Gateway Drugs

To illustrate the magnitude of the research problem and provide a frame of reference, this section begins with a brief overview of the increased use of pharmaceuticals and prescription drug abuse in the US. The section continues with the relationship between illicit drugs and prescriptions, adolescents’ abuse, personal and social factors; then concludes with the theoretical approach. The Social-Ecological Theory, will be applied in researching prescription drug abuse, possible influences and protective factors in adolescents in relation to prescription drug abuse, to develop focused intervention strategies and educational programs for this population, similar to other substances such as tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana.

LSD, Psilocybin, DMT, MDMA, Ketamine and Adrenochrome… what do they all have in common? They are all psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic drugs are drugs that cause hallucinations and apparent expansion of consciousness. There are many unanswered questions about the drug, what exactly is a psychedelic and what defines it also, what is the purpose of a psychedelic drug? Psychedelics are usually thought of as one of the most profound times in your life or one of the worst decisions you have ever made, but either way it is a life changing experience. Another aspect of psychedelic drugs is the myths and misconceptions about the different types, some are exponentially more dangerous than the others and in the end each drug has a different effect on whomever

For thousands of years, opiates have been used in the treatment of pain. Opium is believed to have been discovered 6000 BC, and since then, it has had a huge impact on both medicine and the recreations of those seeking euphoria. More recent than the ancient discovery of natural opium are the derivatives of opium, such as the alkaloids morphine, codeine, and thebaine. From these alkaloids, semi-synthetic opiates can by synthesized, such as hydrocodone, and oxycodone. Synthetic opioids are also quite prevalent, which include fentanyl and tramadol. Opium can also be processed into heroin, a morphine derivative. As advancements were made in science and engineering to allow for a wider distribution and usage of opiates, the problems of dependence and overdose also increased drastically. According to Hart and Ksir (2013, p. 302), the invention of the hypodermic needle for intravenous administration of morphine and other drugs allowed for a much faster and more potent dose of the drug. With this increased potency came an increase in the possibility of a recreational intravenous user to overdose. Hart also mentions that some of the wars surrounding the era of the synthesis of morphine may have contributed to the rise of morphine, seeing as a medic soldier’s motto was always “first provide relief” (2013). This relief-driven attitude and extensive use of opioid analgesics in medicine during the time, in addition to the large amount of patent medicines and remedies on the market may

Drug use has surrounded us as a species since the stone age. The first references of alcohol were found within ancient Chinese civilizations, which date to roughly 9,000 years ago (McGovern, et al.). The original sources for these alcohols were rice and millet. One of the first surgical anesthetics used was opium. It is believed that some of the first Sumerian clay tablets contained basic prescriptions of opium for pain relief. Many Arabic cultures also used opium for diseases and issues relating to gastrointestinal issues and eye abnormalities (McGovern, et al.). Whether drugs were used for recreational purposes or for medicinal uses is left in the history.

The earliest form of painkillers was first created in the 16th century where people used laudanum or opium prepared in alcoholic solution as pain relivers. In the early 19th century, people extracted morphine from old opium poppy plants and this form of painkiller was most commonly used in the American Civil War. As Morphine was found to be very addictive, chemists in the 1870s produced heroin that did not turn out to be a success as it was proved to be more addictive than morphine. Many other synthetic opiates such as Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet were produced respectively in 1984, 1995 and 1999. However, these synthetic opiates could only be given if prescribed by a doctor as they could also be addictive. There were also other options of

Opioids was first cultivated from the poppy seed, in the 3400s B.C. by the lower Mesopotamians, known as the “Hul Gil” or the “Joy Plant”. Such a small plant to give the ability of an aphrodisiac, calming affect over the body and mind, then best believe word traveled fast. The opioids effect made an impact on Hippocrates, “father of medicine”, who used the poppy seed as a liquid medication to help with the pain in certain cases between 460 to 357 B.C. Later, one Chinese doctor, sometime between 220-264 A.D., used the poppy opioids concoction for these undergoing operations and have the patients relax yet conscious. After a small disappearance from the public, opium pills were later concocted by Paracelsus and was named laudanum. Sometime much later, Friedich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner isolated morphine and it became the non-pain pill available throughout the world. It was a common drug during the American Civil War, thus beginning the opioids addiction. Then in 1898, heroin became manufactured as a substitute for morphine for its non-addictive state afterwards. In 1916, oxycodone was created to have less affective dependencies of morphine and heroin. Many laws have been passed to help the addiction and dependency for these drugs:

