Oxycodone, Nicotine, and Ecstasy

Oxycodone, Nicotine, and Ecstasy

Drugs and Alcohol in the Criminal Justice System – CJ411-01

Oxycodone, Nicotine, and Ecstasy

We have all heard that there are different classifications of drugs, but do we really understand what that means? Some make you feel relaxed, take away your pain, and put you in a deep sleep. Some give you energy and help you focus. Some take you on a trip to an alternate reality and make you feel outstanding while you are flying high. To better understand the classifications of depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens, we will assess oxycodone, nicotine, and ecstasy.

Oxycodone, a depressant and a Schedule II narcotic, is a highly addictive and widely abused prescription pain killer. As a more potent semisynthetic derivative of codeine, it acts as a narcotic analgesic and was approved for the short-term management of pain in April 2016. (drugbank.ca, 2005) It is manufactured by modifying the chemical thebaine which is an organic chemical found in opium that is also an active ingredient in a few other prescription pain killers (such as Percocet, Percodan, and Tylox.) Oxycontin, which is the most recognized and abused form of Oxycodone, is almost identical to it and shares many of its same properties, yet it is not the same because it is time released and can offer sufferers of arthritis and cancer up to 12 hours of relief at a time.

This drug can be taken intramuscularly, intravenously, subcutaneously, rectally, and by swallowing a pill or tablet but should not be prescribed for extended periods of time because of how habit-forming it is. It is so easy to overdose on this drug (especially Oxycontin) because users abuse it in ways that it was never intended for such as crushing pills into fine powder and snorting it, chewing it, or crushing/dissolving the tablets in water before injecting the solution into their body. Other users mix oxy variations with alcohol to experience an even greater high, which can be a fatal combination. (cesar.umd.edu, 2013) Building up a tolerance happens fairly quickly with this drug because when it is introduced to the body, it triggers several chemical reactions that are foreign and unfamiliar. In time, the body requires more and more of the substance to give the user the same desired feeling. (blackbearrehab.com, 2014) If the user suddenly stops taking this medication, they will experience withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, watering eyes, runny nose, nausea, sweating, and muscle aches. (webmd.com, 2018)

Nicotine is a nitrogen-containing chemical that can be found in several plants, but mainly the tobacco plant which is grown for its leaves. The leaves of this plant are dried and fermented before being put in tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, hookah, chewing tobacco, and dip. Nicotine isn’t harmful in its natural state, but it becomes harmful and addictive when it is synthesized with chemicals and additives during the process of making marketable products. A researcher from Duke University named Cabell Smith stated that nicotine is medically valuable (in its natural form) because it “has a lot of therapeutic uses. There’s growing evidence that it may be useful in treating Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s – their level of concentration, their ability to focus. Those of us who are caffeine users understand that. Fortunately, coffee hasn’t been shown to be a negative or harmful delivery system.” (Smith, 2001)

Nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream quickly and immediately begins to stimulate the adrenal glands to release a hormone called epinephrine which makes adrenaline. Once the epinephrine is released, the central nervous system is stimulated which causes a rise in blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate. Additionally, the brain releases dopamine, which is associated with pleasure and reward. (drugabuse.gov, 2016)

Using tobacco products that have been synthesized with all of the chemicals and additives can lead to cataracts, mouth, throat, and lung cancer, leukemia, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. It also greatly increases the likelihood of heart disease, which can cause strokes and/or heart attacks. Women are advised to never smoke cigarettes or use any other type of tobacco products while pregnant because it can lead to “miscarriage, stillborn or premature infants, or infants with low birth weight.” It can also cause the developing baby to have learning and behavioral problems later in life. (drugabuse.gov, 2016)

Withdrawal from nicotine is different for every person, but some of the side effects might include depressive feelings, anxiety, irritability, mental fogginess, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, weight gain, and increased appetite. Withdrawing from nicotine is incredibly difficult for long-term users, but the good news is that it’s not dangerous. Cravings for the substance typically last less than 20 minutes. (smokefree.gov, 2017)

Methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA,) also known as “E,” Ecstasy, “X,” or Molly, is an extremely addictive, synthetically-developed “party drug” that made its debut in 1912 when scientists at Merck pharmaceutical company created it in their lab. Ecstasy is generally consumed in capsule or tablet form but can be snorted or injected if it comes in liquid or powder form. The purest form of MDMA in crystalline powder form is nicknamed “Molly” but it is far easier to access cathinones, which are also called “bath salts” and give the user similar effects.

Quite interestingly, due to its ability to lower the user’s inhibitions and induce hallucination, MDMA was briefly used for psychological warfare tests by the US Army in 1953, but then disappeared until the 1960s. During the 1960s, many psychotherapists believed that this drug was medically valuable because many patients that were under its influence could divulge their most private and personal information to them thus making clinical progress occur. (drugfreeworld.org, 2007) This theory was quickly discredited, removed from clinical practice, and determined to have no medical value. From the mid-1970s until 1985, ecstasy reigned king of the party drugs until it was banned by the government due to safety concerns.

Consuming this substance increases Dopamine and Serotonin production in the user’s brain which elevates the user’s mood, heightens their sexual arousal, increases feelings of emotional closeness, dulls their awareness, and alters their perception. Norepinephrine production increases in the user’s brain as well and this causes the user’s heart rate and blood pressure to elevate to sometimes dangerous levels. Chemically, it is comparable to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline because it “increases energy, pleasure, emotional warmth, and distorted sensory and time perception.” (drugabuse.gov, 2018) Using this drug by itself is harmful to the user’s body because it interferes with the ability to regulate temperature, makes muscle tense, causes involuntary teeth clenching, and induces nausea, blurred vision, and faintness. Some users either experience chills or sweating. This substance is often used in conjunction with other substances such as marijuana or alcohol which further intensify the user’s confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, and severe anxiety (for up to a week) as the user withdraws after a single recreational use. (Anderson, 2018) The euphoric high and happiness the user feels shortly after consumption makes it highly likely that they will become chemically dependent with prolonged use. Like all good things, however, use of the drug comes at a high cost; the “feel good” chemicals in the user’s brain that were previously mentioned begin to deplete and they cannot achieve positive emotions naturally. (addictioncenter.com, 2016)

Teens and individuals who enjoy the party scene think that they are invincible when it comes to drug use and smoking tobacco products, but sadly they are not. Opiate addiction is a real threat, throat cancer does happen, and your body could lose its ability to regulate its core temperature. If that doesn’t pose enough of a threat, you could easily overdose if your body rejected a foreign substance or there was a strong chemical reaction with something else in your system. In addition to the physical repercussion, there is also the legal repercussion to consider if they are caught using. Essentially, each user must decide if it is worth it to take a gamble on their health and their life just to enjoy a brief high.