert text here...
What about the side effects?
It's hard to predict what kind of 'trip' a person will have and 'trips' cannot be controlled, changed or stopped.
During a 'bad trip', a person may feel terrified and feel they are losing control, going mad or dying.
A 'bad trip' is more likely if the person is already feeling anxious or depressed before taking a 'tab'.
And the risks?
A 'bad trip' can trigger mental illness in some people. 'Good trips' can also be dangerous,
for example if a person has delusions that they can fly or walk on water.
A person can also get 'flashbacks', where they feel they are back on a 'trip'
for a short period of time, during the weeks and months after a 'trip'. These 'flashbacks' can be distressing.
What are the common names for poppers?
At the GBRD, we're not aware of any other names to describe poppers. If you do,
please e-mail us at info@gbrd.ie
What are poppers and how are they used?
The chemical names for Poppers are amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite. 'Poppers' are
chemicals that come in liquid form, usually in small bottles.
The vapour from the bottle is inhaled through the nose.
Are Poppers used a lot in Ireland?
Poppers are quite common on the clubbing scene in Ireland, but are not as commonly used as Ecstasy.
What are the effects?
'Poppers' cause a 'rush' which lasts for about five minutes. The blood pressure falls and the heart pumps faster.
Users report an increase in sexual arousal and a greater sense of enjoyment of music and dancing.
How about the side effects?
These drugs can make a person feel sick and dizzy, and sometimes
cause blackouts.
What about the risks?
'Poppers' are especially dangerous for people with heart or
breathing problems. The liquid can be poisonous if swallowed.
