Emerging Drug Trends - Facts for Parents
David R. McDuff, M.D.

Overview: Emerging Drugs are substances that have recently (last 6-12 months) been perceived to cause problems, are connected with specific subcultures, and are spreading to broader populations. Emerging Drugs are distinguished from Primary Drugs which are substances that are causing continuing problems (more than one year) in multiple populations and repeatedly cited as drugs of choice for regular use & in treatment. Three emerging drug groups are: Club Drugs, Opiates (heroin) , and Prescription Drugs (clonazepam, hydrocodone, oxycodone).

Club Drugs: general term for a number of illicit drugs, primarily synthetic, that are mostly encountered at nightclubs, bars, dance “raves”, and house parties. Included are MDMA(ecstasy), GHB(gamma hydroxybutyrate), Ketamine, Rohypnol, LSD (d-lysergic acid diethyamide), GBL(gamma butyrolactone), PCP(phencyclidine), & Methamphetamine.

1. MDMA(methylenedioxymethamphetamine): ecstasy, XTC, E, X, Adam, essence, lover’s speed, clarity, hug, beans, rolls: a synthetic drug with a chemical composition similar to that of mescaline (a hallucinogen) and amphetamine (a stimulant). It can be cut with a variety of other drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine, & heroin. Schedule I.

How Used? Ingested orally, pill or capsule form. Some users crush the pill & snort/inject the powder.
Cost: $10-45/dose
Effects? felt 20-60 minutes after ingestion and last 3-6 hours (while “rolling” users experience euphoria, hyperexcitability, alertness, rapid heartbeat, dehydration, teeth grinding, jaw clenching, nystagmus, loss of appetite, nausea, & heightened sensitivity to touch) though some reversible effects (confusion, depression, insomnia, anxiety, paranoia) persist for weeks.
Health Hazards? In high doses it can cause severe dehydration and a marked increase in body temperature (malignant hyperthermia) leading to muscle breakdown and kidney and cardiovascular system failure. May also cause panic attacks, loss of consciousness, heart attack, stroke, and seizures and permanent cognitive impairment and memory loss in some.
Who Uses & Where? White upper middle class youths from mid-teens to early twenties in most large metro areas including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Texas & Washington DC.

2. GHB(gamma hydroxybutyrate): grievous bodily harm, G, liquid ecstasy, georgia home boy, liquid x, goop: a synthetic central nervous depressant abused for its ability to break down inhibitions, produce euphoria and hallucinatory states and its alleged ability to release growth hormone, aid fat reduction and stimulate muscle growth. Schedule I.

How Used? Produced in clear liquid, white powder, tablet and capsule forms and is often used in combination with alcohol, making it even more dangerous. Increasingly involved in poisonings, overdoses, date rapes, & fatalities. May contain its precursors as contaminants (gamma butyrolactone & 1,4-butanediol).
Costs: $5-10/cap
Effects? felt within 10-20 minutes, effects last up to 4 hours; in low dosages causes relaxation, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea and visual disturbances.
Health Hazards? Overdose can occur quickly; signs include drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, headache, loss of consciousness, loss of reflexes, impaired breathing and ultimately death. Withdrawal effects can occur including insomnia, anxiety, tremors and sweating. Coma and seizures can occur if combined with other drugs (amphetamines).
Who Uses & Where? Adolescent and young adults at clubs and dances in most large metro areas-Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Honolulu, Minneapolis, Newark, New Orleans, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle.

3. Methamphetamine: speed, ice, chalk, meth, crystal, crank, fire, glass: a highly addictive, synthetic stimulant that affects many areas of the central nervous system. Closely related chemically to amphetamine but its stimulant effects are stronger. Used orally because of its euphoric high & for its pleasurable rush or flash if smoked or ingested. Schedule II.

How Used? White, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in beverages. Can be smoked, snorted, injected, or taken orally. Typically made in clandestine labs and sold through networks.
Costs: $80-125/gram
Effects? felt in 5-20 minutes, lasts to 12 hours; euphoria, physical activity, excited speech, wakefulness, loss appetite
Health Hazards? Addiction, weight loss, infection, memory loss, aggression, psychosis, cardiac/neurological damage.
Who Uses & Where? White high school & college students or young adult blue collar workers in Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and many rural areas of the country.