# What's wrong with the drugs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 7, 2002, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801 "2002-06-07T05:17:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/1 "2002-06-07T05:17:29Z")
Really, what are they? I don’t want this thread to be a place where all our heads come out and proclaim life under the influence to be just fine and dandy. I want to seriously examine what downsides (Do I really express myself that way? I guess so.) there are to usage of various psychoactive substances. For example, while marijuana remains popular I’ve heard many times that it can produce an amotivational (bump-on-a-log) syndrome in long-time users and, while popular with musicians, some of them report problems with timing/tempo while playing after partaking. And, well, yeah, I guess you could count burn holes in your car, on your clothes and on your body. Opiates are another class, lead by heroin, that lead many down a lane of little return. What are the downsides to an opiate addiction? Dr. William Stewart Halstead was one of the founders of the Mayo Clinic, and, I’ve read, was an opiate addict for most of his professional life. He lead a productive life while continually needing to feed his habit. Which he accomplished relatively effortlessly compared to the street addict of later generations, who has to live with DEA price supports. Overdoses of opiates generally result in death by failure to breathe. Uppers. Bumpers. Meth and cocaine certainly have their _affecianados_(SP?). Some kind of heart failure or stroke characterizes traumatic OD, but some serious long-term users seem to slip into a drug-induced psychosis. And my dentist clued me to another downside, that being that those who have deeloped a tolerance for cocaine have a concomittant tolerance for novacaine and the like. To quote him, “I can keep’em numb for about three minutes.” Yikes! And then there’s the psychedelics. Despite ULs about Art Linkletter’s daughter’s flashbacks and the Sunkist orange guy, I’ve never really heard too much about the long-term effects of the psychedelics. Presumably there’s little in the way of habituation. For the record, I don’t take any illegal drugs. I’m no stranger to a drink and I tend to be politically conservative. I, as many conservatives do, tend to favor the legalization of the use of many now-sanctioned drugs. So, arguments can go elsewhere, I want to know. What are the real downsides to using the above mentioned drugs? Particulary, what are the negative effects of: 1.) Marijuana 2.) Opiates 3.) Accelerants 4.) Psychedelics ---
**Author:** ![the\_duke\_69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@the\_duke\_69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_duke_69)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/2 "2002-06-07T05:19:45Z")
Psychedelics actually damage nerve and synaps tissue. so it is BAD! God bless the dare program! ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/3 "2002-06-07T06:35:24Z")
Hmmm. Not quiite as explicit as I was trawling for… ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/4 "2002-06-07T13:07:25Z")
How about “brain damage”? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/5 "2002-06-07T13:37:08Z")
Don’t forget that the negative effects of some drugs are not limited to the individual that takes them. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/6 "2002-06-07T14:05:42Z")
Downsides: 1.) Marijuana: Risk of being some big sweaty guy’s bitch. 2.) Opiates: Risk of being some big sweaty guy’s bitch plus cold turkey withdrawal. Bad Combo!! 3.) Accelerants: Risk of being some big sweaty Hell’s Angel’s bitch. 4.) Psychedelics: Risk of being The Balrog’s bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/7 "2002-06-07T15:10:28Z")
Item # 1541283403 on [eBay](http://www.ebay.com) is a copy of “Licit and Illicit Drugs.” Published in 1972 by the Consumers Union (publishers of _Consumer Reports_ magazine), it’s the most clear-eyed review of drug effects, policy, and scholarship I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/8 "2002-06-07T15:22:37Z")
Add another category for tranqs and downers. And one of the disadvantages is that withdrawal from barbiturates isn’t just unpleasant, it can kill you. ---
**Author:** ![Squish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Squish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squish)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/9 "2002-06-07T15:42:49Z")
I took LSD every weekend for over a year with no bad trips and no flashbacks (damnit ☹ ). Later, when I began taking a prescription SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor), it had the same calming effect on me as LSD had had. I don’t see anything bad with marijuana; certainly I’d rather be around a pothead than a drunk anyday–and I drink (although not to the point of being drunk). Heroin? William Burroughs was a junkie and a great contributor to American literature. The meth family… all I know is that tweakers are as annoying as hell. ---
**Author:** ![Squish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Squish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squish)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/10 "2002-06-07T15:48:19Z")
I took LSD every weekend for over a year with no bad trips and no flashbacks (damnit ☹ ). Later, when I began taking a prescription SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor), it had the same calming effect on me as LSD had had. I don’t see anything bad with marijuana; certainly I’d rather be around a pothead than a drunk anyday–and I drink (although not to the point of being drunk). Heroin? William Burroughs was a junkie and a great contributor to American literature. The meth family… all I know is that tweakers are as annoying as hell. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/11 "2002-06-07T16:45:29Z")
