It is known for synthetic drugs as any product that is manipulated byr chemical elements, Unlike other substances that can be derived or clearly produced with natural origin. It should be noted that these are mostly already existing drugs that become altered by modifying their chemical structure.
It can also refer to those substances whose molecular nomenclature is different from the traditional ones that have a stronger effect, that their reaction depends on the individual's body and that are similar to that of conventional and illegal drugs.
It should be noted that synthetic drugs are often ccharacterize by being sold clandestinely not only because of its deregulation but also to circumvent the laws imposed on drugs considered drugs due to their psychoactive effects that normally require a prescription to be obtained.
Do you know what the psychoactive effect is? It is nothing more than an alteration produced by certain substances on the central nervous system (CNS), causing in turn specific changes to its functions. It should be noted that psychoactive effects also derive in turn in psychological effects, which comprise a set of sensations, perceptions, emotions that occur in the person who is under the effects of a psychoactive substance.
What are synthetic drugs?
Synthetic cannabinoids
These are literally a copy of marijuana, in fact, its name means 'similar' to it and as it produces the same as said herb, although it does not have the same molecular components or are similar.
It is one of the synthetic drugs that are usually created with chemicals that are liquid and sprayed in a series of herbs that are then smoked as if it were marijuana. The plant normally used is La Damiana, It also contains by nature a mild stimulant drug that produces euphoria.
According to the statements of those who have used it, it doubles the effect of what marijuana is capable of causing; starting with a slow reaction that increases in power over time. Among the side effects, agitation, rapid heart rate (tachycardia), confusion, dizziness, nausea have been recorded. And cases have also been reported where the person presents chest pain with heart damage and other stronger effects.
The mode of distribution is quite particular, since they are usually sold in aluminum foil packaged which are named or labeled as K2, K3 Legal, Spice, Spice Gold, Diesel, King Kong, Cloud 9 (Cloud 9). In fact, in some cases it has been found under the name of incense.
This herb is also scientifically known for its nomenclature that includes letters and numbers:
JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-370
HU-210
CP 47.497
AM-1248
XLR-11
It should be noted that the acronym JWH refers to the name of John W. Huffman, a chemist who conducted a wide variety of important research, including trying to find drugs for people with multiple sclerosis or AIDS.
Opio
Opium is a league of substances or elements that are extracted from real poppy capsules (which is a herbaceous plant) in which the narcotic and analgesic drugs called morphine and other alkaloids await.
Its effect begins to manifest itself with a slight relaxation that increases until it becomes drowsy and increases in potential sensations throughout the body of itching, tingling until any pain disappears (in case of having it), increasing tactile perception.
The plant is white, purple and / or fuchsia colors and its size varies, being capable of growing up to one and a half meters.
Its use dates back years, where the Greeks used it as medicine and also for games. This was consumed in infusions or with the raw plant when it came to a toothache, fevers, to make children sleep or as an antidiarrheal.
The preparation of opium begins with cuts on the head - even green - of the plant when the flower is leafless, that is, days after the petals have fallen from the flowers. The cuts cause the living being to begin to emanate a white and milky latex, which on drying turns into a sticky brown resin.
And such resin is scraped from the heads thus obtaining the authentic and pure opium. It should be noted that, if it is allowed to dry for much longer, it turns into a darker and more crystalline stone while losing water and concentrating the alkaloids.
Opium has various modes of consumption, smoking being the most common, first going through a process in which it is diluted in water, heated over low heat and filtered. Subsequently, it is reheated until the water evaporates, leaving a prepared product - with a stronger concentration of morphine - ready to smoke.
- Some prefer to heat a knife and stick it to the opium stone to inhale all the smoke with a funnel. Others go to the frequent medium of the pipe, however this must be a metallic swear so that the product can come to a boil. It is also usually made using aluminum foil.
- It should be noted that it is not feasible to prepare cigars with opium because it loses effectiveness by not reaching the proper temperature.
- It is also possible to ingest it and in this way it affects more than smoking it. When consumed orally, the effects can take approximately half an hour to two hours to begin; managing to stay from eight to fourteen hours.
- Finally, another of the feasible ways to consume one of the oldest synthetic drugs, is through an infusion which is also called tisane and is prepared by crushing the dried plant.
Ketamine
It is one of the synthetic drugs that, originally, was used as a tranquilizer in people until it was banned due to its side effects –considered unpleasant-, in which hallucinations and agitation occurred. Then its use was normally exclusively for animals.
It has several presentations, that is, it can be found in liquid, pill or powder form, which also gives several consumption options that include the possibility of being smoked, inhaled or injected; applying both in the vein and in a muscle.
When it is smoked it is usually mixed with herbs and in its liquid form it is also usually presented in drops, allowing it to be used directly on the eyes, on the skin or in a drink.
It is a product that has the effects of sedation, dissociation, that is, the disconnection of self-awareness and our own thoughts, and also hallucinations.
It is distributed in white tablets, white powder or bottles of liquid for injection, under the name of Vitamin K, Special K, Super K, Kit Kat, Jet, K, Lady K, Super Acid (or), Cat Valium.
It should be noted that one of the easiest ways to access them is by theft from veterinary establishments.
Hallucinogens
These, surely you already knew them, are the variety of synthetic drugs that are characterized by altering perceptions of reality from various areas, such as visual, auditory, tactile, sensitive and others.
The effects are very powerful and vary according to the amount of dose that is consumed, also the environment in which it is. Rapid and intense emotional sudden changes are usually manifested. If the feelings are negative, it could cause mental confusion, memory loss or disorientation in the person, both in space and time.
Hallucinogens are characteristic for differences from other common synthetic drugs. These produce their reaction by disrupting the interaction of nerve cells and the neurotransmitter serotonin. And the serotonin system has a lot of power in controlling behavior, perception and regulation systems, without leaving out mood, hunger, body temperature, sexual behavior, muscle control and sensory perception; It should be noted that the distribution is in charge of the brain and spinal cord.
Some hallucinogens, before reaching the process described in the previous paragraph, lose elements of their molecule. A clear example of this is the case of psilocybin, which is found in fungi of the genus psilocybe. Once it is inside the body of the individual it loses a phosphorus radical and this leads it to become psilocin, which according to studies is probably the substance that releases the mechanisms in the nervous system.
Among the most used are LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, mescaline found in peyote, and cacti from the Trichocereus family, and others.
Another characteristic feature of these synthetic drugs is that when the negative aspect, lowering of emotions, fear and the like are experienced in the effects, it is usually known as a 'bad trip'. Due to the force of the reaction, being under what these drugs cause is not being on the ground but in the air, traveling.
It should be noted that there are people who claim to have experienced having seen images, heard things and in general, experiencing things beyond the emotional sensation.
They are controversial drugs because their use is also linked to religious practices that lead to a concentration to meditate and commune with yourself or with your ancestors (a practice done by indigenous people with the ayahuasca drink). For what they are also called visionary drugs, which open your mind, stimulate imagination, ideas and perhaps can help to carry out an introspection that contributes good things to the changes that you propose.
However, its recreational and excessive use, causes severe damage, being able to totally lose the notion of someone, without hope of returning. So it continues to represent a danger. In addition to being the cause of events in which individuals are not aware of what they are doing or have lost / changed the perspective of what they think about things that are not correct.
Phenethylamines
These are stimulants derived from those previously stated, that is, hallucinogens. And in this there are a variety of substances that are independent or well known. These include:
Ecstasy
Also known as MDMA or molly, it is one of the most popular drugs not only of this group but in general, due to its high consumption for recreational purposes such as concerts, games, parties, music clubs, among others. Like hallucinogens, this also has a power to alter the perception of the individual, only that, focusing on the auditory, visual and tactical, that is, it develops a slight perception of music and lights, which is why it is consumed in nightclubs environments.
As for touch, the reaction is a sensation of sensitivity on the skin, feeling close to other people and becoming very affectionate. However, it has other effects that, due to the high stimulation, increase the heartbeat, respiration, increase body temperature and begin to experience panic attacks, paranoia, among others that make the person uncontrolled and can be harmful for not attend or respond well to the situation presented.
Another serious effect is that it causes dehydration and many people have died from activities that are so hectic that they are overheating and tired.
When the effect begins to wear off, cramps or tremors are experienced in the muscles, especially in the face. This drug is usually sold in pills that are usually stamped or have a 'happy' design and are packaged in boxes or individually.
Tryptamines
They are also hallucinogenic drugs and their effects are very similar to those of psilocybin, which are the magic mushrooms that we highlighted in previous paragraphs. The effect is characterized by distorting time, audio and vision; and it usually causes an extreme state and very far from the conscious or rational reason why the individual is in high possibilities of doing dangerous and irreparable things for not being conscious and / or being able to think clearly before. Also consumption in high amounts could cause temporary amnesia.
Among the other side effects and negative, are restlessness, muscle tension to the point of being able to break muscle tissue; confusion, anxiety and nausea.
Its molecular components are various, there is no specific recipe, these are:
Alpha-O (5-MeO-DMT)
Foxy-methoxy (5-MeO-DPT)
AMT (Alpha-methyltryptamine)
5-HTP.52
And they are sold in powders in a transparent bag labeled or under the name "research chemicals."
Piperazine and its derivatives
They are also stimulants that initially began as anti-depressants, until their effects were considered negative for humans; then its commercial creation or molecular formula was abandoned. In addition, it is very likely that they are combined with amphetamines, with cocaine, with ketamine or with ecstasy; which would double its effects.
These are sold in pills which are very common at parties and sometimes pass as natural / medicinal herbal products, but they are not. Another of its ways of being distributed is as bath salts, white or very light powder bottled or in sachets.
Nor is it a specific one, they can vary and depending on this their effects will depend, although the abuse of them causes reactions in general such as anxiety, lack of appetite, headache, emotional changes, confusion, chills, panic attacks, disability self-control, high visual sensitivity (lights) and sound (noise), chills, among others. Its variations in the molecular structure are several and here we highlight 3:
- BZP (1-Benzylpiperazine) - one of the best known in this class of synthetic drugs. They also call it Legal X, PeP X or A2.
- A similar drug called mCPP, which was found to contain an additional ingredient that makes it illicit on half of the drug lists on the European market.
- TFMPP is 1- (3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl) piperazine.
Empatogen-entactogen
They are a variety of classes of psychoactive substances that are characterized by causing the same social and emotional effects that cause mdma / ecstasy. Another characteristic feature is that their reactions are totally the opposite of those caused by those caused by methamphetamine and amphetamine, or that of the main psychedelic drugs such as LSD or psilocybin.
These reactions are usually linked to emotions and feelings related to love, empathy and affection with other people, approaching them emotionally.
It is a drug of which not much is known other than the statements of those who have consumed it and the few conceptualizations that determine or classify them in certain groups.
Herbal drugs with chemical effects
This is a new modality in the creation of synthetic drugs, since they are specially created with a herbal base but their reactions are as strong or similar as those of chemical products. In addition, they are characterized by their costs and uses.
Among this group are:
Kratom: This product is about a drug that is extracted from the leaves of a tree in southeast Africa and in small doses, it usually acts as a stimulant, but when the dose is high, then its reaction begins to become the equivalent of a sedative.
One of the characteristics or curious fact is that it is a legal drug but it is being questioned because it can become very addictive.
Salvia Divinorum: It is created from a native plant of Mexico that contains a powerful hallucinogen in its properties. And although the effects are of a fairly short duration, they can be radical or very powerful, which could end up being, for example, very violent.
Like strong synthetic drugs such as LSD, this is usually smoked by one person in the company of another who will watch out and care for the user, because it is very common or there is a high probability that there will be a short period in which it is have severe mania or psychosis.
Khat: It is a native plant of East Africa and its consumption is orally, that is, the leaves are chewed in order to achieve its stimulating effects. In this natural product is the chemical substance Catinone, which is the main cause and is derived from such leaves.
A curious and important fact is that some of the most dangerous synthetic drugs that are active in the market, are created to be similar or equal to this substance.
Anabolic steroids
These are a steroid product derived from testosterone and their main objective is to chemically decrease the androgenic and virilizing effects, causing in turn an increase in anabolic actions.
The presence of unfavorable effects is closely related to the formation of metabolites produced at the time that the transformations that affect plasma testosterone are undergoing. Another curious fact, important to add is that in addition to this, anabolic androgens, also known as "steroids", cause severe effects on the sexual vigor of men, among which the transformations that predominate the formation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and estrogens.
It is one of the synthetic drugs most used in athletes; since, if at the time of consumption you are having a diet both rich in calories and protein, one of its greatest results is the rapid increase in body mass and strength, but in a dramatic and exaggerated way.
These positive results are the ones that usually cause addiction, but their high dose has severe psychological effects that include mood swings, irrational behavior, increased aggressiveness ("steroid anger"), irritability, depression and dependence.
Drugs against erectile dysfunction
It is characterized as a "sexual" drug, also the most powerful in its field due to the level of dependence that it is capable of causing in the individual.
It is not only used properly for those who suffer from this condition, but also to increase sexual potency or make the erection last longer than it should in order to prolong the sexual act.
Among the most popular brands is viagra, cialis and levitra, they are the same, but some prolong the effect more than others; which is totally harmful because it can lead to priapism, which is a prolonged erection even at the end of the sexual act.
Although these last two synthetic drugs are not hallucinogenic, nor do they cause so much havoc psychologically, they do so physically and are equally addicted and dependent.