Medicines were mostly produced to cure diseases. Back in the 1600s scurvy and malaria were huge problems that needed to be dealt with. As mentioned in previous paragraph malaria was treated by the bark of the Cinchona tree and is still used today. “The bark of the Cinchona tree (called quina quina by the indigenous Peruvians), found in the rain forests along the Amazon River in the Andes of South America, contained an ingredient called quinine, which is still used in the treatment of malaria, a disease transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito and one of the oldest plagues of mankind” (Cassell, Dank K., and Cynthia A. Sanoski). This shows that achievements made back then are still important to this date. Scurvy was a disease caused by vitamin deficiency, but that was not known back then. Jacques Cartier is a French explorer whose crew got infected with scurvy. Jacques and his crew came in contact with an Iroquois tribe in the New World, who knew how to cure scurvy. The women of the tribe would use juniper needles and bark to make a tea and use the leftover tea to wash the affected person’s leg. Juniper needles and bark contain a lot of vitamins the human body needs, so when the affected person drank the juniper tea they got all the vitamins they lost back in turn curing scurvy. Poisons also had reasons why they were needed. Hemlock and aconite are deadly poisons

MDMA is a well-known drug in today’s society. It can be named called all sorts of things, but the most common name is Ecstasy. Depending on your location it can be named something else for instance the new era of young adults they refer it as molly, and in the bay area, California it was often it’s referred to as thizz, in the early 2000s’. MDMA can very addictive to some populations. In the young adult population MDMA is used as a “rave drug” (will go into more detail later). In other populations it’s known for the high that it gives.

Ecstasy also known as MDMA and is an edible, candy-like, stimulant drug, that gives the user relaxed, energetic, happy, and sensual feelings. Its effects can last for over 24 hours allowing the user to party for long periods of time. Ecstasy can cause hallucinations, panic and anxiety attacks, nausea, vomiting, inability to sleep, overheating, seizures, irregular heartbeats and strokes. The drug can cause emotional disturbances such as depression.

MDMA also known as molly may seem great at the moment, but taking molly is actually very dangerous. People should not use drugs if they do not really know about it. How would they know if it is legit or not. Drug use is not dying down, so if people want to use molly they should at least be safe about it. Molly is usually used to have great times at parties but most people do not even know the history of it, what it is, or what effects it has on the body.

MDMA is not to be confused with 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA). Both of these drugs do the same general thing; however, the effects of MDA are stronger, longer and more dangerous than those of MDMA. MDMA’s street names are Ecstasy and Molly. MDMA was first synthesized in 1912, but did not become popular until the 60’s (NIDA). Once it started becoming popular, psychologists realized that it could be useful during therapy sessions for people with anxiety or PTSD because of the effects it has on people’s minds. During this time the government had no regulations on the drug, but in 1985 the government made MDMA a schedule one drug which made it illegal to take, sell or possess (Vollenweider 241). It is still highly popular during this time as a party drug. People still take this drug even though it is illegal because of the feelings of euphoria, reduced stress/anxiety and increased sexual arousal (Sessa 177).

Ecstasy is both a hallucinogenic, causing hallucination, and a stimulant drug. Ecstasy is the name given to methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). It was first synthesized in 1912 by Merck chemist Anton Köllisch. Ecstasy appears to disturb the body 's ability to regulate its temperature and this can lead to serious problems with overheating of the body. Ecstasy can be swallowed as a pill or tablet or snorted like a powder. Users of ecstasy can experience a rush of good feelings, a high, and makes someone 's feelings much more intense, whether they 're good or bad feelings. Ecstasy’s effects usually last up to 6 hours.

One of the first areas of LSD experimentation was in treating alcoholism (Dye, 1992, p.36). After extensive research, it was concluded that LSD was not effective on treating alcoholism and the research was discontinued.

It is such effects as the latter, synaesthesia, which introduces the cons and explicit dangers of ingesting a hallucinogenic drug. This is particularly mentioned when regarding the use of lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD or acid. LSD is rather infamous in the hallucinogenic drug world, known to induce extremely convincing hallucinations. Unlike ayahuasca, a hallucinogen that is discussed below, there have been many cases individuals using LSD and never properly recovering. This is evident in not only LSD users, but all hallucinogenic drugs. When an individual consumes a hallucinogenic substance, they run the risk of aspects of a specific trip reoccurring at later times that can last for years, even when in a completely sober state (Vale, 2007). This, of course, is a negative aspect of participating in recreational use of LSD, as it can happen to an individual even if they experiment with the drug once and once only. Hallucinogens have the power to not only alter conscious perception of surroundings when a person is sober, but also have the power to inflict grave physical harm when taken in large, pure amounts. Such harm includes complications regarding blood platelets, muscular twitches and tremors, respiratory arrest and uncontrolled seizures (Vale, 2007).

A chemical substance that alters the function of one or more body organs or the process of a disease. Drugs include prescribed medicines over the counter remedies and various other substances such as alcohol, tobacco and drugs of abuse that are used for non-medical purposes.