Some do's and don't for the parents for teens

Work and Family Life Jun 2007

We can't help teens avoid all mistakes, nor should we try. But we can help them work through disappointments, reflect on bad decisions, and know how it feels to make wrong choices.
These do's and don't may be helpful:

The Do's..
Know what is normal teen behavior and what is not, so you know what to look out for.
Set clear rules for behavior and specific consequences for noncompliance, typically the loss of privileges.
Give teens household chores so they don't become rent-free boarders.
Have the courage to talk with them about the tough topics: sex, alcohol, drugs. Don't lecture. Listen and express your values clearly.
Have a zero-tolerance policy for tobacco, alcohol and drug use.Maintain a sense of humor. Let teenagers know that you love and like them.

The Don't'...
Patience is good, but don't become a doormat for disrespectful behavior.
Don't get dragged into power struggles. If teens choose not to comply with your rules, they will have to accept the consequences.
Don't try to outshout your teen. Say,"When you're ready to talk about this without yelling, let me know. But we need to talk be/ore you go out."
Don't put teens down or call them names.This damages the parent-teen connection, the lifeline through the years.

Magic Mushrooms

Magic mushrooms are a powerful, naturally occurring hallucinogenic. There are about dozens varieties of hallucinogenic mushrooms found growing in the wild, the most popular being the 'Liberty Cap' (Psilocybe Semilanceata).

Commonly known as ‘shrooms, mushies, liberty caps’; mushrooms are usually eaten raw but are also dried out and stored for later use. They can also be cooked into food or made into a tea or drink. They are usually sold loose in bags or crushed into tablets. To get the best out of magic mushrooms you have to eat it and chew it very well. Other methods of consumption will not be as intense as eating. Effects come on after about half an hour and last up to 9 hours, depending on how many are taken.

The effects of mushrooms are very similar to acid (LSD), although some report a more 'natural' high sometimes with a feeling of being detached. Small doses can bring on excitement and euphoria, while bigger does can bring on shape and color distortions and vivid hallucinations.

Side effects of magic mushrooms are very much similar to that of LSD. Nausea, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pains are likely. Like all hallucinogens, how good or bad your trip will be can be affected by the dosage, who you are with, where you are and how you're feeling at the time. A bad trip can be very frightening and may include fear, anxiety and paranoia. This is more likely with high doses and where the user already feels anxious. Like LSD flashbacks can be experienced some time later. This is when people re-experience part of a trip and it can be frightening, especially if they do not know it can happen.

Little research has been done into the long-term effects of mushrooms. There are no serious problems such as dependence and withdrawal associated with the drug since the body quickly develops tolerance. So continuous use is unlikely. The hallucinatory effects of the drug can make people at risk of accidents, while the biggest risk is of people mistakenly picking and consuming poisonous mushrooms - make sure you know what you're taking. If in any doubt, don't take them.

Gaming's New Drug Culture: Sex, Drugs and Counter-Strike

A common scene at today's LAN parties and competitive tournaments includes scores of young gamers and a very simple extra ingredient: energy drinks. Many gamers, whether they're aspiring professionals or amateurs who enjoy displaying their talents in front of an audience, will load up on Red Bull, Rockstar, Monster and other popular energy drinks loaded with caffeine, sugar, and various stimulants.

But if you look harder at some of these events, you may find something else that gamers are using to stave off fatigue: Ritalin. The prescription medication - generic name methylphenidate - is a potent stimulant commonly used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as well as narcolepsy and chronic fatigue syndrome. Despite the fact that Ritalin and similar drugs are used to calm people with ADHD and improve their concentration, the drug is actually a powerful stimulant. It is so potent, in fact, that the U.S. federal government identifies methylphenidate as a Schedule II narcotic, grouping it with opium, cocaine, PCP, and Oxycontin.
It's no secret that Ritalin has been criticized in recent years for over-prescription and abuse. College students have taken to popping Ritalin, colloquially known as "Vitamin R" and "R-Ball," to keep themselves awake and increase their concentration during late-night cram sessions. Now the drug is being used for an entirely different kind of task: performance enhancement during gaming.

And Ritalin is not the only narcotic being abused by gamers for the purpose of enhancing their skills and prolonging play. Indeed, a number of drugs are becoming popular among gamers, from amphetamines to nootropics or "smart drugs". Young people are even experimenting by combining drugs, such as Ecstasy and Viagra.

Dr. Maressa Orzack is a licensed psychologist and founder and coordinator of the Computer Addiction Services clinic at McLean Hospital in Newton, Massachusetts, which treats video game addiction. Orzack believes heavy game play can lead to many gamers trying illicit substances in order to enhance and prolong their playing time. "Amphetamines and methamphetamines are becoming popular; they can certainly help you stay up for long hours and probably help enhance the excitement. A lot of gamers, particularly the addicted ones, try to find ways to avoid sleep and keep their concentration."

