A Dangerous Time to Be on Drugs

Today, more than ever, is a dangerous time to be addicted to drugs. Not only are there more drugs than ever before, but the purity, potency and even the chemical makeup of the drugs can very widely, thereby greatly increasing the possibility of drug overdoses or other severely bad reactions.

A couple of generations ago there were really only a dozen street drugs generally available and their strength and effects were fairly well known by drug users. Times have now changed though, with a multitude of synthetic drugs being made month to month, with new pharmaceutical drugs escaping from a controlled medical environment onto the street, and with many drugs being adulterated with dangerous chemicals or other drugs. All of this means that the drug user is often playing a game of Russian Roulette, never knowing when the hammer is going to fall on a loaded chamber.

There are now literally hundreds of different forms of non-prescription, synthetic drugs on the market. Not all of them are even illegal because the drug manufacturers keep changing the chemical components of the substances to stay ahead of the legislation which attempts to outlaw these drugs. These ‘legal highs’ though, are just as dangerous as many of the illegal drugs out there and sometimes more so.

Many formulas out there don’t even have names but are just known by their research numbers such as 251-NBOMe, or HU-210. Synthetic cannabis for example just in 2013 was found to have 29 new different forms! This is out of the 81 total new synthetic drugs or forms of drugs found in the UK alone. When the chemical composition of what the user smokes, injects or eats varies widely, it can often occur that the effects of those drugs are equally unpredictable. There are records of these and other synthetic drugs causing psychotic breaks, suicides and even homicides.

But it is not only synthetic drugs which can have unknown effects. Today it is very common for more “traditional” street drugs, such as heroin, to be laced with other substances. For example, the prescription drug, Fenytal, many times stronger than heroin, is sometimes added to strengthen the high which the junkie gets from his heroin hit. That added boost can easily cause an overdose.

This is why now, more than ever, it is a dangerous time to be buying drugs and using drugs.

If you know of a friend or loved one who is abusing drugs, don’t wait. Contact Narconon so that we can work together to get that person into a programme to free him from drug abuse and its attendant risks.

For more help on educating someone you know 
against these legal highs or getting help 
for someone who is already addicted, call us on

00800 808 5749

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Cocaine and Crack Cocaine

Cocaine is extracted from coca leaves and was originally developed as a painkiller.   Cocaine is known as one of the most dangerous drugs out there because once you have taken it, it has proven extremely difficult to get out of its physical and mental grip.

It has many names, a couple of common ones are coke or nose candy.  It is also commonly known as dice or jelly beans, and there are many, many other names. 

When it is in powder form it is known as cocaine and when in crystal form it is known as crack cocaine.

Crack cocaine comes in blocks or crystals and varies between yellow, pale pink and white. It is heated and smoked and gets its name from the cracking sound it makes as it is heated. Crack cocaine is usually 75% to 100% pure which is drastically stronger than normal cocaine, because of this, and the fact it is smoked, it is a lot more potent. Smoking it allows the drug to reach the brain faster and therefore bring about a more intense, though shorter, high. For this reason, people often get hooked after only one try.

The physical and mental effects of coke and crack cocaine are the same, however in crack they can be stronger or more immediate.

Some of the short-term effects are bizarre, erratic, violent behaviour, hallucinations, mood alteration, including euphoria and paranoia, depression, panic, convulsions, increased heart rate, disturbed sleep and the list goes on.

In the long term it is just as bad, effects can include high blood pressure, heart problems, stroke, liver, kidney and lung damage, respiratory failure, sexual dysfunction, hallucinations, disorientation, exhaustion, psychosis or death.

If you need any more information about the 
true effects of other drugs or help with someone you know addicted to cocaine or crack, then 

please call us on 00800 802 1375

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Alcohol Really Is a Drug

 Alcohol is legal and it is a big part of most people’s social life, especially here in the UK where being able to “hold your drink” is considered a good thing. Most weekends don’t go by without at least one big night out. For that reason, it is not always thought of as “that bad” or “really a drug.”

Alcohol, though, is a drug, and it is important to realise that, and understand the facts so that you can then limit your drinking to a responsible level and not end up trapped in dependency.

