#8. What are Party Drugs?
Party drugs are basically composed of controlled substances which have been listed in the control schedules maintained by the Drug Enforcement Agency. They are commonly used at social gatherings and parties where young people meet. Party drugs include those which contain substances such as amyl nitrate, ketamine hydrochloride, MDMA and methamphetamine amongst many others. Most drugs such as hardware, aroma of man, Ketalar, vitamin K, special K, butyle nitrate, locker room, methylenedioxy methamphetamine, poppers, crystal, crystal meth, bennies, ecstasy, clarity, XTC, rush, speed, desoxyn, and crank consist of the chemical substances mentioned above.
The users of these drugs generally get feelings of empathy and pleasure together with increased levels of energy. A large number of individuals who take these drugs tend to become completely disconnected from the surrounding physical environment. This allows them to continue dancing or stay up continually for many hours without getting the feeling of tiredness and fatigue. In fact, party drug users often become highly careless. They lose their sense of time and surroundings, have impaired judgement, lack reaction to any sign of danger and lose all their inhibitions. The reason behind this psychological behaviour is that party drugs cause stress in the respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous system.
Amyl nitrate is an ingredient which is commonly used in many party drugs. It was basically developed for the treatment of angina since it has a direct affect on your overall cardiovascular system and heart health. Poppers, which happen to be the drugs containing this ingredient in the largest amounts, are among the most basic forms of this chemical. When crushed, or “popped”, such a drug releases vapours that permeate into your blood vessels and increase the pulse rate while lowering blood pressure levels. It also helps to relax your body and muscles, and due to these properties, it is often used before sexual intercourse. It is often available as a room odorizer in small brown coloured bottles in many smoke shops.
Ketamine is another chemical compound that has been listed in the scheduled list of party drugs. It was developed for use by both animals and human beings, and is often referred to as cat Valium amongst users. It is also used widely as a type of tranquilizer to sedate animals and children before a minor medical surgery or procedure. It works in the same way as the nitrous oxide - which is also referred to as laughing gas - on your cardiovascular system. In large doses it can cause a deeply detached and dreamy feeling amongst users. Users often find difficulty in trying to talk or move properly, and it also depresses the respiratory system. If used with alcohol, it can have a deadly effect.