CANNABIS DRUG (MARIJUANA)

Marijuana is a dry, shredded mix of flowers, stems, seeds and leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa,  a plant containing a psychoactive chemical, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in its leaves, buds and flowers. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug, with forty-two percent of American adults reporting that they have used it. . People usually smoke it as a cigarette or in a pipe. It is the most commonly abused illegal drug in the United States.

Abusing marijuana can result in problems with memory, learning and social behavior. It can interfere with family, school, work and other activities.

Scientific studies are underway to test the safety and usefulness of cannabis compounds for treating certain medical conditions. Currently, smoking marijuana is not recommended for the treatment of any disease or condition.

Despite the fact that marijuana's effects are less harmful than those of most other drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, it is the most common drug that people are arrested for possessing. U.S. marijuana policy is unique among American criminal laws in being enforced so widely and harshly, yet deemed unnecessary by such a substantial portion of the population.

FACTS ABOUT MARIJUANA

Most marijuana users never use any other illicit drug. 

Marijuana does not cause people to use hard drugs. Marijuana is the most popular illegal drug in the United States today. Therefore, people who have used less popular drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and LSD, are likely to have also used marijuana. Most marijuana users never use any other illegal drug and the vast majority of those who do try another drug never become addicted or go on to have associated problems. Indeed, for the large majority of people, marijuana is a terminus rather than a so-called gateway drug.

Most people who use marijuana do so occasionally. Increasing admissions for treatment do not reflect increasing rates of clinical dependence.

According to a federal Institute of Medicine study in 1999, fewer than 10 percent of those who try marijuana ever meet the clinical criteria for dependence, while 32 percent of tobacco users and 15 percent of alcohol users do. According to federal data, marijuana treatment admissions referred by the criminal justice system rose from 48 percent in 1992 to 58 percent in 2006. Just 45 percent of marijuana admissions met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for marijuana dependence. More than a third hadn’t used marijuana in the 30 days prior to admission for treatment.

Claims about increases in marijuana potency are vastly overstated. In addition, potency is not related to risk of dependence or health impacts. 

Although marijuana potency may have increased somewhat in recent decades, claims about enormous increases in potency are vastly overstated and not supported by evidence. Nonetheless, potency is not related to risks of dependence or health impacts. According to the federal government's own data, the average THC in domestically grown marijuana – which comprises the bulk of the US market – is less than 5 percent, a figure that has remained unchanged for nearly a decade. In the 1980s, by comparison, the THC content averaged around 3 percent. Regardless of potency, THC is virtually non-toxic to healthy cells or organs, and is incapable of causing a fatal overdose. Currently, doctors may legally prescribe Marinol, an FDA-approved pill that contains 100 percent THC. The Food and Drug Administration found THC to be safe and effective for the treatment of nausea, vomiting, and wasting diseases. When consumers encounter unusually strong varieties of marijuana, they adjust their use accordingly and smoke less.

Marijuana has not been shown to cause mental illness.

Some effects of marijuana ingestion may include feelings of panic, anxiety, and paranoia. Such experiences can be frightening, but the effects are temporary. 

That said, none of this is to suggest that there may not be some correlation (but not causation) between marijuana use and certain psychiatric ailments. Marijuana use can correlate with mental illness for many reasons. People often turn to the alleviating effects of marijuana to treat symptoms of distress. One study demonstrated that psychotic symptoms predict later use of marijuana, suggesting that people might turn to the plant for help rather than become ill after use.

Marijuana use has not been shown to increase risk of cancer.

Several longitudinal studies have established that even long-term use of marijuana (via smoking) in humans is not associated with elevated cancer risk, including tobacco-related cancers or with cancer of the following sites: colorectal, lung, melanoma, prostate, breast, cervix. A more recent population-based case-control study found that moderate marijuana smoking over a 20 year period was associated with reduced risk of head and neck cancer.  And a 5-year-long population-based case control study found even long-term heavy marijuana smoking was not associated with lung cancer or UAT (upper aerodigestive tract) cancers.

Marijuana has been proven helpful for treating the symptoms of a variety of medical conditions.

Marijuana has been shown to be effective in reducing the nausea induced by cancer chemotherapy, stimulating appetite in AIDS patients, and reducing intraocular pressure in people with glaucoma. There is also appreciable evidence that marijuana reduces muscle spasticity in patients with neurological disorders. A synthetic capsule is available by prescription, but it is not as effective as smoked marijuana for many patients. Learn more about medical marijuana.

