The Drug Menace
by Dr. Phil Stringer (Florida)
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and
of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)
* * *
THE SCOURGE OF DRUG USE
During the 30 years that the Cultural War has raged, drug use in the
United States has increased 3,000%, according to Dr. William Pollin,
former director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Americans now spend over $100 billion on illicit drugs yearly. It is
estimated that another $100 billion is spent yearly on prevention and
treatment costs, drug-related crime, property destruction, and lost
productivity. After a drop in drug use in the mid-and-late-1980's,
American drug use is on the rise again in the 1990's. Drug sales are
increasing yearly. Drug-related crime is on the increase (over $25
billion yearly). Drug use among pregnant women is increasing. Drug use
among teens is increasing. Drug production is increasing in many
countries (these drugs are primarily aimed at the United States and
Western Europe). New drugs are becoming common while LSD is making a
comeback. Cocaine and marijuana are becoming increasingly accepted in
American life, and some political leaders and Clinton administration
officials have suggested legalization.
Many of the drugs popular now had not even been invented 30 years
ago. The most famous and popular illegal drugs in America are marijuana
and cocaine. Eight other popular illegal drugs are described in the
pamphlet, "Eight More Dangerous Drugs You Should Know About":
• PCP (Phencyclidine)
Commonly known as "killer weed," "green," or
"angel dust," PCP can have devastating effects on your
child. Usually smoked in tobacco, marijuana cigarettes, or sprinkled
on parsley, PCP is sometimes sold on the street as "Super
Pot." It is a drug that can distort reality so drastically for
users that symptoms can closely resemble mental illness. Users can
become violent and destructive towards themselves and others. Death
can ultimately result from overdose or accidents that occur while the
user is under the influence of the drug. Some abusers have drowned in
shallow ponds or burned to death in fires because PCP actually blocked
their ability to feel pain.
• LSD (D-lysergic acid diethylamide)
Also a hallucinogen that distorts reality, LSD is most commonly
known as "acid." It is a liquid that is usually swallowed,
often after having been placed in a sugar cube or blotter paper. Users
can suffer from wide mood swings, and can feel fear, nausea, and other
forms of extreme discomfort. Results can be so severe that complete
emotional breakdown can occur.
• Mescaline
Derived from peyhote, a cactus that grows in the southwestern part
of the United States, mescaline is a mind-altering hallucinogen.
Sometimes called "mesc" or "cactus," mescaline is
usually swallowed directly in thin slices or boiled in water, which is
then drunk. Users go into a remarkable dreamlike state, with
heightened sensations and a feeling of unreality. They run the risk of
suffering emotional breakdowns.
• Barbiturates
Penotobarbital, secobarbitral, and amobarbital -- all classed as
barbiturates -- are drugs which have a general depressant effect on
the central nervous system of the user. They go under a wide variety
of names, such as "barbs," "downers," "yellow
jackets," "red devils," and "blue devils."
Usually swallowed in pill or capsule form, barbiturates calm tensions
and relieve anxiety, so they can quickly lead to dependency. Heavy
doses can impair judgment, cause drowsiness and confusion, and
noticeably slur speech. People with barbiturate dependency should only
attempt withdrawal under a doctor’s care. Withdrawal from
barbiturates can be even more dangerous than withdrawal from heroin.
Overdoses can result in death, and the risk is greatly increased when
barbiturates are taken with alcohol.
• Quaaludes (Methaqualone)
"Ludes," as they are commonly called, produce similar
results in the body as barbiturates. Quaaludes produce drowsiness and
interfere with mental processes and coordination. Overdoses can lead
to unconsciousness, lung and heart failure, and death.
• Heroin
Also called "smack," "junk," or
"horse," heroin is an extremely addictive drug that usually
comes in the form of a white powder that is either injected after
dissolving, or sniffed into the nostrils. The drug affects the central
nervous system, reduces the ability to feel pain, depresses the
respiratory system, and causes drowsiness. Once the user is addicted,
withdrawal is terribly difficult. Heroin overdose can lead to coma or
death.
