Medicines and Drugs 1

OPTION D MEDICINES andDRUGSD10: Mind Altering Drugs

Medicines and Drugs 2

What are mind altering drugs?

= hallucinogens

= psychedelic

Perceptions or feelings without ext. cause Illusions - fantasies Distorted senses

Medicines and Drugs 3

Examples of mind altering drugs?

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) Mescaline (peyote cactus) Psilocybin (magic mushrooms) THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)

Medicines and Drugs 4

LSD

Made from a fungus growing on rye Effect depends on condition Magnified perception No sense of judgement No physical addiction Low psychological dependence 8-hour trips Possible “flash-backs”

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Mescaline

Based on phenylethylamine Found in peyote cactus (Central/South America)

Used for centuries by tribes Less potent than LSD Visual color hallucinations Used by painters (Picasso) and writers

(Huxley)

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Psilocybin

Mild hallucinogen Found in “magic mushrooms” Used by Indians for centuries 4-hour trips Less potent than LSD Visual color hallucinations Sense of well-being Not addictive

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THC

Mild hallucinogen Found in cannabis Feeling happy and silly Changes perception – lowers reflexes Moderate psychological dependence Similar risks to smoking Possible long-term memory deterioration Possible medical uses

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serotonin

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Legalization of cannabis

• FOR • AGAINST