Marijuana use rates in the Netherlands are similar to those in the U.S. despite very different policies.

The Netherlands' drug policy is one of the most nonpunitive in Europe. For more than twenty years, Dutch citizens over age eighteen have been permitted to buy and use cannabis (marijuana and hashish) in government-regulated coffee shops. This policy has not resulted in dramatically escalating marijuana use. For most age groups, rates of marijuana use in the Netherlands are similar to those in the United States. However, for young adolescents, rates of marijuana use are lower in the Netherlands than in the United States. The Dutch government occasionally revises existing marijuana policy, but it remains committed to decriminalization.

Marijuana has not been shown to cause long-term cognitive impairment. 

The short-term effects of marijuana include immediate, temporary changes in thoughts, perceptions, and information processing. The cognitive process most clearly affected by marijuana is short-term memory. In laboratory studies, subjects under the influence of marijuana have no trouble remembering things they learned previously. However, they display diminished capacity to learn and recall new information. This diminishment only lasts for the duration of the intoxication. There is no convincing evidence that heavy long-term marijuana use permanently impairs memory or other cognitive functions.

There is no compelling evidence that marijuana contributes substantially to traffic accidents and fatalities.

At some doses, marijuana affects perception and psychomotor performance – changes which could impair driving ability. However, in driving studies, marijuana produces little or no car-handling impairment – consistently less than produced by low to moderate doses of alcohol and many legal medications. In contrast to alcohol, which tends to increase risky driving practices, marijuana tends to make subjects more cautious. Surveys of fatally injured drivers show that when THC is detected in the blood, alcohol is almost always detected as well. For some individuals, marijuana may play a role in bad driving. The overall rate of highway accidents appears not to be significantly affected by marijuana's widespread use in society.

More than 800,000 people are arrested for marijuana each year, the vast majority of them for simple possession.

Police prosecuted 858,408 persons for marijuana violations in 2009, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual Uniform Crime Report. Marijuana arrests now comprise more than one-half (approximately 52 percent) of all drug arrests reported in the United States. A decade ago, marijuana arrests comprised just 44 percent of all drug arrests. Approximately 46 percent of all drug prosecutions nationwide are for marijuana possession. Of those charged with marijuana violations, approximately 88 percent (758,593 Americans) were charged with possession only. The remaining 99,815 individuals were charged with “sale/manufacture,” a category that includes virtually all cultivation offenses.

USE OF CANNABIS DRUG

Contemporary uses of cannabis are as a recreational or medicinal drug, and as part of religious or spiritual rites; the earliest recorded uses date from the 3rd millennium BC. In 2004, the United Nations estimated that global consumption of cannabis indicated that approximately 4% of the adult world population used cannabis annually, and that approximately 0.6% of people used cannabis daily. In the United States, cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug; 5.1% of Americans said they used marijuana in the past 30 days. In 1977, 38% of 12th graders reported using cannabis in the past month; in 2011, 23% of the same age group reported using cannabis in the same time span. Since the early 20th century cannabis has been subject to legal restrictions with the possession, use, and sale of cannabis preparations containing psychoactive cannabinoids currently illegal in most countries of the world; the United Nations has said that cannabis is the most-used illicit drug in the world.

Cannabis used medically has several well-documented beneficial effects. Among these are: the amelioration of nausea and vomiting, stimulation of hunger in chemotherapy and AIDS patients, lowered intraocular eye pressure, as well as general analgesic effects (pain reliever). Less confirmed individual studies also have been conducted indicating cannabis to be beneficial to a gamut of conditions running from multiple sclerosis to depression. Synthesized cannabinoids are also sold as prescription drugs.

EFFECTS OF CANNABIS DRUG

Cannabis has psychoactive and physiological effects when consumed. Some alternative media sources report that minimum amount of THCrequired to have a perceptible psychoactive effect is about 10 micrograms per kilogram of body weight. Aside from a subjective change in perception and, most notably, mood, the most common short-term physical and neurological effects include increased heart rate, increased appetite and consumption of foo, lowered blood pressure, impairment of short-term and working memory, psychomotor coordination, and concentration. Long-term effects are less clear.In humans, relatively few adverse clinical health effects have been documented from chronic cannabis use.

