Health Updates

Don't Join the Club: Club Drugs and Ecstasy

The music was loud and the entire place was filled with energy. Carlos and his friend Tony had heard about the rave and decided to check it out. As they made their way through the crowd, another teen came up to Tony. He offered him some ecstasy.

Carlos knew the dangers of ecstasy and other club drugs. A close friend of his had been sexually assaulted after using one of these drugs and passing out. He also knew about the long-term effects, like brain damage and memory problems.

Tony wanted to try the drug just once. Grabbing Tony by the arm, Carlos hustled him out of the club. There were better places for them to be.

Know the Drugs, Know the Dangers

There has been a sharp increase in the number of illnesses resulting from club drug use. Club drugs include a wide variety of illegal substances sold and used at all-night dance parties called raves. They are also used at nightclubs and concerts.

Some of the more common club drugs are the following:

• Ecstasy Also known as E, X, XTC, and Adam, this drug is both a stimulant and an hallucinogen. It can cause brain damage, sleeplessness, and pain.
• GHB Small doses of this depressant make the user relax, but higher doses can cause sleep problems, coma, and death. Street names include liquid ecstasy, Grievous Bodily Harm, and Liquid X.
• Rohypnol Also called Roofies, R-2, and Roach, this tasteless, odorless drug mixes easily in carbonated drinks. It lowers blood pressure and causes confusion, dizziness, and nausea.
• Ketamine Just a small amount of this anesthetic results in reduced attention span, learning ability, and memory. Higher doses cause high blood pressure, amnesia, breathing problems, and depression. Slang names: Special K, Vitamin K, and Kit Kat.
• LSD People who take "acid" can start behaving unpredictably. Numbness, nausea, increased heart rate, lack of appetite, and sleep problems are some of its effects.

Teens and Club Drugs

Teens are attracted to these drugs because of their availability and low cost. They think the drugs will increase their stamina and give them intoxicating highs. The high is only temporary. The reality is that the long-term effects are far more dangerous—and permanent.

Another danger is using more than one type of drug, combining drugs together, or using both drugs and alcohol. One drug can make the effects of another worse. Teens may think that trying these drugs just once won't hurt. However, some people have an extreme or even fatal reaction the very first time they take the drugs. In addition, the drugs can be extremely addictive.

The effects of club drugs cannot be "danced off." Depression, confusion, paranoia, and sleeping problems have occurred weeks after the drugs were taken.

Majority Rules

You may think everyone else is already doing drugs. Look around. The vast majority of teens are not using club drugs. In a recent poll of students, 94 percent have never even tried ecstasy. Less than 2 percent of students in the eighth to twelfth grades admitted to using ecstasy regularly.

Just Don't Do It

To be aware of the dangers of taking ecstasy and other club drugs, you should know these facts:

• They affect your body. Each drug affects each person in a different way. Despite what other people may say, you have no way of knowing how the drug will affect you. You may have loss of muscle control, blurred vision, or seizures. Stimulants such as ecstasy can increase heart rate and blood pressure and lead to heart or kidney failure. GHB and other depressants can bring on drowsiness, unconsciousness, and difficulty breathing.
• They affect your brain. Club drugs damage the neurons in your brain and affect your senses, memory, and coordination.
• They affect your judgment and self-control. GHB and Rohypnol can knock you out and leave you with no memory of what happened. These drugs have been used in date rape crimes and other types of assault.
• They are not what they seem. Because the drugs are illegal, it is impossible to know just what and how much is in a dose. Strength and potency varies.
• They can kill you. High doses can bring on severe breathing problems, coma, and death.

Staying Safe

Not every teen who goes to a rave or nightclub buys or uses drugs. But it helps to stick to a few basic rules.

• Be informed. New drugs are appearing on the scene continuously. Be aware of them so you can avoid them.
• Keep yourself safe. If you are at a rave, club, or concert where drugs are available, always pour your own soda or drink. Never let the drink out of your sight.

Just the Facts

1. Name two club drugs and one of the street names for each.
2. Describe three of the effects club drugs can have on a user.

Beyond the Facts

3. In the article, Tony was considering giving ecstasy a try. What warning could Carlos have given his friend about the dangers of trying a club drug just once?
4. Using print or online resources, find one or two other types of club drugs. What are the dangers of each?

Applying the Facts

Make a chart showing the effects of club drugs. Use the information in the article or gather more using print or online resources. The top level should list the name of each drug. On the next level, write the street names for each. The next level should list the effects. Present the facts creatively: for example, write "seizures" in jagged letters, and write the word "dizziness" in the shape of a spiral. Illustrate your chart. Share the chart with classmates.