At Narconon Suncoast, we help people addicted to all types of drugs.  There are many drugs which people become addicted to  – and they are normally broken down into two categories: prescription or illicit (street) drugs.

Recently, it seems like some drugs that were popular a decade or more ago are experiencing an upsurge of popularity.  We wanted to give a brief list of what these drugs are, what they do, and how you can tell if someone you love is using.

Marijuana – This drug didn’t really go out of fashion.  You can find out more about it in our recent article, but the basics are these: 

• Marijuana is a plant-based drug that is often smoked, eaten or brewed into a tea.
• It most commonly causes euphoria, paranoia, memory loss, exhaustion, depression, and increased appetite in users.
• Marijuana is a gateway drug – meaning it is not extremely addictive on its own, but it can cause users to try other – harder – drugs.  A recent Yale study found that marijuana, alcohol, and cigarette use was associated with an increased likelihood in prescription drug abuse in men between 18 and 25.  In women of the same age, marijuana use was also linked to higher likelihood of prescription drug abuse.  This is just one study among many that has linked marijuana abuse with later drug abuse.
• There are debates about whether or not marijuana should be legalized.  The bottom line is that long-term marijuana use causes brain damage which can be permanent.  It blocks a person’s ability to make memories and has been linked to several mental conditions like schizophrenia.

  There are many different indications that someone you know is using marijuana.  Some of these are:

• They have bloodshot eyes or they commonly use eye drops to conceal their bloodshot eyes.  Additionally, they are constantly using things which would conceal the smell of marijuana, like strong cologne, air fresheners, incense, scented candles, mouth wash, and more.
• There is drug paraphernalia in their possession, their bedroom, or their home.  These include a bong, baggies, rolling paper, pipes, special scissors called a roach clip, and others.
• Constant forgetfulness, a drop in motivation, depression, or exhaustion can all indicate marijuana use – especially if these are combined with some other sign.
• Burns on the thumb and forefinger.  This can be caused by smoking a joint down to the very end.
• Increased appetite, tremors in eyelids, hands, legs, or stomach, a change in sleep patterns, poor coordination, and a silver-coated tongue can indicate pot use.

These are just some signs.  There are general signs of drug abuse like a sudden need for money, stealing, a change in friends, disinterest in favorite activities, lack of motivation, poor performance at work or school.  All of these are signs that a person may be using drugs – but they don’t indicate the specific drug being used.

Morphine – Morphine and other opioids have been popular for over a hundred years now.  Back when morphine was invented (1803) it became wildly popular and was considered safe for use. Then, in the later 1800’s and early 1900’s, heroin was developed as a cure for morphine addiction. 

Currently, abuse of opioids like morphine, Vicodin, Percocet, and others has become a major issue in the US.  Here is a quick outline of morphine and what it does:

• Morphine is a prescription opiate which is derived from the opium poppy plant.  It is most commonly prescribed as a painkiller.
• Morphine – and any other opiates – affects certain receptors in the brain which deal with how we perceive pleasure and pain.  Using morphine can cause a feeling of euphoria and relief from pain.  It also causes similar effects to heroin like: nausea, headache, constipation, insomnia, slowed breathing, fatigue, slowed heart rate, addiction, coma, and death.
• Morphine is a Schedule II drug, which means it is legal for medical use only.  It also is extremely regulated and prescriptions can only be given out and filled under very specific circumstances.

Someone abusing morphine is likely to:

• Have drug paraphernalia like prescriptions (possibly fake or someone else’s), syringes, and prescription bottles.
• Be constantly going to different pharmacies or doctors in order to get a new prescription – “doctor shopping.”
• Suffer from mood swings, tremors and insomnia – especially if they are in need of a fix.
• If they have been injecting the morphine, they may have track marks or needle marks.  There are other ways to take morphine, including swallowing it, taking it as a suppository, or even smoking it.

Ecstasy (Molly)  

In brief: 



• Molly is literally just powdered ecstasy.  It is sold on the street – and though it has been advertised by drug dealers as being a purer, safer form of ecstasy, it is just as contaminated as regular ecstasy.
• Effects include: euphoria, increase in energy, muscle cramps, tremors, confusion, memory loss, increased heart rate, anxiety, confusion, dehydration, seizure, and death.
• This is a street drug – so there is no quality control.  No matter what you buy, it is likely that it was combined with anything from sugar to rat poison, from hydrocodone to meth to cocaine.

Someone abusing Molly may exhibit signs by:

• Suffering from teeth grinding or dental problems due to a clenched jaw.
• Dropping weight, loss of appetite, high or low body temperatures, depression, extreme exhaustion, seeming confused, insomnia or sleeping too much, muscle tension, fainting, collapsing, vomiting, and loss of control over body movement.
• They may be going out every night and missing work or important appointments during the day due to exhaustion.
• Changes in mood – from friendly and energetic when high to agitated and irritable when coming down.
• Drug paraphernalia like small objects that hold powdered drugs, baggies, rolling paper, and empty capsules.

If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, contact us today at (877) 850-7355.   Narconon uses proven rehabilitation technology that gets to the problem at its source—and provides a path for long-term success.

Refs: CTPost.com, DrugAbuse.gov, DrugFree.org, Northfork.patch.com