While many psychoactive drugs clearly fall into the category of either stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen, cannabis exhibits a mix of all properties, perhaps leaning the most towards hallucinogenic or psychedelic properties, though with other effects quite pronounced as well. THC is typically considered the primary active component of the cannabis plant; various scientific studies have suggested that certain other cannabinoids like CBD may also play a significant role in its psychoactive effects.

GAMMA HYDORXYBUTYRATE ACID

Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a depressant drug with sedative hypnotic effects, originally developed as pre-surgery anaesthetic.  Depressants slow down the activity of the brain and other parts of the central nervous system.  Street names include: Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH), liquid ecstasy, liquid E, fantasy, blue nitro and liquid. GHB is an illicit substance.

Like Ecstasy, GHB is a popular drug with club-goers and those who go to "rave parties," including teens and young adults. Its side effects can be very dangerous, especially if the drug is mixed with alcohol.

GHB causes both a euphoric high (intense rush of happy feelings) and hallucinations. GHB has caused many young people to need emergency medical care. Because the liquid is odorless and colorless, GHB diluted in drinks is virtually undetectable and sometimes is slipped unknowingly into someone else's drinks.

Side effects of GHB use include drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting (puking), and vision changes. People who take GHB may become unconscious (pass out), stop breathing, and go into a coma. Using GHB can kill you.

Because both GHB and alcohol are depressants, mixing the two is very, very dangerous and can be deadly — even if someone has only taken low doses of the drug.

Club and rave scene use

GHB is often taken because users find that it enhances their experiences of being in a club, party, or rave; small doses of GHB can act as a stimulant and aphrodisiac. GHB is sometimes referred to as G, liquid ecstasy, liquid X, lollipops or liquid E due to its tendency to produce euphoria and sociability and its use in the dance party scene. Despite this nickname, GHB has entirely separate chemical and pharmacological modes of action compared to MDMA (ecstasy).

SPORTS AND ATHELICTS

Some athletes also use GHB, as GHB has been shown to elevate human growth hormone in vivo. The growth hormone elevating effects of GHB are mediated through muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and can be prevented by prior administration of pirenzepine, a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor blocking agent.

As certain succinate salts have been shown to elevate growth hormone in vitro, and because GHB is metabolized into succinate some people have suggested this may play a role in the growth hormone elevations from GHB. There is however currently no evidence to show that succinate plays any role in the growth hormone elevations from GHB.

The effects of GHB appear to vary greatly according to the amount used – a small increase in amount can result in a dramatic increase in effect.  One of the most dangerous aspects of using GHB is the small difference between an amount that produces the desired effect and the amount that results in overdose.  A further risk is that there is often no way to be sure that the drug is manufactured correctly.  Improperly made GHB may result in an extremely toxic mixture of GHB and the chemical sodium hydroxide.

Immediate effects Small amounts

When you have a small amount of GHB, the effects vary greatly from person to person and can last from a few minutes to a few hours. The effects become noticeable from 5 to 20 minutes after ingestion.

You may:

• feel good and confident
• feel excited or upset
• take more risks than usual
• have a heightened sense of touch
• want to have sex
• feel drowsy or sleepy
• suffer memory lapses
• feel dizzy
• get headaches
• suffer from tremors
• feel sick
• have diarrhoea or urinary incontinence

Effects on your body may include that:

• your heart beats slower
• your body temperature lowers

If you take high doses of GHB you may:

• feel dizzy
• suffer from tremors
• vomit
• get tunnel vision
• become uncoordinated (ataxia)
• become disorientated
• feel confused, irritated or agitated
• hallucinate
• have blackouts and memory lapses
• have convulsions (fits)
• have a heart attack
• overdose
• go into a coma

Long-term effects

The long-term effects of GHB use are unclear.  As GHB is similar to the effects of sedative drugs, it is possible to become physically and psychologically dependent on it.  There is also the potential for tolerance to develop over a period of time to achieve the same (or any) effects as first experienced.

METHYLENEDIOXY-METHAMPHETAMINE (ECSTACY)

METHYLENEDIOXY-METHAMPHETAMINE is popularly known as ecstacy. it is a synthetic, psychoactive drug that has similarities to both stimulant amphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline.
it produces the feeling of increased energy, Euphoria, emotional warmth and emphaty towards others, and distortion in sensory and time perception. 

