|
| |
Brown sugar, snowbird, bumblebees and more
By Boniface Mouti
 This week we continue to
evaluate on the types of drugs that are commonly in use and their subsequent
effect on the user. Though this message is specifically meant for young people
it can also be used by grown ups who have found themselves enslaved in these
habits of substance abuse. Additionally they can use it to tell what type of
drugs their children are involved in.
Inhalants: These are drugs that can be consumed by breathing in or inhaling. One
inhalant is nitrous oxide, whose street name is laughing gas or whippets and
looks like a small metal cylinder. Another type of inhalant is hydrocarbon.
Hydrocarbons include aerosols, glue, gasoline, paint thinner and cleaning
fluids. The brand names are easy off, oven cleaner, Epoxy, Amoco and Ajax. They
are packaged in a variety of ways, usually labeled “Toxic” or “Highly
flammable”.
As far as nitrous oxide is concerned the following health effects can be
observed; nausea, sneezing, coughing, nose bleeding, fatigue, lack of
coordination and loss of appetite. Frequent use can cause rapid pulse,
headaches, and involuntary passing of urine and faeces. Chronic use of nitrous
oxide may result in hepatitis. When one uses inhalants there is a decrease in
heart and breathing rates and impaired judgment. Inhaling deeply or using large
amounts over a short time may result in disorientation, violent behavior,
unconsciousness, suffocation and eventually it can cause death. Too much
dependence on hydrocarbons can permanently damage the nervous system, as well as
the lungs, kidneys, bone marrow and brain.
Narcotics: Heroin is one of the most commonly used narcotics. The street or
slang names for heroin are smack, horse, junk, brown sugar, mud, big H or black
tar. It comes in white or dark brown powder or tar-like substance. A second type
narcotic is codeine, which is in form of dark liquid, capsules or tablets.
Narcotics produce a feeling of euphoria, often followed by drowsiness, nausea
and vomiting. Users also experience constricted pupils, watery eyes, and
itching. An overdose may produce slow and shallow breathing, clammy skin,
convulsions, coma, and possibly death. The use of contaminated syringes for
injecting the drugs can transmit HIV/Aids, hepatitis and other blood related
diseases.
Stimulants: A stimulant is a drug that acts on the central nervous system to
increase neural activity in the brain. A commonly used stimulant is cocaine. The
street names for cocaine are coke, snowbird, flake white, nose candy, blow and
big C. it is normally in the form of white sparkling powder, often diluted with
other ingredients. Alongside cocaine is another drug called Amphetamine. Its
slang names include speed, uppers, black beauties, pep pills, bumblebees and
co-pilot.
Some of the effects of cocaine are dilated pupils, elevated blood pressure,
pulse rate, breathing rate, and body temperature. Chronic use can destroy the
mucous membrane of the nose. Cocaine can produce psychological and physical
dependency – a feeling that the user cannot function without the drug – and
tolerance and addiction develop rapidly. Cocaine can cause death by disrupting
the heart and the breathing process. Injecting with unsterile objects can
transmit HIV/Aids
Tobacco: It can be consumed as cigarettes, snuff or chewing tobacco. An
important fact about tobacco is that it is a highly addictive substance. Tobacco
when consumed by young people if not well checked could be the cornerstone for
other hard drugs. Immediate effects include increased blood pressure and heart
rate. In addition, studies have shown that smoking may decrease the body’s
production of antibodies, increasing a person’s susceptibility to diseases.
Frequent use can cause breathing problems. Smoking is a major cause of lung and
mouth cancer, as well as heart and lung diseases which often lead to death. The
parents should caution their children on a similar drug from India and which is
gaining popularity amongst the young people. It is called “Kuber” it is
everywhere in Arusha town and it is quite addictive and can prove fatal to the
user.
Keep watch on this column for more information about drugs.
Email: rehofo@yahoo.com
|
