Experts Warn: Club Drugs Aren't ‘Fun Drugs’
During his seven-year tenure as director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Dr. Alan I. Leshner led the organization’s initial efforts to educate the public about the rise of so-called “club drugs” – substances such as Ecstasy, GHB, Rohypnol and other drugs that were becoming increasingly popular at dance clubs and all-night “rave” parties.
“Research has shown that club drugs can produce a range of unwanted effects, including hallucinations, paranoia, amnesia, and, in some cases, death,” Leshner wrote in an article entitled “Club Drugs Aren’t ‘Fun Drugs’” that appeared on the NIDA website:
When used with alcohol, these drugs can be even more harmful. Some club drugs work on the same brain mechanisms as alcohol and, therefore, can dangerously boost the effects of both substances. Also, there are great differences among individuals in how they react to these substances and no one can predict how he or she will react.
Some people have been known to have extreme, even fatal, reactions the first time they use club drugs. And studies suggest club drugs found in party settings are often adulterated or impure and thus even more dangerous.
“The bottom line is simple,” Leshner wrote at the end of his article. “Even experimenting with club drugs is an unpredictable and dangerous thing to do.”
An Introduction to Club Drugs
Leshner has since moved on to head the American Association for the Advancement of Science, but both NIDA and current director Nora Volkow remain focused on raising awareness of the dangers related to club drugs.
According to information provided by NIDA and various other sources, the following are some of the more common substances that continue to be abused by young party-goers:
- Ecstasy (also known as “X,” “Adam,” and “MDMA”), is a synthetic, psychoactive drug that is chemically similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. It produces an energizing effect as well as feelings of euphoria, emotional warmth, and distortions in time perception and tactile experiences. MDMA use has been associated with confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, and severe anxiety. NIDA reports that research involving animals indicates that “MDMA can be harmful to the brain – one study in nonhuman primates showed that exposure to MDMA for only four days caused damage to serotonin nerve terminals that was still evident six to seven years later.
- GHB (gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid) is a central nervous system depressant that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002 for use in the treatment of narcolepsy (a sleep disorder). Recreational users of GHB use the drug to achieve temporary states of euphoria and increased sociability – but at higher doses, GHB can contribute to depressed breathing, amnesia, and unconsciousness. A colorless and odorless substance, GHB has been used by rapists to incapacitate their victims.
- Ketamine ("Special K" or "K") is an anesthetic that is used primarily in veterinary medicine. As a powder, it is similar in appearance to cocaine – though it is also sold and used in liquid form. Use of ketamine causes what is known as a “dissociative anesthetic” state that is characterized by loss of attention span and memory, decreased learning ability, and a sense of detachment from one’s body. At high doses, ketamine can cause delirium, amnesia, and severe breathing problems, and long-term use has been associated with brain damage.
- Methamphetamine (also known as “speed,” “ice,” and “meth”) is an addictive stimulant that is classified by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency as a Schedule II drug – meaning that it has a high potential for abuse and is available only with a non-refillable prescription. Meth causes the release of massive amounts of dopamine, the brain chemical that is associated with pleasure. Long-term use has been linked to extreme weight loss, severe dental problems, anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood disturbances, and violent behavior.
- Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) first appeared in the United States in the early 1990s. The drug is similar in substance and effect to Valium and Xanax, but it has not been approved for any medical use in the U.S., and it is illegal to bring the drug into the country. Also known as “roofies,” Rohypnol is also used as a rape drug (as with GHB, rapists surreptitiously add Rohypnol to their victims’ drinks, which incapacitates the victims and prevents them from resisting the assault).
Fighting Back
NIDA advises all parents to remember – and pass on to their children – that no club drugs are benign. To aid in the effort to shield adolescents and teens from the damages these substances can inflict, the FBI offers the following tips:
- If you suspect your child is abusing drugs, monitor behavior carefully.
- Confirm with a trustworthy adult where your child is going and what he or she is doing.
- Enforce strict curfews.
- If you have evidence of club drug use, approach your child when he or she is sober, and if necessary, call on other family members and friends to support you in the confrontation.
- Once the problem is confirmed, seek the help of professionals.
- If the person is under the influence of drugs and immediate intervention is necessary, consider medical assistance.
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