What are the 4 main categories of new psychoactive substances NPS?
One pragmatic classification system is to divide NPS into one of four groups: synthetic stimulants, synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic hallucinogens and synthetic depressants (which include synthetic opioids and benzodiazepines).
What are examples of psychoactive substances?
Examples of psychoactive substances include alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, marijuana, and certain pain medicines. Many illegal drugs, such as heroin, LSD, cocaine, and amphetamines are also psychoactive substances.
What are psychoactive side effects?
Some of the dangers of psychoactive drugs include:
- Short-term physical effects include higher blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, problems with sleeping and eating, nausea and vomiting, shakiness, or dizziness.
- Long-term effects such as cardiovascular illness, respiratory difficulties, kidney or liver damage.
What is psychoactive substance use?
Overview. Psychoactive drugs are substances that, when taken in or administered into one’s system, affect mental processes, e.g. perception, consciousness, cognition or mood and emotions. Psychoactive drugs belong to a broader category of psychoactive substances that include also alcohol and nicotine.
What is Chemsex and why does it matter?
“Chemsex” is used in the United Kingdom to describe intentional sex under the influence of psychoactive drugs, mostly among men who have sex with men. It refers particularly to the use of mephedrone, γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), γ-butyrolactone (GBL), and crystallised methamphetamine.
What is the most commonly used psychoactive substance?
Caffeine
Abstract. Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world. In Western society, at least 80 per cent of the adult population consumes caffeine in amounts large enough to have an effect on the brain.
What are the 7 psychoactive drugs?
Hallucinogens.
What are the six types of psychoactive drugs?
Groups of psychoactive drugs include stimulants, depressants, narcotics (opioids), hallucinogens, and marijuana (cannabis).
How psychoactive drugs affect the brain?
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit messages across a synapse. Psychoactive drugs alter brain functions and act on the brain by altering the neurotransmitter availability at the synapse or by interacting with the neurotransmitter receptor itself.
What does PNP mean?
The abbreviation PNP is typically used on dating sites and in adult chat rooms with the meaning “Party And Play” (or “Party ‘n’ Play”). In this context, PNP refers to having sex while high on drugs (i.e., sex and drugs, without the rock ‘n’ roll). The drug typically used in PNP is crystal meth.
Is mephedrone legal in UK?
A ban on synthetic stimulant mephedrone has come into force across the UK. The party drug will be classified as a Class B substance with effect from April 16, following the completion of the formal parliamentary process. From that date onwards anyone found in possession of mephedrone could face five years in prison.
What are the big 3 drugs?
Data from surveys of arrestees and the household population in the U.S. suggest there is only modest overlap among demand for the big three expensive illegal drugs (cocaine/crack, heroin, and methamphetamine).