1. For the Buzz
People, including teenagers, take drugs because of the pleasure they can bring. Many times, it's because someone else convinced them that the drugs will make them have a better time or feel better. Some teenagers think that drugs will help them become popular, become better at sports and think better. For others, it's a need to fit in with peers or a need for attention from their parents. There are many teens who use them because they're sad or depressed and think that's the solution to their problems.
2. On the Rocks
Alcohol is the oldest drug out there and the most widely used. Ironically, alcohol is a depressant that acts like stimulant. It changes your senses, emotions and perceptions and makes you sleepy and relaxed. Your judgment becomes altered, you lose some coordination and your speech is slurred. If someone drinks a lot of booze in a short period of time, they may get alcohol poisoning. Teenagers who use alcohol can become dependent on it. It makes them feel good and helps them handle stress. Over time, they need to drink more and more to get the same effect. If they stop drinking, they can go through withdrawal symptoms such as depression, sweating, convulsions and fever.
3. Smoking a Doobie
Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S. While some teenagers will rationalize that it's no big deal, pot is called a gateway drug because it often leads the user to try stronger drugs. Some street names include weed, chronic, grass, blunts and reefer. Usually, marijuana is smoked in cigarettes, pipes or bongs. It changes the user's coordination and mood. They float between being stimulated and happy to depressed or sleepy. It affects their lungs the same way cigarette smoke does. Teens can get hooked on marijuana and think that they need it to handle life, school and stress. On the flip side, methamphetamine is a very powerful stimulant. You may hear it called meth, crank, speed, chalk or ice. It can be injected, smoked, swallowed or snorted and is highly addictive. Users become tolerant to it and will use if for a long period of time, becoming paranoid, not sleeping and having hallucinations.
4. Not Just Diet Pills
Amphetamine is a stimulant that quickens your brain and body functions. It's the drug that's in prescription diet pills. Common names are uppers, speed and bennies. Teenagers swallow amphetamines, inhale them or even inject them. They get a fast high and feel powerful. Their blood pressure increases and they may sweat or shake. Other drugs teenagers may use are cocaine and crack. Cocaine is a powder that's derived from coca plant leaves. People inhale it through their nose. Crack is the heated form of cocaine and is smoked. Both drugs gives users intense energy and a powerful feeling. Teens can stop breathing or have heart attacks when they use these highly addictive drugs. It only takes one time to get addicted.
5. Don't be Depressed
Some teenagers use depressants like barbiturates or tranquilizers to calm them down and relax them. Many come in prescription form (Valium and Xanax) that the teens steal from relatives. Be on the lookout for brightly colored pills. Large doses of depressants cause tremors, slurred speech and confusion. If a kid takes too many, they can stop breathing and die. The total opposite of depressants is ecstasy. The stimulant is popular in night clubs because it intensifies emotions. Your heartbeat quickens and your skin feels tingly. All the emotions the user feels are more intense than normal, including depression and anxiety. Some experts think chronic use of the drug will lead to permanent effects on the user's brain and emotions.
