DESIGNER DRUGS

Effects

Illegal drugs are defined in terms of their chemical formulas. To circumvent these legal restrictions, underground chemists modify the molecular structure of certain illegal drugs to produce analogs known as designer drugs. These drugs can be several hundred times stronger than the drugs they are designed to imitate.

Many of the so-called designer drugs are related to amphetamines and have mild stimulant properties but are mostly euphoriants. They can produce severe neurochemical damage to the brain.

The narcotic analogs can cause symptoms such as those seen in Parkinson's disease: uncontrollable tremors, drooling, impaired speech, paralysis, and irreversible brain damage. Analogs of amphetamines and methamphetamines cause nausea, blurred vision, chills or sweating, and faintness. Psychological effects include anxiety, depression, and paranoia. As little as one dose can cause brain damage. The analogs of phencyclidine cause illusions, hallucinations, and impaired perception.

Type           What is it called?   What does it look like?   How is it used?
Analogs of Synthetic Heroin White powder identically Inhaled through Fentanyl China White resembling heroin nasal passages (Narcotic) Injected
Analogs of     Synthetic Heroin     White powder              Inhaled through
Meperidine    MPTP (New                                       nasal passages
 (Narcotic)     Heroin                                        Injected
               MPPP
Analogs of     MDMA (Ecstasy,       White powder              Taken orally
 Amphetamine s  XTC, Adam,          Tablets                   Injected
 and            Essence)            Capsules                  Inhaled through
 Methamphet-   MDM                                             nasal passages
 amines        STP
 (Hallucino-   PMA
 gens)         2, 5-DMA
               TMA
               DOM
               DOB
               EVE
Analogs of     PCPy                 White powder              Taken orally
 Phencyclidine PCE                                            Injected
 (PCP)                                                        Smoked

Source: "What Works. Schools without Drugs." U.S. Dept. of Education.