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Pharmaceuticals

ceryc

Bluelighter
Joined
Sep 18, 2001
Messages
2,721
Introduction

This FAQ will deal with commonly used pharmaceuticals. This focuses on the recreational use of these drugs; for the intended medical use please consult your doctor. This is by no means an all inclusive list, nor is does this FAQ guarantee the safety of these drugs. Remember, possession and distribution of controlled substances without a prescription, or using them in a manner not consistent with the prescription, is a crime. This FAQ will NOT cover how to obtain prescription drugs, how to lie to doctors, how to use online pharmacies, or in general how to break the law.

The first part of this FAQ will deal with general topics of pharmaceuticals, such as legality, classes, and comparisons to illegal drugs. After that we will begin an in depth look at each type, the pharmacology and effects.
 
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Overview of Pharmaceuticals

The US and UK legal system defines drugs by a scheduling category of I-V, schedule II having the highest rate of abuse potential with the highest level of controls, schedule 5 having the lowest abuse potential and the least controls. This FAQ will deal primarily with Schedule II-IV. Schedule I is not included, as those drugs by definition have no medical use and cannot be prescribed. The UK also uses drug classes, to determine the level of penalty attached to possession/distribution. Class A having the highest punishment, C the lowest.

The three major classes of abused prescription drugs fall into the categories of amphetamines, opiates, and benzodiazepines . Each class will be discussed in more detail below.


While prescription drugs have many advantages over “street” drugs, such as known strength and purity, they do have many the same risks as common illegal ones. Most listed here are addictive in one way or another. Many nice people who would never consider themselves a drug user find this out when they attempt to come off prescription benzos or pain killers. Unlike some street drugs such as cocaine and heroin, withdrawal from some prescription drugs can kill you (barbiturates and benzos most notably). Many pharmaceuticals have other drugs beside the recreational one attached to it. APAP (Tylenol) is commonly mixed with many, causing problems when trying to take a larger recreational dose. Below is a method that works to remove most of the apap from some drugs. Besides other drugs, certain chemicals are added to almost all Rx drugs as binders and fillers. The presence of these chemicals makes any type of injecting dangerous.
 
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Amphetamines

Desoxyn: The big gun here, legal, prescribed methamphetamine, and the same thing you buy on the street but pharmaceutical grade in pill from. This is Schedule II, and very rarely prescribed for obesity and ADD. Good luck trying to find this; doctors are under strict scrutiny and are very unwilling to prescribe this drug. Desoxyn comes in 5mg pills.

Dexedrine: D-amphetamine, Schedule II, it is also sold as dexestrat. Also prescribed for obesity, narcolepsy, and ADHD, this drug is more commonly seen than Desoxyn. Dexedrine comes in 5, 10, and 20mg tablets and spanules

Adderal: An equal mixture of four different amphetamine salts. Adderal is Schedule II, prescribed for the same conditions as the other amphetamines. Adderal comes in 5, 10, 20, and 30mg pills. Also available in extended release formula (Adderal XR)

Ritalin: The little cousin of the stimulant world, Methylphenidate hcl is still a Schedule II drug commonly prescribed to children for ADD. Unlike the previous drugs, Ritalin is not an amphetamine exactly, though it shares the common amphetamine skeleton. It is available in 5, 10, and 20mg instant release pills, as well as a 20mg extended release form.

Action of Amphetamines

These drugs act as potent agonists of primarily the Norepinephrine (NE) system and also at the dopamine system. Specifically, amphetamines are taken into the receptors via the reuptake pump, stimulating the release of NE and DA. The massive NE release provides a sense of alertness and stimulation, while the DA release causes euphoria. The d salt is mostly a dopamine releaser (1) while the l salt acts more heavily on the NE system. Ritalin acts primarily the same as Dexedrine, but is less potent and longer lasting. Methamphetamine acts the same as amphetamines, except that the addition of the methyl group allows greater lipid solubility that allows greater penetration into the brain. The addition of the methyl also lowers potency and duration.

Effects of Amphetamine drugs

The primary effects of this class of drugs are: stimulation, increased alertness, euphoria, decreased appetite. People feel talkative, focused, and energetic. An increase in concentration is often felt. Amphetamines cause a rise in heart rate, blood pressure. Pupils dilate. If abused heavily (or if there is a pre-existing condition) amphetamines can cause irregular heartbeat, stroke, seizure, and death. Use of amphetamines can lead to dependency and addiction.

Contradictions

Do not take any of these stimulants if you have:
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Glaucoma
Hyperthyroidism
Do not take an amphetamine if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking a monoamine oxide inhibitor (MAOI). Taking amphetamines with over the counter decongestants can cause a dangerous rise in blood pressure
 
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Opiates

These are the natural derivatives of the opium poppy.

Morphine: The most effective pain killer known, it is a schedule II narcotic. Morphine sulphate is available under several brand names, most notably MSIR (instant release) and MScontin (sustained release). The drug comes in 15, 30, 60, and 100mg doses. The vast majority of morphine (around 90% ) is lost on the first pass through the liver, making morphine very inefficient orally. While Morphine sulphate is able to be injected, ampules of it are rarely seen on the streets.

Codeine: Another major component of opium, codeine is much weaker than morphine. Pure codeine is a Schedule II drug, but depending on the concentration it can be Schedule III or IV. It is often prescribed for moderate pain relief and as a cough suppressant. Codeine is metabolised into morphine in the liver. Codeine is seen in any number of drugs around the world, usually in combination with apap, ibuprofen, and caffeine. As most of the codeine is absorbed in the GI tract, and survives the first pass in the liver, other methods of ingestion besides oral are not really useful. DO NOT ATTEPMT TO IV CODEINE! Doing so can cause serious life threatening conditions, such as pulmonary edema. Codeine is normally found combined as Tylenol 1, 2, 3, 4 (7.5, 15, 30, 60mg codeine w/ 300mg apap respectively). Codeine is also found in cough syrups, but due to the low concentration it is not considered usable recreationally.