• Amphetamines
This is the general term used for amphetamine, dextroamphetamine,
and methamphetamine -- stimulants which affect the central nervous
system. They are also called "speed," "uppers,"
"pep pills" and several other names. Amphetamines are
swallowed in pill or capsule form, or injected. Their general effect
is exaggerated activity, irritability, and nervousness. An excessive
amount may even produce symptoms of paranoia. Hallucinations are
common. Some abusers can remain awake continuously for a long as six
days . . . but the "crash" that occurs when the drug wears
off can be devastating. The danger of suicide exists. Overdoses can
result in death.
• Inhalants
Substances that are abused by sniffing fall under the category of
inhalants. These include gasoline, airplane glue, paint thinner, dry
cleaner solutions, and others. The central nervous system is affected
by the chemical fumes from inhalants. A euphoric high can be produced
seconds after sniffing. Abusers can suffer impaired judgment and poor
motor coordination. They can become abusive and violently dangerous to
themselves and others. Since inhalants are so easy to acquire, they
are particularly hard to control. Brain damage, and damage to the
liver, kidneys, and bone marrow are often the result of prolonged
abuse of inhalants. Inhalants may produce irregular heartbeat and
death by arrhythmia. Sometimes death by anoxia, or loss of oxygen, can
occur.
MARIJUANA
Marijuana is the most widely accepted and used illegal drug in
America. It has a long history and has been widely used in the Mideast
since at lest the fifth century A.D. It is the easiest to produce (It
grows in almost every climate) and to process (It does not require any
special equipment). Unfortunately, a lot of inaccurate mythology
contributes to the popularity of marijuana. It is widely believed that
there are no physical side-effects to marijuana, but this is not true.
Marijuana is a $10 billion industry in the United States. Over 18
million people in America smoke marijuana at least once a month, almost
six million use it weekly according to The Facts About Drugs and Alcohol
by Mark S. Gold, M.D. According to Dr. Gold, more marijuana is grown for
consumption in the United States than soybeans, grapes, lettuce, or
tomatoes.
Marijuana is an innocent-looking plant containing a potent active
ingredient called Cannabis sativae L. This substance is found in a resin
taken from the dried, flowering tops, and leaves of the female Indian
hemp plant.
Common names for marijuana include "ganja,"
"hashish," "Mary Jane," and "pot."
Contrary to the widespread mythology about marijuana, it does involve
many harmful side-effects. Studies among military personnel in Europe
showed that soldiers who used pot had considerable lung damage as well
as more frequent cases of acute bronchitis, sinus trouble, and coughs.
MARIJUANA IS DANGEROUS!
There is considerable evidence that marijuana damages the body’s
basic cellular structure. According to Dr. Gabriel Dahas of Columbia
University, pot interferes with the body’s production of genetic
material which weakens the body’s immunity to disease. Dr. Forrest S.
Tennant, Jr., director of the University of California Los Angeles drug
treatment center, believes that there is a definite relationship between
the disruption of the immune system and the development of cancer. Dr.
Louis Sonya of St. Dimas Hospital warns that after the first few
experiences with pot the DNA in the genes is damaged.
Dr. Walter Lehmann of the Vitamin Youth Foundation warns that
breakdown products of marijuana accumulate in the brain tissues and
produce a kind of short circuit in the brain. This kind of damage to the
brain has been confirmed by Dr. Constandinos J. Miras of the University
of Athens in Greece. Bob Greene, national newspaper columnist, made a
related observation when commenting on former Beatle [singer] Paul
McCartney’s being arrested for trying to smuggle marijuana into Japan:
"He has lost all of his talent and judgment, and his mind has
turned to mush. His record albums are Exhibit ‘A’ in the argument
that marijuana will evaporate your soul . . . ."
Robert L. DuPont, former director of the National Institute on Drug
Abuse said, "I get a very sick feeling in the pit of my stomach
when I hear talk about marijuana being safe. Marijuana is a very
powerful agent which is affecting the body in very many ways." In
July, 1978, in Rheims, France, 41 scientists from three nations,
testified that one of marijuana’s many harmful physical side-effects
is genetic damage to unborn children, damage which is often fatal.
