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Alcohol Nicotine Marijuana Opiates Benzodiazepines Stimulants Inhalants Hallucinogens & Designer Drugs
Hallucinogens and Designer Drugs
Drug Type Acute Effects Medical Complications
Ketamine Dissociativeanaesthetic Sedation, delirium, hallucinations Respiratory depression,dysrhythmias, seizures
Ecstasy Serotonergiceffects Feelings of warmth, empathy Dehydration (common at "raves"); hyperthermia
Phencyclidine Dissociativeanaesthetic Delirium, delusions, hallucinations,  sedation Seizures, hyperpyrexia, hypertension, coma,rhabdomyolysis, violence
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate
(GHB)
GABA effects (neuroinhibitory) Sedation, disinhibition, delirium Prolonged, severe withdrawal in daily users: tremor, psychosis, delirium, seizures

Drug Chronic Effects Fetal Effects
Ketamine Unknown Possible neuro-developmental damage*
Ecstasy Long-term memory impairment Possible cardiac, skeletal abnormalities
Phencyclidine Memory impairment, depression Possible neuro-developmental damage*
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate
(GHB)
Coma, respiratory depression Possible neuro-developmental damage*

*Animal studies have found that intoxicating doses of NMDA antagonists and GABAmimeticdrugs cause apoptotic
neuronal cell death in developing brains. These drugs include alcohol,ketamine, phencyclidine, benzodiazepines,
barbiturates and anticonvulsants.
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Site last edited: June 2010
The Lawson Foundation