Opiods

These are the synthetic or semi-synthetic derivatives of opiates.

Oxymorphone: Numorphan, rarely seen but often asked after, this is considered by those lucky enough to try it to be the most euphoric of all. It is a Schedule II drug with approximately 10 times the pain killing ability of morphine. This powerful drug is one of the hardest to find. It is available in 5mg suppositories, and ampules of 1 or 1.5mg/ml

Hydromorphone: Dilaudid, a pain killer of the same approx strength as morphine, it is strangely noted for its lack of euphoria. Hydromorphone is available in pill form of 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 10mg, and ampules of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 10mg/ml. There is also a 3mg suppository form. Many find this drug to have no recreational value, with one exception. Administered IV, Dilaudid is said to have a rush comparable to heroin. This rush is said to be very short lived and after it is done many find the effects to be boring. Injection is not advised unless you are dealing with a sealed ampule. Injection of pills is not advised and can be dangerous to your health.

Fentanyl: Sublimaze is a potent opiod. This Schedule II drug’s active dose is measured in micrograms vice milligrams. It is available as Duragesic patches in 25, 50, 75, and 100 mcg/hr, and as a “lollypop” in 200, 400, 800, 1200, and 1600 mcg. Fentanyl can be administered IV, but this drug is very dose sensitive. I am not going to suggest a dosage for this, if you chose to IV this drug please research it fully. An overdose is very easy to reach on Fentanyl.

Oxycodone: A Schedule II drug, Oxycodone is available in many different forms. When combined with aspirin it is called Percodan (5mg oxycodone/325mg aspirin). When combined with Tylenol, it is Percocet (5mg oxycodone/500mg apap). Neither of these two types is considered to be the most recreational, due to the low concentration of oxycodone compared to the apap/aspirin. Other brand names for such mixtures include Roxicet, Tylox, Roxilox, and many others.

Oxycodone is also available alone, either as a time release (Oxycontin) or instant release (OxyIR) pill. There is also OxyFast, a 20mg/ml solution of oxycodone. Oxycontin is available in 10, 20, 40, and 80mg pills. OxyIR comes in 5mg. Other names include Percolone, and Roxicodone. Oxycodone is a highly abused drug, esp. in the form of Oxycontin.

Hydrocodone: A Schedule II drug in the US, hydrocodone is reduced to Schedule III when less than 15mg/pill. This lower scheduling makes hydrocodone a much more commonly prescribed drug than oxycodone. Commonly combined with apap under the brand names Lortab or Vicodin, it can also be combined with aspirin (Lortab ASA) or ibuprofen (Vicoprofen). Common doses are 5/500, 7.5/750, or 10/660 mg (hydrocodone/apap respectively).

Methadone: Sold under the names Dolophine, methadone is available in 5 or 10, and 40mg tablets, and in form for injection in 10mg/ml concentration. While it is prescribed for pain, methadone is famous for its use as treatment for opiate addiction. This is because methadone produces little to no high, but is effective in reducing withdrawal symptoms. Methadone is schedule II.

Demerol: Meperidine, a Schedule II narcotic, is prescribed for short term pain relief. It should not be use long term, either medically or recreationally, due to the build up of the toxic metabolite normeperdine in the body. Demoral is different from the other listed opiate, in that it does not share the opiate structure yet still acts on the same type of receptors. It is sold in 50 and 100mg pills, and is available in vials for IV use.

Action of Opiates

The action of Opiates is still much of a mystery. That said there have been three types of opiate receptors identified within the CNS: Mu, Kappa, and Delta. As is currently thought (and well supported by lab experiments) these drugs bond to these receptors. The difference in effects is modulated by a number of variables: the amount of receptors bonded to, the speed in which the drug crosses the blood brain barrier, the types of receptor bonded to (the Mu receptor is thought to be responsible for the euphoria and analgesia). Opiates also act upon the Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine systems, but in a far lesser way.

Opiates, upon entering the brain, bond to the listed receptors, where they mimic the body’s natural pain killer, endorphin. The drug activates receptors in different areas of the brain, depending on the ability of the drug to penetrate into the brain, producing different effects.

Effects of Opiates

Opiates cause, in varying degrees: euphoria, respiratory depression, analgesia, constipation, light-headedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea and vomiting. Opiate use causes the contraction of the pupils. Opiate use can lead to dependency and addiction. Overdose can lead to respiratory failure and death.

Contradictions

Use of opiates is generally contradicted in persons with:
Depressed respiration
Urethral stricture
Acute head injury
Severe impairment of hepatic or renal function
Hypothyroidism
Addison's disease
 
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Benzodiazepines

Common brands include: Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, Ativan, Halcion, and Restoril. These drugs all act very similar and their effects (with the exception of duration) are close to each other.

Action of Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines act as allosteric modulators of GABA-A receptors. This increases the conductance through ion chambers, leading to an increase in inhibitory neurotransmission. Simply put, the tranquilization effects of benzos are from the drug increasing the “off” signal to activated neurons.

Effects of Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines cause a sense of relaxation, tranquillity, loss of inhibitions, and sedation. Some may cause memory loss of events while under the influence.

For a good comparison of several types of benzos, look here.
 
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