BRAIN DAMAGE

MDMA acts by increasing the activity of three neurotransmitters, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The emotional and pro-social effects of MDMA are likely caused directly or indirectly by the release of large amounts of serotonin, which influences mood.

Serotonin also triggers the release of the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin, which play important roles in love, trust, sexual arousal, and other social experiences. This may account for the characteristic feelings of emotional closeness and empathy produced by the drug; studies in both rats and humans have shown that MDMA raises the levels of these hormones.

The surge of serotonin caused by taking MDMA depletes the brain of this important chemical, however, causing negative aftereffects—including confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, and anxiety—that may occur soon after taking the drug or during the days or even weeks thereafter.

Some heavy MDMA users experience long-lasting confusion, depression, sleep abnormalities, and problems with attention and memory, although it is possible that some of these effects may be due to the use of other drugs in combination with MDMA.

What Are Other Health Effects of MDMA?

MDMA can have many of the same physical effects as other stimulants like cocaine and amphetamines. These include increases in heart rate and blood pressure, which are particularly risky for people with circulatory problems or heart disease. MDMA users may experience other symptoms such as muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, faintness, and chills or sweating.

In high doses, MDMA can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate temperature. On rare but unpredictable occasions, this can lead to a sharp increase in body temperature (hyperthermia), which can result in liver, kidney, or cardiovascular system failure or even death. MDMA can interfere with its own metabolism (breakdown within the body), causing potentially harmful levels to build up in the body if it is taken repeatedly within short periods of time.

Compounding the risks of ecstasy use is the fact that other potentially harmful drugs (including synthetic cathinones, the psychoactive ingredients in “bath salts”) are sometimes sold as ecstasy. These drugs can be neurotoxic or pose other unpredictable health risks. And ecstasy tablets that do contain MDMA may contain additional substances such as ephedrine (a stimulant), dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant), ketamine, caffeine, cocaine, or methamphetamine. The combination of MDMA with one or more of these drugs may be hazardous. Users who intentionally or unknowingly combine such a mixture with additional substances such as marijuana and alcohol may be putting themselves at even higher risk for adverse health effects.

Additionally, the closeness-promoting effects of MDMA and its use in sexually charged contexts (and especially in combination with sildenafil) may encourage unsafe sex, which is a risk factor for contracting or spreading HIV and hepatitis.

Methaqualone and Glutethimide

LUDING OUT

Methaqualone is a sedative-hypnotic drug that is similar in effect to barbiturates, a generalcentral nervous system depressant. The sedative-hypnotic activity was first noted by Indian researchers in the 1950s and in 1962 methaqualone itself was patented in the US by Wallace and Tiernan. Its use peaked in the early 1970s as a hypnotic, for the treatment of insomnia, and as a sedativeand muscle relaxant. It has also been used illegally as a recreational drug. Clandestinely produced methaqualone is seized by government agencies and police forces around the world.

Methaqualone was introduced as an anxiolytic (Quaalude, Sopor) in 1965 as safe Barbiturate substitutes. Experience showed, however, that their addiction liability and the severity of withdrawal sympotoms were similar to those of Barbiturates. By 1972, taking Methaqualone with wine was a popular in college past time. excessive use leads to tolerance, dependence and withdrawal symptoms similar to those barbiturates. overdose by glutethimide and methaqualone is more difficult to treat than barbiturates overdose, and deaths have frequently occurred.

MEDICINAL USE

Methaqualone is a depressant that increases the activity of the GABA receptors in the brain and nervous system. When GABA activity is increased, blood pressure drops and the breathing and pulse rates slow, leading to a state of deep relaxation. These properties explain why methaqualone was originally mainly prescribed for insomnia, most commonly in 300 mg dosage.

Methaqualone peaks in the bloodstream within several hours, its effects generally lasting four to eight hours. Regular users build up a physical tolerance, requiring larger doses for the same effect. Overdose can lead to nervous system shut down, coma and death.

Methaqualone is not recommended for use while pregnant and is in pregnancy category D. Methaqualone is available in Canada by prescription as a Schedule III drug.

RECREATIONAL USE

Methaqualone became increasingly popular as a recreational drug in the late 1960s and early 1970s, known variously as 'ludes or sopers (also soapers) in the U.S. and mandrakes and mandiesin Great Britain. The drug was used during sexual activity due to heightened sensitivity and lowered inhibition coupled with relaxation and euphoria.