Studies of the University of Texas indicate that marijuana usage
reduces the body’s ability to enter slow wave sleep (the deepest
stages). This greatly reduces a person’s ability to rest and refresh
his body physically even though they spend hours asleep every night.
COCAINE -- THE RICH MAN’S DRUG
Cocaine is also a popular and widely accepted drug in America. It is
often the drug of choice among wealthy people in America.
Cocaine-related emergencies rose 167% from 1983 to 1986.
Cocaine-related deaths soared 124% during the same period. An estimated
25 million Americans have tried cocaine.
Cocaine comes from the coca plant (not the plant that produces
chocolate and not from the coconut tree as is sometimes alleged). It is
an alkaloid produced in the leaves of the coca plant. Cocaine was
originally thought to be a harmless drug, and traces of it were even
used in the original version of the soft drink Coca-Cola. (It was
removed by 1906.) As the medical evidence became more available it
became clear that cocaine was associated with serious medical problems.
Cocaine use interferes with three chemicals found in the brain. These
chemicals are called "neurotrasmitters." They act as
messengers or bridges between individual nerve cells. They have a
natural stimulant effect on the brain. They are normally released only
in rare circumstances. Cocaine use causes the brain to be flooded with
these chemicals creating the "rush" the drug-user feels.
Eventually the brain adjusts to the process and begins to
"crave" this stimulation.
HARMFUL SIDE EFFECTS OF COCAINE
This unnatural process can create many harmful side effects. An
extreme heart rate, high blood pressure, an increased breathing rate,
raised body temperature, nausea, and abdominal pain have all been
associated with cocaine use. So have loss of appetite and digestion
problems. However, the most serious problems affect the circulatory and
respiratory systems causing both serious (and possibly fatal) lung and
heart problems.
Since cocaine is often injected by needle, cocaine use is connected
with all the common problems associated with using unsanitary needles.
In fact, unsanitary needle use (for drugs like cocaine, heroin, and
opium) is the second leading cause of the spread of the AIDS virus.
There are several common symptoms of drug use:
• Inflammation of the eyelids and nose is common. The pupils of the
eyes are either very wide or very small, depending on the kind of
drugs internalized.
• The extremes of energy may be represented. Either the individual
is sluggish, gloomy, and withdrawn, or he may be loud, hysterical,
and jumpy.
• The appetite is extreme -- either very great or very poor. Weight
loss may occur.
• The personality suddenly changes; the individual may become
irritable, inattentive, and confused, or aggressive, suspicious, and
explosive.
• Body and breath odor is often bad. Cleanliness is generally
ignored.
• The digestive system may be upset -- diarrhea, nausea, and
vomiting may occur. Headaches and double vision are also common.
Other signs of physical deterioration may include change in skin
tone and body stance.
• Needle marks on the body, usually appearing on the arms, are an
important symptom. These punctures sometimes get infected and appear
as sores and boils.
• Moral values often crumble and are replaced by new, way-out ideas
and values.
(It should be noted that these can be symptoms of other disorders, as
well.)
Unfortunately, in the"anything-goes" attitude of the
Culture War some have recommended legalizing drug use. Some have used
the argument that since drug use is so widespread it might as well be
legalized. Others use the argument that no one can say what is right and
wrong. But any sense of approval from society in general will send an
already epidemic problem soaring to new heights.
If nothing is declared wrong, why are there laws against murder,
robbery, speeding, etc.? As great a menace as drugs already are, the
menace would greatly expand if society granted full approval.
Because of drug-related crime, and public-financed welfare and
treatment programs, everyone pays for the drug menace.
It is interesting to note that the need to hide from reality in
chemical blindness has increased as the Cultural War has increased. The
farther man gets from God, the more his inner needs are left
unsatisfied.
Dr. Phil Stringer is Executive Vice President at
Landmark Baptist College, Haines City, Florida.