While marijuana and video games has been a popular combination for years, many gamers have moved beyond simple recreational drugs to more potent and targeted narcotics. "Marijuana is still the prime example when it comes to video games," Orzack says. "I haven't had any of my patients tell me about [Ritalin and amphetamines] yet, but I won't be surprised when someone does."

Aaron McKenna, Rob Wright

Methadone

Methadone Hydrochloride is an opioid (a synthetic opiate) that was originally synthesized by German pharmaceutical companies during the Second World War because of the shortage of morphine. It was first marketed as 'Dolophine' and was used as an analgesic (a painkiller) for the treatment of severe pain. It is still occasionally used for pain relief. Methadone is now primarily used for the treatment of narcotic addiction. The effects of methadone are longer-lasting than those of morphine-based drugs. Methadone's effects can last up to 24 hours, thereby permitting administration only once a day in heroin detoxification and maintenance programs.

Methadone, a drug long valued for treating heroin addiction and for soothing chronic pain, is increasingly being abused by recreational drug users and is causing an alarming increase in overdoses and deaths as it produces similar effects to heroin and morphine plus its effect last from 24-72 hours depending upon the dose. It is usually prescribed as liquid syrup (linctus or methadone mixture) to be swallowed but it is also manufactured as tablets and ampoules for injection.

When methadone is prescribed to people addicted to other opiates (primarily heroin), the guidelines for the dosage are that enough should be given to prevent physical withdrawal symptoms - when you are prescribed methadone it is not supposed to give you a buzz, or get you high. If you take methadone orally (mixture or linctus), it will take around thirty minutes before you feel the effects. If you are using injectable methadone then the drug takes effect much more rapidly. As an opiate, regular use of methadone causes physical dependency - if you've been using it regularly (prescribed or not) once you stop you will experience a withdrawal. The physical changes due to the drug are similar to other opiates (like heroin); suppressed cough reflex, contracted pupils, drowsiness and constipation. Some methadone users feel sick when they first use the drug. If you are a woman using methadone you may not have regular periods - but you are still able to conceive. Methadone is a long-acting opioid; it has an effect for up to 36 hours (if you are using methadone you will not withdraw for this period) and can remain in your body for several days.

Methadone is a very powerful drug, and individual doses vary for each person. If you are using methadone that you have bought illegally be aware that you could overdose on an amount that would seem 'normal' to somebody else - especially if you are not using opiates regularly, and therefore have a low tolerance (it doesn't take very much to affect you). If you are using methadone regularly - prescribed or not - taking a higher dose than normal or using other depressant drugs (like alcohol, heroin, tranquillizers or sleeping tablets) on top could cause you to overdose and its effects can be fatal. So, be careful as “Methadone” is a killer drug if abused.

Special K

Ketamine hydrochloride, or "Special K," is a short-acting general anesthetic and a powerful hallucinogen widely used as an animal tranquilizer by veterinarians. Ketamine belongs to a class of drugs called "dissociative anesthetics," which separate perception from sensation.

Liquid Ketamine was developed in the early 1960s as an anesthetic for surgeries, and was used on the battlefields of Vietnam as an anesthetic. Powdered Ketamine emerged as a recreational drug in the 1970s, and was known as "Vitamin K" in the 1980s. It resurfaced in the 1990s rave scene as "Special K."

Ketamine usually comes as a liquid in small pharmaceutical bottles, and is most often cooked into a white powder. Ketamine liquid can be injected, applied to smokable material, or consumed in drinks. The powdered form looks similar to cocaine and can be put into drinks, smoked, snorted or dissolved and then injected. The drug is sometimes sprinkled on tobacco or marijuana and smoked. Special K is frequently used in combination with other drugs, such as ecstasy, heroin or cocaine. Ketamine is odorless and tasteless, so it can be added to beverages without being detected, and it induces amnesia. Because of these properties, the drug is often used as a “date rape” drug.

Some people describe a speedy rush within a few minutes of sniffing the powder (20 minutes if taken as a pill, quicker if injected), leading to powerful hallucinations that include visual distortions and a lost sense of time, sense, and identity. The high can last from a half-hour to 2 hours. Ketamine produces physical effects similar to PCP, with the visual effects of LSD. Users report that it is better than PCP or LSD because the trip lasts an hour or less. Low doses of the drug results in impaired attention, learning ability and memory. Higher doses produce an effect referred to as “K-Hole,” an “out of body,” or “near-death” experience. Due to its dissociative effect, it is reportedly used as a date-rape drug. In high doses, ketamine can cause delirium, amnesia, impaired motor function, high blood pressure, depression, and potentially fatal respiratory problems.