The drug was often used by people who went dancing at glam rock clubs in the early 1970s and at discos in the late 1970s. (One slang term for Quaaludes was disco biscuits.) In the mid 1970s there were bars in Manhattan called juice bars that only served non-alcoholic drinks that catered to people who liked to dance on methaqualone.

Smoking methaqualone, either by itself or as an adulterant added to various legal and illegal smoking mixtures, gained popularity in the US among a few during the mid-1970s. Because the various binders and inert ingredients that were contained in the pill form were toxic when smoked, this practice was roundly decried by the medical community as a serious health risk. Smoking methaqualone pills can lead to emphysema and other chronic lung disorders, most notably talcosis.

EFFECTS

Effects can include euphoria, drowsiness, reduced heart rate, reduced respiration, increased sexual arousal (aphrodisia), and paresthesias (numbness of the fingers and toes). Larger doses can bring about respiratory depression, slurred speech, headache, and photophobia (a symptom of excessive sensitivity to light).

An overdose can cause delirium, convulsions, hypertonia, hyperreflexia, vomiting, renal failure, coma, and death through cardiac or respiratory arrest. It resembles barbiturate poisoning, but with increased motor difficulties and a lower incidence of cardiac or respiratory depression. Toxicity is treated with diazepam and sometimes other anticonvulsants.

Lysergic acid diethylamide

"Hallucinogens change the way you sense the world around you. LSD is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. It can be painted onto small squares of paper that people lick or swallow."

LSD is one of the most potent, mood-changing chemicals. It is manufactured from lysergic acid, which is found in the ergot fungus that grows on rye and other grains. It is produced in crystal form in illegal laboratories, mainly in the United States. These crystals are converted to a liquid for distribution. It is odorless, colorless, and has a slightly bitter taste. Known as “acid” and by many other names, LSD is sold on the street in small tablets (“microdots”), capsules or gelatin squares (“window panes”). It is sometimes added to absorbent paper, which is then divided into small squares decorated with designs or cartoon characters (“loony toons”). Occasionally it is sold in liquid form. But no matter what form it comes in, LSD leads the user to the same place—a serious disconnection from reality. LSD users call an LSD experience a “trip,” typically lasting twelve hours or so. When things go wrong, which often happens, it is called a “bad trip,” another name for a living hell.

The effects of LSD

The effects of LSD strongly depend on the mental state of the user and the circumstances in which the drug is used. Therefore, the same dose can produce good and bad ‘trips’ in the same person, depending on the circumstances in which the drug is used.

The sought-after effects of LSD are -

• changes in mood an sensory perception;
• ‘mind expansion’ as a key to quasi-religious transcendental experiences; and
• effects similar to those associated with Ecstasy-type substances: feelings of empathy and increased sociability.

The possible short-term effects of LSD are -

• a distorted perception of depth, time, and the size and shape of objects;
• hallucinations (that is, stationary objects appear to be moving) (Generally the user knows that these effects are unreal; true hallucinations are relatively rare.); 
• heightened senses (sight, sound and touch);
• psychological or emotional effects such as anxiety, depression, dizziness, disorientation and paranoia;
• physical effects such as dilated pupils, lowered body temperature, nausea, vomiting, profuse sweating, rapid heart rate; and convulsions;

LSD use increases a person’s risk of injury, especially when the person drives a car, or performs other complex tasks such as operating machinery.

The possible long-term effects of LSD are -

• a growing tolerance to the drug, which disappears quickly after use of the drug is stopped;
• flashbacks (that is, short-lived, intense re-experiences of part of a previous trip) which can occur days or even months after the last dose has been taken, leading to disorientation, anxiety and distress;and 
• prolonged anxiety and depression after use of the drug is stopped.

The physical dangers of the long-term LSD use are unknown.

PHENCYCLIDINE

Phencyclidine, commonly initialized as PCP and known colloquially as angel dust, KJ or wet, is a recreational dissociative drug. Formerly used as an anesthetic agent, PCP exhibits hallucinogenic effects

PCP, developed in the 1950s as an intravenous surgical anesthetic, is classified as a dissociative anesthetic: Its sedative and anesthetic effects are trance-like, and patients experience a feeling of being "out of body" and detached from their environment.

PCP was used in veterinary medicine but was never approved for human use because of problems that arose during clinical studies, including delirium and extreme agitation experienced by patients emerging from anesthesia.

