Young people, nowadays, not only consume plant-based drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, and heroin, but have also switched to synthetic drugs including MDMA and ketamine
Representational image.
Since recent years, the consumption of narcotic substances has been on rise especially among youngsters. From traditional plant-based drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, and heroin, young minds have switched to synthetic drugs including MDMA and ketamine, among others.
Tobacco and alcohol have been the drugs which are most commonly abused by adolescents followed by marijuana. Additionally, addiction occurs when repeated use of drugs changes an individual’s brain functions over time.
Below are details on commonly used party drugs by people these days:
Cocaine: The drug is an addictive stimulant made from the leaves of the coca plant, which is native to South America. It comes in the form of a white powder or whitish rock crystal which is usually snorted, smoked or injected by the person.
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Heroin: This is an opioid drug that is made from morphine. It is a natural substance which is extracted from the seed pod of various opium poppy plants. The common form of the drug is white or brownish powder, as well as black sticky substance that is known as “black tar heroin”.
India had about 2.3 crore opioid users in the 2018, with the number jumping over five times in 14 years, according to a government report.
LSD: This drug is manufactured from lysergic acid, which is found in ergot (a fungus that grows on rye and other grains). For the unversed, LSD is an acronym of the scientific name lysergic acid diethylamide. The common forms of this drug are tablets, capsules, clear liquid and others; with the drug either being swallowed or absorbed through mouth tissues commonly.
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Marijuana: This is made from the hemp plant called the Cannabis sativa. Also called ganja, the drug comes in a greenish-gray mixture of dried, stems, seeds, leaves, and flowers. It is taken by people by smoking, vaping or sometimes consumed by brewing it with tea or mixing with foodstuffs. About 3.1 crore people in the country are estimated to use cannabis, as per media reports.
MDMA: Also known as Molly or ecstasy, the synthetic psychoactive drug has become even more popular recently.
Ketamine: A dissociative drug, ketamine induces hallucinations and causes a person to become detached from reality. The drug is also called Lady K or cat valium.
GHB: Often found as a white power or colour-less liquid, GHB or Gamma-hydroxybutyrate, is used at many parties and has gained a notorious reputation as a date rape drug.
For the unversed, illicit drugs have killed nearly 7.5 lakh people worldwide in the year 2017 alone, as per the Global Burden of Disease Study. Furthermore, the estimated number of lives lost in India was 22,000