Crack vs Cocaine

Many of you have probably heard of crack cocaine. Crack cocaine, a form of cocaine base, is derived from powder cocaine. Crack is a slang term for smoke able cocaine. The name crack comes from the cracking and popping sound it makes when it is heated. Crack cocaine is a highly addictive and powerful stimulant that is derived from powdered cocaine using a simple conversion process. The powder cocaine is dissolved in a solution of sodium bicarbonate and water. The solution is boiled and a solid substance separates from the boiling mixture. This solid substance, crack, is removed and allowed to dry. This substance, crack, became enormously popular in the mid-1980s due in part to its almost immediate high and the fact that it is inexpensive to produce and buy. The popularity of the drug is still growing rapidly. There are at least 5,000 to 7,000 new cocaine users in America every year.

Crack is typically available as rocks. Crack rocks are white (or off-white) and vary in size and shape. Smoking crack cocaine delivers large quantities of the drug to the lungs, producing an immediate and intense euphoric effect. Because crack is smoked, the user experiences a high in less than 10 seconds. Usually smoked through a water pipe (sometimes in cigarettes or joints), it produces a rapid, ultra-intense high which lasts for about 2 minutes, followed by a pleasurable buzz which usually lasts around 20 minutes before a long low or crash. Because the hit is so strong, some people get hooked on the sensation and end up blowing all their cash trying to repeat the high, or overdosing.

The effects of Crack are similar to those of Cocaine, although since Crack is smoked, additional risks exist. General effects include constricted blood vessels and increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure, restlessness, irritability, anxiety, and with long term use, violence and paranoia are noted. Additional risks of smoking crack include respiratory problems such as shortness of breath, chest pains, lung trauma and bleeding. As with cocaine, crack is highly addictive. Evidence shows that when cocaine and crack are smoked (as opposed to other methods), there is increased risk of compulsive cocaine-seeking behavior, which later may link to crime as addicts seek to fund their habit. High doses can result in psychosis, confusion, irritability, fear, paranoia, hallucinations and aggressive anti social behavior. Because crack is an appetite suppressant, crack can also make users vulnerable to malnutrition. An added danger of cocaine use is when cocaine and alcohol are consumed at the same time. The human liver combines cocaine and alcohol and manufactures a third substance, coca ethylene. This intensifies cocaine's euphoric effects, while also possibly increasing the risk of sudden death.

Common Terms Associated with Crack

Term and Definition
Bingers: Crack addicts
Oolies: Marijuana laced with crack
Geeker: Crack user
Rooster: Crack
Jelly beans: Crack
Tornado: Crack
Moonrock: Crack mixed with heroin
Wicky stick: PCP, marijuana, and crack

Drinking Drug.....may be in your drink?

In the last few years, GHB (gammahydroxybutyrate) has become popular on the rave scene, with users enjoying an alcohol-like high with potent positive sexual effects. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid or GHB, is a compound that was initially used by body builders to stimulate muscle growth. In recent years it has become popular as a recreational drug among club kids and partygoers.

GHB is a clear odorless and colorless liquid (usually mixed with alcohol). It is also available in the form of white powder (usually made into tablets). GHB has reportedly been used in cases of date rape. Because GHB is odorless and tasteless, it can be slipped into someone's drink without detection.

On the street, it is usually sold as a liquid by the dose (a capful from a bottle or drops). In some cities, GHB is put into water guns, and users buy it by the squirt. In other instances, candy, such as a lollipop, is dipped in GHB and sold. GHB is usually sold by the capful, and sells for $5 to $25 per cap.

GHB is snorted, smoked, or mixed into drinks. The effects can be felt within 5 to 20 minutes after ingestion and the high can last up to four hours. The most commonly abused form is the liquid. The street names for the drug are liquid X, G, scoop, goop, Georgia Home Boy, Grievous bodily harm, etc.

The effects of GHB vary each time a person uses it. Initial effects include euphoria and relaxation. Within 15 minutes nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, visual disturbances, respiratory distress, amnesia, seizures, and coma are possible. It is difficult to predict a person's reaction to GHB-- because GHB is produced in clandestine labs, the purity and strength of doses vary. Coma, poisoning and death resulting from ingestion of GHB are possible. In lower doses, GHB has a euphoric effect similar to alcohol, and can make the user feel relaxed, happy and sociable. It causes drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, and visual disturbances. At higher dosages, unconsciousness, seizures, severe respiratory depression, and coma can occur.