While they may not always be bad, there is room for a risk. Some people have allergic reactions, some people DO become psychologically addicted, at the very least. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/12 "2002-06-07T18:13:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Squish \* > \*\*I took LSD every weekend for over a year with no bad trips and no flashbacks \*\* This makes the double-post somehow ironic. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Frink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Mr.Frink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Frink)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/13 "2002-06-07T22:39:05Z")
Ecstasy…sort of a cross between an amphetamine & a psychedelic is thought to damage a user’s seratonin uptake receptors. So yeah–“brain damage” is a concern. The consequences of this damage isn’t yet known, but from anecdotal reports, heavy users of ecstasy report chronic depression & a decreased ability to remember. Marijuana & LSD are relatively harmless (esp. compared to legal drugs such as alcohol & tobacco); while the use of magic mushrooms is actually beneficial to users! _(kidding, folks!)_ ---
**Author:** ![Squish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Squish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squish)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/14 "2002-06-07T23:14:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Miskatonic \* > \*\* > > This makes the double-post somehow ironic. 😃 \*\* I think the SDMB server is on drugs! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/15 "2002-06-07T23:29:36Z")
Particulary, what are the negative effects of: 1.) Marijuana Getting caught. Seriousily, I do believe it affects memory. Toward the end of my college career, I made a point of smoking relatively little during a semester as I believe this improved my ability to retain information. I know that I dream less during those periods when I am toking a lot so I conclude it does affect the brain. However, I am not crazy yet (tho’ others may disagree). 2.) Opiates I only smoked opium a few times and had no bad effects from it. However, one night I and my best friend were out of marijuana (we had been smoking opium mixed with dope) and we used Prince Albert rolling tobacco. I don’t use tobacco and I thought I was going to give a technicolor yawn. Worse yet, my best friend got to smoke most of the opium because I was bent over trying to keep from puking. 3.) Accelerants IMO, these are deadly. Stay away from them. I was addicted when I was 19, but quit after one night that saw me take 11 hits of speed. I stayed up all night and had to call in sick to work. I quit cold turkey after that experience. 4.) Psychedelics These have very little physical effect. However, as someone who has tripped 35-45 times, I don’t recommend doing psychedelics unless you have a strong mind and a strong sense of self. They are not harmless drugs. ---
**Author:** ![zen101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c68b51/32.png) [@zen101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zen101)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/16 "2002-06-07T23:41:17Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Squish \* > \*\* > Heroin? William Burroughs was a junkie and a great contributor to American literature._\* He laso liked to get high and play like William Tell, you could ask his wife all about it but he shot her. But you are right, Junky and The Naked Lunch are probably worth it not to mention Blade Runner (the book apart from the movie). ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2002, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/17 "2002-06-08T01:09:11Z")
A couple of items from the archives: Cecil Adams on [What are the long term health effects of marijuana?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_225.html) SDSTAFF Hawk on [Does an “ecstasy” overdose raise your body temperature to 108 degrees?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mdesignerdrug.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/18 "2002-06-08T01:14:14Z")
Unfortunately, there are those who would prefer the drugs to reality, ultimately becoming a burden on society. ---
**Author:** ![festiva76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e8cbc/32.png) [@festiva76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/festiva76)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2002, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/19 "2002-06-08T02:20:11Z")
Not downplaying the dangers of opium and heroin, there are numerous dangers involved with abusing prescription pain killers, especially those along the lines of Vicodin and Percocet. Most prescription narcotics are combination products that contain fairly large amounts of Tylenol, which in the large doses some addicts have to take to get a buzz, can slowly destroy the liver. Being a nurse, I am a huge advocate for adequate pain control. If a person takes the drugs for a legitimate problem and follows the prescribing instructions, there is usually no problem unless the person is particularly sensitive to the medication or lacks the liver enzyme to properly break down the medication. In closing, besides the obvious problems with narcotic abuse, such as stopping your breathing in large doses or those wacky DEA agents, there are numerous medical problems across the board, from initial addiction to the somewhat hellish withdrawl for those smart enough to get their bearings straight. festiva76, LPN ---
**Author:** ![KarmaComa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e36b37/32.png) [@KarmaComa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarmaComa)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2002, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801/20 "2002-06-08T02:40:33Z")
What would happen if you railed a Viagra pill? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-the-drugs/112801.md?page=2)