It is that time again . . . time to play “Name That Drug”.
Okay, for those of you who don’t know how to play yet, I will give you a list
of facts, signs and symptoms, other names and then, finally, I will tell you
what the drug is named. So let’s begin!
Facts: This drug comes in a small, round tablet with the
name Ciba stamped on one side, and comes in 3 different colors depending on the
dosage. A study conducted in 2000 by the DEA revealed the test
subjects (mice) that were given this drug and then given cocaine were unable to
tell the difference between these two drugs. This lead the DEA to conclude that
the effects of these drugs are nearly identical. This drug is the most commonly abused by
children.
Signs and
Symptoms: It is an amphetamine-like
substance that can cause similar effects as other forms of speed; loss of
appetite, insomnia, and an increased heart rate. Injection or snorting of it,
especially in larger doses puts a greater strain on the body, and the stress caused
on the heart can be fatal.
Other names:
Poor man’s cocaine, Smarties, Vitamin R, R-Ball
I’m sure you
have probably figured it out by now, this drug is Ritalin. Any other
“hyperactivity” drug out there on the market works in a similar fashion. Long prescribed as a “medicine” for kids with
ADD, now known as ADHD, the studies are finding that it is very addictive, and
can cause severe emotional conditions.
One researcher in Texas has found that children treated with
methylphenidate (the primary ingredient in ADHD drugs) had an increased risk of
cancer due to genetic abnormalities caused by the drug. This drug has the same increased tolerance
that cocaine does, meaning that it takes more of the drug to give you the same
feeling as it did previously. This leads people to taking more of it than the
dosage prescribed. There have been
several instances of young kids dying from taking this medication, since they
can get it so easily and readily from their friends. As noted by the DEA, “pharmaceutical products
diverted from legitimate channels are the only sources of methylphenidate
available for abuse,” which means that all forms of this drug only come from
the companies making the pills and nowhere else. It cannot be made on the street like so many
other illegal drugs, and can only be legally acquired from a pharmaceutical company
through a prescription by a doctor.
Many of the
facts here were taken from drugfreeworld.org.
