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Club Drug Addiction

“Club drugs” are those drugs that are typically used by teenagers and adults at parties (often referred to as “raves”), nightclubs, concerts and bars. They can be stimulants that increase the user’s ability to stay awake for long periods of time, specifically to continue having fun, dance and enjoy their surroundings. Club drugs can also be depressants, the effects of which can lower an individual’s inhibitions by increasing their sense of relaxation. While it sounds harmless, as though they are simply looking for something with more kick than caffeine, the truth is far more dangerous.

Typical club drugs that are popular among young people today include:

• Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
• Ketamine
• Methamphetamine
• Rohypnol
• MDMA (Ecstasy)
• LSD

CNS Depressants

GHB is a CNS depressant that works on the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. This is the neurotransmitter that controls inhibitions. GHB occurs naturally in the brain, but the dosage is far lower than that which is taken when using drugs recreationally.

Rohypnol is another CNS depressant popular among the club-going set. This drug is similar to medications like Xanax or Valium; however, it is not approved for any medical purpose in the United States. In fact, it is against the laws of the United States to import Rohypnol for any purpose. Common street names for this drug are “roofies,” “rophies,” “roche” or “forget-me pills” because of the likelihood that an individual who takes Rohypnol (or is given the drug without their knowledge) will have no cognitive memory of their activities while under the influence of the drug.

Both of these drugs are colorless and tasteless. They have no odor. They may be found in powder, liquid or pill form. Perhaps one of the most harrowing aspects of these particular club drugs is the link between the use of the drugs on unsuspecting party-goers and “date rape.” These drugs have both been used to incapacitate women and girls so they are unable to fight off, or even resist, sexual assaults.

Stimulants

MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic drug. It has been compared to and reacts similarly to methamphetamine (a stimulant) and mescaline (a hallucinogen). Known commonly as Ecstasy, MDMA provides the user a feeling of detachment from reality. At the same time, it boosts energy and creates a euphoric, physically heightened state of awareness.

While in years past, MDMA has been used primarily by middle-class, Caucasian teens and young adults, the demographics for use are spreading rapidly. Many young people turn to MDMA while attending raves, multiple-day and night dance parties where club drugs are common in order to keep the attendees awake and energized for the length of the events.

The effect of MDMA on the human brain is two-fold. On one side, the MDMA attaches to the serotonin in the brain which is responsible for feelings of sexual desire, pain, pleasure and aggression; it also plays a part in regulating overall mood. When MDMA attaches to the serotonin, it prohibits the serotonin from being reabsorbed into the brain, thus prolonging the effects of natural serotonin. On the other side, MDMA infiltrates the neurotransmitters that release serotonin into the brain, thereby increasing the amount of the substance in the brain. More serotonin is released and the drug prolongs the effects which gives the user the euphoric high they are seeking.

MDMA is generally taken as a pill, but more recently has been included in “pharm parties” where youth will combine a great number of illicit drugs and medications in a coffee grinder or other mill and snort them together.

In the case of many club drugs, this can be excessively dangerous as combining the drugs with each other, or with alcohol, can be deadly. Even without alcohol, drugs like MDMA dramatically increase body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. Long-term use has been shown to permanently affect the brain’s ability to properly produce and release serotonin. It has also affected memory abilities, indicating permanent brain damage.

Methamphetamine is another club drug that has surged in popularity in recent years. Meth, as it is commonly known, can be taken as a powder that is snorted, a liquid that is injected, and a rock crystal (crystal meth) which is superheated and smoked. This stimulant is highly addictive after even one dose and can cause severe physical and emotional trauma for an addict and his or her family. Some of the most apparent signs of methamphetamine addiction are:

• Poor complexion
• Weight loss
• Unexplained aggression or irritability
• Uncontrollable shaking or jerking movements (tweaking)

Other Club Drugs

Not all drugs taken in club environments are intended for human use. Ketamine, known by the street names “Special K,” “Vitamin K,” “K” and “Cat Valium,” is primarily intended for use as an anesthetic for animals in veterinarian clinics and hospitals. It is a generally taken as a powder via snorting or a liquid via injection, eye drops or orally. Some regulatory agencies are reporting that Ketamine is being injected intramuscularly.

The use of Ketamine can cause a wide range of effects. Low or moderate use will cause the user to have an inability to concentrate and can affect the memory. Taken in larger doses, the drug can cause hallucinations, delirium, depression, high blood pressure and acute respiratory conditions that can be fatal.

Several cities have reported high instances of Ketamine abuse, including:

• Seattle
• New York
• Newark
• Chicago
• Minneapolis/St. Paul
• Miami
• San Diego
• Boston
• New Orleans

LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) is a hallucinogen. The effects of LSD cannot be predicted because they depend upon the individual’s physical makeup, the amount taken, and the mood and expectations of the user. However, generally the drug will create variations in the way an individual perceives information gathered through their senses of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell.

This drug has been used in club settings for more than a generation and therefore, the long-term effects have been studied in great detail. Prolonged use of LSD can create two very distinct psychological conditions. The first is LSD persistent psychosis. The second is hallucinogen persisting perception disorder, commonly referred to as “flashbacks.” After long-term LSD use, an individual may suffer the auditory and visual hallucinations after significant time has passed, even without taking more LSD.

The immediate effects of LSD include dilated pupils, sweating, increased body temperature, mouth dryness, insomnia and uncontrollable shaking. The drug comes in many forms including pills, capsules, liquid and other delivery vehicles into which the liquid has been absorbed, including:

• Stamps or “temporary tattoos”
• Sugar cubes
• Various blotter papers
• Combined with marijuana and smoked

Known commonly among users as “acid,” “boomers” or “yellow sunshine,” LSD is a dangerous and addictive drug that can lead the user to behave in a dangerous manner that could lead to death due to increasingly erratic and unreasonable behavior.

According to Motoring the Future – an organization that conducts an annual survey of school-aged children and teens in the United States concerning lifetime, past year and recent drug use – club drugs are among the least popular, with approximately one percent of each grade level indicating they have used the drugs. While this seems like good news, there are still a large number of young adults experimenting with the mind-altering effects of various club drugs.

Addiction Treatment for Club Drugs

Club drugs are addictive. As with other drugs, withdrawal symptoms may occur when an individual stops taking the drugs. It is important to provide care during the detoxification process, and to immediately follow the detox period with a rehab program in order for the addict to achieve long-term success in sobriety.

Articles on Club Drug Addiction

• GHB Abuse Fact Sheet
• The Short-Term Effects of LSD
• Hallucinogen Abuse Fact Sheet
• The Long-Term Effects of LSD
• PCP Abuse Fact Sheet
• A Fact Sheet on Inhalant Abuse
• A Fact Sheet on Stimulant Abuse
• Ecstasy Abuse Fact Sheet
• LSD Abuse Fact Sheet
• Dissociative Drug Abuse Fact Sheet
• Ketamine Linked to Memory Loss
• Ecstasy & PTSD
• Ketamine Abuse Continues
• Rave Parties Continue, Can Be Deadly