During the 1960s, PCP in pill form became widely abused, but the surge in illicit use receded rapidly as users became dissatisfied with the long delay between taking the drug and feeling its effects, and with the unpredictable and often violent behavior associated with its use.

Powdered PCP - known as "ozone," "rocket fuel," "love boat," "hog," "embalming fluid," or "superweed" - appeared in the 1970s. In powdered form, the drug is sprinkled on marijuana, tobacco, or parsley, then smoked, and the onset of effects is rapid. Users sometimes ingest PCP by snorting the powder or by swallowing it in tablet form. Normally a white crystalline powder, PCP is sometimes colored with water-soluble or alcohol-soluble dyes.

When snorted or smoked, PCP rapidly passes to the brain to disrupt the functioning of sites known as NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor complexes, which are receptors for the neurotransmitter glutamate. Glutamate receptors play a major role in the perception of pain, in cognition - including learning and memory - and in emotion. In the brain, PCP also alters the actions of dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for the euphoria and "rush" associated with many abused drugs.

EFFECTS

Some studies found that, like other NMDA receptor antagonists, phencyclidine can cause a kind of brain damage called Olney's lesions in rats. Studies conducted on rats showed that high doses of the NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine caused reversible vacuoles to form in certain regions of the rats' brains. All studies of Olney's lesions have only been performed on non-human animals and may not apply to humans.

Phencyclidine has also been shown to cause schizophrenia-like changes in N-acetylaspartate and N-acetylaspartylglutamate in the rat brain, which are detectable both in living rats and upon necropsy examination of brain tissue. It also induces symptoms in humans that mimic schizophrenia.

Behavioral effects can vary by dosage. Low doses produce a numbness in the extremities and intoxication, characterized by staggering, unsteady gait, slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and loss of balance. Moderate doses (5–10 mg intranasal, or 0.01–0.02 mg/kg intramuscular or intravenous) will produce analgesia and anesthesia. High doses may lead to convulsions. Users frequently do not know how much of the drug they are taking due to the tendency of the drug to be made illegally in uncontrolled conditions.

Psychological effects include severe changes in body image, loss of ego boundaries, paranoia and depersonalization. Hallucinations, euphoria, suicidal impulses and aggressive behavior are reported. The drug has been known to alter mood states in an unpredictable fashion, causing some individuals to become detached, and others to become animated. Intoxicated individuals may act in an unpredictable fashion, possibly driven by their delusions and hallucinations. PCP may induce feelings of strength, power, and invulnerability as well as a numbing effect on the mind. Occasionally, this leads to bizarre acts of violence, such as in the case of Big Lurch, a former rapper who claimed his room mate was the devil and ate part of her lung. However, studies by the Drug Abuse Warning Network in the 1970s show that media reports of PCP-induced violence are greatly exaggerated and that incidents of violence were unusual and often (but not always) limited to individuals with reputations for aggression regardless of drug use. The reports in question often dealt with a supposed increase in strength imparted by the drug; this could partially be explained by the anaesthetic effects of the drug. The most commonly cited types of incidents included self-mutilation of various types, breaking handcuffs (a feat reportedly requiring about 10,000 lbs of force to break a stainless steel chain of typical diameter), inflicting remarkable property damage, and pulling one's own teeth.

Included in the portfolio of behavioral disturbances are acts of self-injury including suicide, and attacks on others or destruction of property. The analgesic properties of the drug can cause users to feel less pain, and persist in violent or injurious acts as a result. Recreational doses of the drug can also induce a psychotic state that resembles schizophrenic episodes which can last for months at a time with toxic doses. Users generally report they feel detached from reality, or that one's consciousness seems somewhat disconnected from reality.

Symptoms are summarized by the mnemonic device RED DANES: rage, erythema (redness of skin), dilated pupils, delusions, amnesia, nystagmus (oscillation of the eyeball when moving laterally), excitation, and skin dryness.

DMT, Bufotenine, and Psilocybin

Bufotenin (5-OH-DMT), is a tryptamine related to the neurotransmitter serotonin. It is an alkaloid found in the skin of some species of toads; inmushrooms, higher plants, and mammals. The name bufotenin originates from the Bufo genus of toads, which includes several species of psychoactive toads, most notably Bufo alvarius, that secrete bufotoxins from their parotoid glands. Bufotenin is similar in chemical structure to the psychedelics psilocin (4-OH-DMT), 5-MeO-DMT, and DMT, chemicals which also occur in some of the same fungus, plant, and animal species as bufotenin. The psychoactivity of bufotenin has been disputed, though recent studies suggest it is similar in nature to 5-MeO-DMT. Bufotenine is a compound found in a number of South American plants and in secretions from the many species of Bufo toads. 

