Figure 1.

Figure 1.Drug Categories
Categories & Effects	Specific Drugs	Brand / Street names	Signs and symptoms	Treatment
Cannabinoids: Produce euphoria, exhilaration, altered time sense, and at high doses, hallucinations	Marijuana Hashish	grass, joint, MJ, pot, tea, ganja, sinsemilla, reefer, Acapulco gold, Thai sticks Hash, bhang, rope	Paranoia, dry mouth, tremors, bloodshot eyes, lowered body temperature, ataxia, drowsiness, depression, severe sweating, may become extremely hungry	Addresses acute episodes, temporary psychotic states, toxic reactions; treat with reassurance in a quiet atmosphere.
CNS stimulants: Stimulate the cortex and promote electrical activity in brain and spinal cord; produce alertness, elevate mood, alleviate fatigue.	Amphetamines Benzphetamine Cocaine Crack cocaine Dextroamphetamine	Benzedrine, black beauties, RJS Didrex® Snow, blow, gold dust, flake Crack, rock Dexedrine®, uppers, speed, dexies, oranges, hearts	Rapid pulse, increased respiratory rate, elevated body temperature, grand mal convulsions, suspicious-ness, repetitive touching, picking at objects and parts of the body	Psychotic or delusional patients are hospitalized and placed in a non-threatening atmosphere. Antipsychotics are administered when needed.
CNS depressants: Depress all excitable tissues, particularly those of the CNS, causing slight lethargy, sleepiness, anesthesia.	Alprazolam Chlorodiazepoxide Diazeparn Triazolam Amobarbitol Butabarbital Butalbital Pentobarbital Secobarbital	Xanax® Librium® Valium® Halcion® Amytal® Butisol sodium® Florinal, Sedapap Nembutal® Seconal®	Confusion, reduced CNS, cardiac, and respiratory functioning, anxiety, insomnia, severe panic attack, hyerpyrexia, muscle spasm, death	Decreasing doses of Phenobarbital or benzodiazepines, to ease withdrawal. Long-term treatment, using behavior modification to change lifestyle.
Opiates: Produce drowsiness, mood changes, euphoria.	Heroin Opium Morphine Hydromorphone Codeine Diphenoxylate Propoxyphene Meperidine	Brown, H, horse, junk, skag Black, poppy, tar M, microdots Dilaudick® Codeine Lomotik® Darvon®, pinks & grays Demerol®	Pigmented, clotted veins, skin lesions, abscesses, finger clubbing, constricted pupils, blue lips, pale bode color, pulmonary edema, cardiac arrhythmias, convulsions, swollen lymph glands, and enlarged liver.	For withdrawal symptoms, hospitalize for detoxifica-tion; outpatient programs. Narcotics Anonymous Treatment of chronic pain that caused narcotic abuse.
Hallucinogens: Increase sensory receptor sensitivity, feelings of enhanced mental activity, a sense of novelty concerning usual events and surroundings, inward thinking, and a decreased ability to disassociate oneself from one’s surroundings.	Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) Mescaline Psilocybin MDA (methylene dioxyamphetamine) MDMA (methylenedioxy-methamphetamne) Methamphetamine Methamphet, freebase Methylphenidate	Acid, microdot, cube, Owsleys Catus, mescal, buttons Love drug Adam, ecstasy, X-TC Desoxyn®, speed, crystal, whites Ice Ritalin®	Dilated pupils, flushed face, fine tremors, increased blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, increased body tempera-ture, panic reactions, flashbacks, blurred vision. MDA (methylene dioxyamphetamine) & MDMA (methylene dioxymethamphetamine, which causes body temperatures to excess of 103° F) can cause cardiovascular collapse and severe convulsions.	Patients placed in quiet rooms, reassured symptoms will disappear within hours or days. In cases of toxic reactions, treatment includes medications to calm patients down, treat convulsions and fever, and maintain an airway.
Phencyclidine (PCP) and analogs: An anesthetic for humans and animals. Alters both mood and conscious-ness, distorts hearing, touch, smell, taste and visual sensations.	PCP PCE PCPY TCP	Angel dust, aurora, busy bee, cheap cocaine, crystal cyclone, elephant tranquilizer, rocket fuel, hog, love boat	Disorientation, numbness in extremities; chronic abuse may cause damage to cognitive abilities, memory, and fine motor skills; doses over 10 mg may lead to catatonia and psychosis.	Restrain or calm patients with toxic symptoms or psychosis; generally treated by offering patients a quiet environment where they can’t hurt themselves or others. No antidote to PCP intoxication; treat symptomatically.
Glues, solvents, aerosol sprays: Effects last 15-45 minutes: giddiness, euphoria, lightheaded-ness, decreased inhibitions, illusions, drowsiness, amnesia	Toluene, naphtha, acetate, hexane, xylene, chloroform, ether, gasoline, paint thinner, fluorinated hydrocarbons, freon, bromochloro-difluoromethane	Numerous brand names	Panic reactions, flashbacks, toxic reactions, psychosis and depression, organic brain syndrome.	Symptoms are often transient and disappear without treatment. General supportive care is called for. In severe cases of liver or kidney damages, more intensive treatment is required.
Anabolic-androgenic Steroids: Enhance muscular capacity, reduce body fat in favor of lean mass, increase strength and endurance, and recovery from pain associated with exercises.	Testosterone cypionate Nandrolone Phenpropionate Nandrolone decanoate Fluoxymesterone Methyltestosterone Oxymetholone Stanozolol	Depo®-Testosterone Deca Durabolin® Halotestin® Android®, Metandren®, Testred® Virilon® Anadrok®-50 Winstrok®	Impaired cognition, mood, and behavior, “road rage, cardiovascular problems, hepatic lesions, hepatic tumors, depression, increased risk of tumors, stunted growth, male pattern baldness	Nutritional counseling and consultation with exercise physiologist control severe aggression, hostility, and acute mania. In severe cases, hospitalization, low dose neuroleptics, and/or antidepressant
Prescription drugs: Induce euphoria, a transient feel-ing of the relief of depres-sion; with abuse, one can experience a “high”	Trihexyphenidyl Benztropine Biperiden Procyclidine Ethopropaxine	Artane® Cogentin® Akineton® Kemadrin® Parsidol®	Confusion, agitation, anxiety, abdominal distension, urinary retention, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, light sensitive, blurred vision, rash on face, upper neck	Counseling, change of medications, use of diuretics
Over-the-counter drugs: Relieve minor aches and pains, constipation, and a variety of other ills	Pyrilamine Diphenhydramine Doxylamine Scopolamine Laxatives Weak analgesics	Somines® Miles Nevine® Unisom® Ex-Lax®	Sedative abuse or overuse may cause dry mouth, tremors, double vision, lethargy, weakness& occasionally insomnia. Laxative abuse can cause respiratory and cardiac problems	Treatment focuses on symptoms