Designer drugs are chemically modified versions of therapeutic medications, which users take to alter their mental state. The physical and mental effects of designer drugs often prove unpredictable because the illegal manufacture of these substances commonly nets chemical mixtures. Different types of designer drugs have varying effects on users, depending on the nature of the base chemical. Stimulants and narcotics remain the primary types of designer drugs in the United States.
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine, also known as meth or crystal meth, is a common designer drug in the United States. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates that as of 2005, more than 10 million Americans had used methamphetamine.
Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug, which causes a profound surge of dopamine release in the brain, notes Dr. Richard Rawson of the Integrated Substance Abuse Program at UCLA. Dopamine release normally occurs with pleasurable events, such as eating and sexual activity. The level of dopamine release associated with methamphetamine use far exceeds normal brain dopamine levels. Methamphetamine effects include an increased energy level, intense feelings of pleasure and well-being, increased sex drive, talkativeness, prolonged wakefulness and decreased appetite.
Short and long-term detrimental effects of methamphetamine use include increased blood pressure and heart rate, elevated body temperature, seizures, hallucinations, anxiety, aggression, paranoia, psychosis, weight loss, depression, memory loss and potentially permanent changes in brain chemistry, reports the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug.
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as MDMA or ecstasy, has both stimulant and sensory effects, reports the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Data collected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates that an estimated 11 million Americans have taken MDMA at least once.
MDMA cause a surge in the levels of serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain. Psychological effects of MDMA include relaxation, feelings of well-being, increased energy, altered sensory perception and heightened sociability, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. High doses may produce feelings of panic, anxiety and agitation. Physical effects of MDMA include increased body temperature and blood pressure, sweating, muscle cramps, nausea and heart rhythm abnormalities. Heart and kidney failure may occur. MDMA can be addictive, notes the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Fentanyl-like Drugs
Fentanyl is a potent pain-relieving medication, chemically similar to morphine and heroin but with a much higher level of potency. Illegal laboratories produce mixtures of fentanyl-like drugs, including alpha-methylfentanyl, 3-methylfentanyl and thiofentanyl, reports Dr. Paul Gahlinger in the 2004 book "Illegal Drugs: A Complete Guide to Their History, Chemistry, Use and Abuse." These fentanyl-like designer drug mixtures, known as China white and synthetic heroin, produce unpredictable effects because the content proves highly variable. The Narcotic Education Foundation of America reports that fentanyl-like street drugs may be 200 to 3,000 times more potent than morphine. Fentanyl-like drugs are addictive and can cause heart and respiratory arrest.
References
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Research Report: Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction
- PBS Frontline: The Meth Epidemic
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction, Short-term and Long-term Effects
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: MDMA (Ecstasy) Abuse
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy)