Bufo marinus - world's largest frog. Bufotenine was first isolated in this frog. Toads around the world have been known to have drugs in their skin, and their skin these have long been used for medicines. By boiling the toad in olive oil, the skin secretions could be skimmed off and concentrated.These extracts is used as remedies for a number of sores and illnesses, including toothache and sinus and gum inflammations.

Dimethyltryptamine, most commonly known as DMT, is a fast-acting hallucinogen substance that brings on , which alter the user's perception of reality. It is related to LSD and psilocybin.  DMT causes a rapid rush of mind-altering states that end fairly quickly, usually within an hour. For this reason, DMT has been nicknamed the "businessman's special." DMT- became popular recreational drug unlike LSD, DMT is quickly destroyed by stomach acids and is ineffective if taken by mouth. too powerful and uncontrollable for enjoyment

toad swallower - meaning a creepy person willing to do anything for the boss. it came from the English people because of the traveling salesman sold medicines that could protect against toad poison. To demonstrate the effectiveness of their product, they would have an assistant swallow a live toad.

Psilocybin

present in magic mushrooms, is metabolized into psilocin; a similar situation likely occurs with 4-Acetoxy-DMT being metabolized into psilocin. The effects of 4-Acetoxy-DMT are said to be very similar to the effects of psilocybin/psilocin, although enough users have reported some differences that it is speculated that 4-Acetoxy-DMT may be uniquely active on its own, and not simply active due to (probably) being metabolized into psilocin. Users report dose-dependent colorful visual effects and a sense of physical energy or euphoria, sometimes accompanied by abstract, associative, "trippy" thought patterns, or derealization.

Several available reports of 4-Acetoxy-DMT compare it favorably to psilocybin, describing it as more euphoric, gentle, warm, and colorful. It has also been described as less jarring, and less likely to produce nausea. However, most of these comparisons are made with mushrooms, not pure psilocybin. In addition, it is unknown to what degree expectancy plays a role in shaping such experiences.

Effects take about 30-40 minutes to begin, with peak effects at around 2 hours. The onset has been characterized as smoother, gentler, and more pleasant than the onset of mushrooms. The primary effects of 4-Acetoxy-DMT typically lst for about 4-6 hours. They have been described as lasting from 3-4 hours (low oral doses) to 8-10 hours (moderate to strong oral doses). Visuals have been described as being similar to those produced by psilocybin/psilocin, 2C-B, and DMT. As with all psychedelics, some people may experience the effects of 4-Acetoxy-DMT as confusing, frightening, or unpleasant. While 4-Acetoxy-DMT is pharmacologically similar to psilocybin and may well be similar in terms of its relative safety, it has not undergone toxicological studies and its possible harms are unknown. Some users may have idiosyncratic responses to dosage and effects. 

A review of available reports suggests that many people have begun with doses that generated stronger effects than expeceted or desired, in the 25-30 mg range. One report describes a person who took "25 mg oral and had a 2 hr blackout, in which he curled up in a bed and mumbled nonsense to himself. He had absolutely no recollection of the 2 hours." Owing to its pharmacological similarity to psilocybin, it is very unlikely that 4-Acetoxy-DMT is addictive. Howver, it has not been studied for addiction liability.

Contraindications

• Do not operate heavy machinery. Do not drive.
• The effects of 4-Acetoxy-DMT may be dramatically increased if used by individuals currently taking MAOIs. MAOI drugs include the prescription antidepressants Nardil (phenelzine), Parnate (tranylcypromine), Marplan (isocarboxazid), Eldepryl (l-deprenyl), and Aurorex or Manerix (moclobemide), as well as the harmala alkaloids present in Banisteriopsis caapi (ayahuasca) and Peganum harmala (Syrian rue). Check with your doctor if you are not sure whether your medication is an MAOI.
• Individuals currently in the midst of emotional or psychological upheaval in their everyday lives should be careful about choosing to use psychedelics as they can trigger even more difficulty.
• Individuals with a family history of schizophrenia or early onset mental illness should be extremely careful because psychedelics have been known to trigger latent psychological and mental problems.