Drugs:Fact and Fiction/General
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Drug use is a potential threat to physical and mental health. Many of the drugs discussed here are potentially addictive, and even "responsible" drug users may face severe criminal penalties for their choice. Nonetheless, it ultimately boils down to individual responsibility. This page attempts to provide responsible individuals with some guidelines which may prove helpful if they choose to use drugs.
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[edit] Drug
So what exactly is a "drug"?
A drug is any substance - natural or artificial - that changes the normal functioning of the body. This can vary between minor drugs that relieve common illness and symptoms, to drugs that block all sensory input to the brain, effectively making users believe that they are no longer in their body or this existence.
So what separates your typical cough medicine from powerful deliriants? You may be surprised to know that it could be nothing! Several over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are just as powerful as even the most "dangerous" drugs. Some of them even contain those drugs that you've been taught as being deadly.
For example, several OTC pain relievers contain codeine, which is an opiate. It is usually synthesized from morphine, as is heroin. Common cough and cold relief medications contain Dextromethorphan hydrobromide, more commonly known as DXM. In common doses it reduces the cough reflex. At higher does it is an extremely powerful psychoactive. It is well known for its out-of-body feeling, and DXM itself is relatively safe in recreational doses. [citation needed]Paracetamol, on the other hand, is one of the most widely used medications for pain and fever relief. Also known as acetaminophen and APAP, it is sold under the brand names Anacin and Tylenol. It's commonly mixed with DXM and Codeine in several OTC medications. Paracetamol has no recreational value, and is rather dangerous in high doses. However, when people get sick from recreationally using DXM and codeine, the media blames those drugs, and not the paracetamol which is causing the actual harm. Similarly, some preparations of DXM, such as Coricidin Cold and Cough, contain chlorphenamine maleate, an antihistamine, which is deadly in high doses. Recreational users of Coricidin have overdosed and died, leading the media to erroneously blame the deaths on DXM.
These are just examples, but it starts to show how the drugs that too many people believe to be harmless are the ones doing the actual damage. More hospitalizations and deaths result from paracetamol then from DXM or codeine. However, many view it as a "safe" drug, because it is legal and sold without a prescription.
[edit] Don't
One always has a choice. Drugs such as those touched on in this book may be readily available and ,in some social settings, accepted or encouraged, no-one is forced to take drugs. There is always the option to say no. Many drugs are highly addictive and because of this, an experiment might become an addiction. While it may be that propaganda brands many drugs as more dangerous than is strictly true, drug use is generally considered dangerous and in many cases leads to death or severe harm.
The safest way to not shoot yourself in the head, is to neither load the gun nor pull the trigger. The safest way to avoid bad repercussions and experiences from drug use is to stay away from dangerous drugs.
One always has a choice.
[edit] What are drugs?
Colloquially, drugs often refer to illicit drugs. More broadly, a drug is any chemical substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. Legal status is dependent on juristiction.
In some places alcohol is illegal while cannabis is not. In most countries, the opposite is true. Drug use is generally regulated for the safety of consumers, but there are strong disagreements of what constitutes a harmful drug.
[edit] Know Your Substance
It is important to be informed about any psychoactive before you take it. You should go to Erowid.org or Lycaeum.org and read up on dosages, safety, and experiences. Another valuable resource is RaveSafe Become familiar with what others describe the drug as being like so that you know what to expect.
Drugs purchased on the black market may be adulterated ("cut") with other substances to increase profits. Therefore, it is important to also know the source of the substance. Another important factor to bear in mind is your person comfort level: how much should you take? (You can never take less, but you can always take more.)
It is also important to consider drug interactions, if more than one drug is being consumed at the same time.
[edit] Trip sitters
it is recommended that you have a sober person to watch over you. On many short-acting drugs, users can take turns being the sober sitter.
Sitters should be well versed in the drug that is being taken. They should know how to calm down someone who is having an adverse reaction, and they should be able to quickly assist anyone who may be wandering into harm's way.
[edit] What to do when things get out of hand
Make sure that you have access to a working telephone (Not a cell, batteries die). Also keep your local emergency numbers available. Make sure you know:
- How to get an ambulance.
- Where the nearest hospital emergency room is and its hours.
- What you are taking.
- Your local poison information number.
If you have a problem make sure your trip-sitter takes a sample of what you were using with you to the hospital. Also make sure they know what quantity and what method you used to ingest the substance.
Before you use any drugs, always think of the consequences to yourself, your family and friends and society, and take reasonable percautions to limit the damage your drug use may cause. Why should society pay for your emergency treatments in hospital?
[edit] Why do people use drugs?
Although in a perfect world people would only use drugs to learn, whether about themselves or their spirituality, such is not the case. Many people use drugs simply for the enjoyment of the high. Because of this they open themselves to fall victim to addiction. This is considered irresponsible use.
Drugs can unlock hidden parts of the conscious. They bring forth forgotten memories, new experiences, and dream-like imagery. They expose users to a new piece of themselves. It is because of this that drugs, particularly psychedelics, are said to be life-changing.
[edit] The desert of the real
Various cultures, throughout history, have used drugs for spiritual purposes. Examples of this include the usage of cannabis by the Rastafarians, salvia divinorum by the Mazatec shamans of Mexico, and ayahuasca by indigenous Amazonian tribes. Contemporary users of hallucinogenics, known as "psychonauts", often report experiencing a "more real" reality from substances such as LSD and DMT.
[edit] Drug Classifications
All psychoactive drugs fall into three classes: Hallucinogens, Stimulants, or Depressants. Some drugs fall into only one class, while others fall into a combination of classes. THC is the only drug that falls under all three classes.
There is a debated fourth class of drugs called Anti-Psychotics. These drugs tend to have no recreational value, and it can be very dangerous to attempt to use them recreationally. As such, this book will not discuss them.
Entheogen is a fairly modern term, referring to a psychoactive substance used for religious or spiritual purposes. Substances that fall under this category: cannabis, tobacco, psilocybin mushrooms, salvia divinorum, ayahuasca, and many others.
