Download Designer and look

Designer and look-alike
drugs
Designer drugs
• Designer drugs refers to the compounds
produced in underground laboratories
• Designer drugs refers to the
alterations of existing drugs whose
chemical structure is modified to mimic
the effect of the parent drug.
• Designer drugs are also called analogues
or variations of hallucinogenic drugs.
Attractions of designer
drugs in the society
• One of their attractions relates to
the fact that they are analogues
and therefore can produce effects
similar to those of controlled
substances but they themselves
may not be controlled by the
government authorities.
Two components of designer
drugs
• MDA
(Methylenedioxyamphetamine)
» refers to a methamphetamine
and mescaline analogue that
produces a mild euphoria.
» was declared an illegal drug
after being used for recreational
purposes
• MDMA
(Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)
» is also called ecstasy
» refers to an analogue similar to
mescaline and methamphetamine, but
differs in its effects in the human body.
» is criminalized in all countries in
the world under a UN agreement, and
its possession, manufacture, or sale may
result in criminal prosecution.
Effects of MDA
• MDA was called the "love drug" and was
alleged to stand for “Mellow Drug of America”
in the 1960s because of its effects such as
euphoria and empathogen/entactogen effects.
• This drug stimulates the central nervous
system and causes hallucinogenic effects.
Effects of MDMA
• It is thought that MDMA enhances dopamine
release and interacts with serotonin thus
producing a rewarding physical sensation and
simultaneously alters mood. Because MDMA is
only partially fat soluble, its initial effects
tend to be delayed in comparison to the more
rapid physical effects of marijuana or LSD.
The drug can elevate mood and enhance
intimacy but it has also induced stimulant-like
side effects such as anxiety, panic, shaking,
increased heart rate and paranoid thinking.
Overdosage
• An overdose can cause heart
arrhythmias*, high blood pressure and
seizures. The medical treatment of the
overdose effects of MDMA is
concentrates mainly on the symptoms of
stimulant overdose.
*Heart arrhythmias refers to the condition wherein
the heart of a person beats too fast or too slow due
to abnormal electrical activity.
Look-alike drugs
Look-alike drugs are combinations of
substances such as ephedrine, caffeine
and phenylpropanolamine that are
promoted by dealers as being safe and
harmless. They are available as overthe-counter preparations and therefore
are not subject to being controlled
substances.
Look-alike drugs
• Look-alike drugs mimic the action of
controlled substances such as amphetamines
but are available without prescription as overthe-counter preparations. They emerged in
the 1970s when controls were placed on
amphetamines by the Controlled Substances
Act of 1970. Drug manufacturers
circumvented this legislation by marketing
amphetamine look-alikes. The most common
formulation of look-alikes include caffeine,
ephedrine and phenylpropanolamine
Formulations of look-alike drugs
• Phenylpropanolamine
refers to the common ingredient in overthe-counter diet pills
Ephedrine
is commonly found in asthma, hay fever,
sinusitis and related anti-allergy preparations
Caffeine
is a bitter white crystalline xanthine that
acts as a psychoactive stimulant drug and a
mild diuretic in humans and other animals.
Look-alike drugs in the society
•
In 1982 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the sale of
the triple combination of caffeine, ephedrine and phenylpropanolamine.
This federal and related state statues prohibited the marketing of
these look-alikes whose packaging appeared to look like amphetamines.
The drug industry countered by removing one of the three stimulants
and legally continued their sale. There is presently a federal law that
limits look-alikes to contain no more than one active ingredient.30 New
products called act-alikes, harmless speed and OTC uppers have been
marketed to young users as the "new" look-alikes or as safe "speed,"
"uppers" and "downers." They are sold under names such as co-caine,
Toot, and pseudo-speed and are promoted by drug dealers as being legal
and harmless. One of the most disturbing aspects of these substances
is there marketing to young people who are introduced to their first
use of drugs through these substances. Manufacturers typically
advertise these drugs in magazines, college newspapers and through
mail-order companies.
Effects of look-alike drugs
• Both ephedrine and phenylpropanolamine are structurally similar
to amphetamine and affect the sympathetic nervous system by
releasing norepinephrine from their storage sites. In addition
they elevate blood pressure, pulse rate and dilate the bronchial
tubes. Psychological effects include euphoria and increased
alertness. Large doses of ephedrine can over stimulate the
central nervous system causing psychosis, hallucinations and
craving for the drug.
• One of the most hazardous side effects of inhalants is the
development of hypertension at doses of 85 mg. Significant
hypertension also results when these substances are used in
combination with anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin.