Common Illegal Drugs at Work and Their Side Effects

Here are the most common illegal drugs at work and their side effects:

Cocaine

• What it does: Stimulates the central nervous system.
• Side effects: Insomnia, lethargy, depression, suicidal thoughts, long-term brain damage, agitation, breathing problems, chest pain, nose damage, autoimmune disorders (e.g., lupus), stroke, heart attack, death.
• Other names: Coke, rock, crack, free base, flake, snow, blow.

Amphetamines & Methamphetamines

• What they do: Stimulate the central nervous system, providing sense of energy and mental exhilaration.
• Side effects: Aggression, anxiety, delusions of grandeur, hyperactivity, irregular heartbeat, irritability, high blood pressure, diarrhea, constipation, blurred vision, trouble speaking, dizziness, sleeplessness, dry skin, psychosis, stunted growth in young people, paranoia, convulsions, seizure, stroke, coma, heart attack, death.
• Other names: Crank, ice, meth, crystal meth, rock, speed, poor man’s cocaine, uppers, bennies, Adderall.

Opiates

• What it does: Alleviates pain, producing euphoric feelings.
• Side effects: Tremors, cramps, muscle pain, bone pain, chills, sweating, rapid heart beat, fluid build-up in the lungs, vomiting, diarrhea, anxiety, paranoia, insomnia, dizziness, nausea, depression, irregular heartbeat, difficulty breathing, strokes, seizures, suicidal thoughts, suffocation (vomit aspiration), death.
• Other names: Heroin, morphine, codeine, smack, oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percodan, Percocet), Tylox, merepidines (Demerol), methadone, fentanyl (Sublimaze), black-tar.

Dissociative Narcotics

• What it does: These sedatives, which include Ketamine, Phencyclidine, and Dextromethorphan among others, can produce euphoric feelings and hallucinations.
• Side effects: Delirium, dizziness, blurred vision, blurred speech, dry skin, difficulty balancing, delusions, nightmares, amnesia, convulsions, brain damage, incontinence, hallucinations, psychosis, rage.
• Names:
  • Ketamine: K, Special K, cat tranquilizer
  • Phencyclidine: Dust, angel dust, hog, PCP, rocket fuel;
  • Dextromethorphan: DXM, DM, robo

Inhalants

• What it does: These easily obtained industrial and household substances, including aerosols and solvents, induce a sense of euphoria when inhaled, frequently by depriving the individual of oxygen.
• Side effects: Confusion, disorientation, sneezing, coughing, nausea, sleepiness, loss of appetite, nosebleeds, pneumonia, heart failure, heart attack, brain damage, vomiting, incontinence, death.
• Names: Aerosol propellant, amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite, cartridges, cleaning fluid, gas, gasoline, glue, Hippy Crack, laughing gas, nitrous, nitrous oxide, N2O, paint thinner, poppers, solvent, snappers, toluene, whip-its.

Marijuana

• What it does: A mild depressant and hallucinogenic.
• Side effects: Decreased intelligence, attention, and memory; lack of motivation.
• Other names: Joint, pot, grass, weed, reefer, ganja, hash, Thai stick, roach, bud, doobie.