Drugs FAQ's
What are the effects of cannabis?
There is a lot of debate over the effects of cannabis both in the short and long term. Some people find they don't experience many side effects, but others do and these will vary from person to person.
In the short term you may experience:
- A dreamy, elevated mood and a feeling of being very 'chilled out'
- Enhanced colours and sounds
- Time appearing to be distorted and being a bit confused
- 'The giggles', babbling and the 'munchies' (a sudden ravenous appetite)
- For some people cannabis works as an aphrodisiac
- Nausea and vomitng (particularly if mixed wth alcohol)
- Paranoia, adsent-mindedness and/or loss of rational thought
In the long term some people might find:
- They rely on cannabis to become more realxed and sociable
- They become less energetic than normal
- Smoking cannabis with tobacco causes lung damage
What are the effects of ecstasy?
As with cannabis, there has been a lot of debate over the effects of ecstasy. Effects will vary from person to person.
In the short term you may experience:
- An increase in heart beat
- A rush that can cause you to gasp for breath (taking deep breaths will help to stop this)
- Nausea
- Feeling very hot as your body temperature rises
- A tightening or stiffness of muscles (particularly in the jaw)
- A period of confusion
- Feeling more alert, wide awake and full of energy
- Being more interested in the people around you
The long term effects are not yet fully known, but some people have linked Ecstasy to:
- Liver and kidney problems
- Increased risks of depression and other mental illness later in life
What does the picture on a tab of acid say about the trip?
The picture is not related in any way to the type of 'trip' you might experience. The effects someone experiences will depend upon their mood, where they are and who they are with at the time.There is no way of predicting what a 'trip' will be like.
What are the risks of injecting?
Many of the risks will depend upon the type of drug being injected, but some of the more general risks can include:
- An increased possibility of overdose as the drug is being injected straight into the bloodstream and therefore reaches the brain much more quickly
- Septacaemia and other infections as impurities are being introduced directly into the bloodstream
- Hepatitis and HIV if sharing injecting equipment
Some of these risks can be reduced by making sure you don't share injecting equipment and that the equipment is clean. Making sure you are with someone who knows what you have taken may help and being in a safe place that you are familiar with. For info on needle exchanges see Drug and Alcohol Services.