Alcohol is classed as a depressant. Meaning that it slows down vital functions. That is why when you drink a lot you can end up with slurred speech, unsteady movement, disturbed perceptions and a slow reaction time. Mentally it also impairs your ability to think rationally and make good judgements.

The amount of alcohol that you drink determines the reaction that you will get, one beer or a glass of wine will not usually have a depressing effect but will stimulate you. The next level is the depressant affect. If even more is consumed, then you get into dangerous health areas such as vomiting, unconsciousness, coma or even death.

Statistically more than 9 million people in England drink over the recommended daily limits. In fact, in the UK in 2014 there were 8,697 alcohol-related deaths! Alcohol makes up 10% of the UK’s problems of disease and death, and is one of the three biggest lifestyle risks we have, along with smoking and obesity. 

For that reason, it is very important to understand fully that alcohol is a drug and how it effects the body.

Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream via small blood vessels in the walls of the stomach and small intestine. Within minutes of drinking alcohol, it travels from the stomach to the brain where it quickly starts to slow the actions of the nerve cells.

Alcohol is also carried by the blood stream to the liver. The liver’s job is to remove the alcohol from the body, by converting it into a non-toxic substance by metabolizing it. The problem is the liver can only metabolize so much at a time. Which means when you consume a high amount, a lot of alcohol is left circulating in the blood stream. This specifically is why the quantity of alcohol you drink in a certain period of time directly effects your reaction to it.

When the amount of alcohol in your blood exceeds a certain amount, the depressing effects start to take their toll and the breathing system slows right down, meaning not much oxygen is reaching the brain which is what can lead to coma or death.

Some of the short term and more well-known effects of alcohol are slurred speech, drowsiness, vomiting, headaches, distorted vision and unconsciousness but there are other more drastic short term effects such as breathing difficulties, anaemia, blackouts and coma.

When you continue to binge drink over a longer period of time, there are other much longer term effects. Alcohol poisoning, high blood pressure, stroke, heart problems, liver disease, nerve damage, sexual problems, brain damage, ulcers and even cancer of the throat.

Other ways alcohol can affect your life is through accidents, or work and relationship losses. While consuming a large amount of alcohol you are more at risk to accidents and injuries whether intentional or not. Such things as car accidents, drowning, falls and burns are not uncommon. It can affect your productivity at work, cause you to make mistakes or even cause on the job injuries. Lastly is the effect on your family life. As you become more and more dependent, relationships will start to fall further and further away.

Think before you drink and if you feel you don’t have the ability to stop drinking, get help. 

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If you or someone you know needs help with alcohol dependence, then call Narconon today 

00800 802 1375

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After Narconon New Life Detox

“I feel very positive about living again.”

Early on in the Narconon line-up is the New Life Detox component: a combination of exercise, sauna, a healthy dietary intake and a specific nutritional supplement regime.

We are all exposed to toxins on a daily basis, but for those who have become addicted to drugs or alcohol, the toxicity level can be significantly greater. In many cases, students report that the results are not just physical. The advantages in mental and emotional health are also evident, as described here by one Narconon student:

“The New Life Detoxification has been a big step forward for me because now I feel like a different person and I feel very positive about living again. I feel I have great control in everything I will do now. This has made me a very happy person overall. Thanks for everyone’s help in getting me through—it has been great.” K.S.

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A New Lease of Life and a Future 

That Seems Brighter and Clearer Than Ever 

Narconon’s New Life Detox aims to free the person from toxins that may be hindering their

physical and mental progress towards a drug-free life. It is a carefully designed programme to help re-establish their nutritional status, clean up their body and prepare them for the ensuing courses to increase their mental and emotional well-being. A student shares her story here:

"When I came to Narconon my life was on the road to ruin. Drugs overtook my zest for ambition and had set up my happiness for a disastrous fall—as I was finding out quite rapidly. When I reached my lowest ebb I didn't know who to turn to and I felt trapped. Narconon was a glimmer of hope in my otherwise vanquished life. Speaking to a Narconon representative for the first time was the first step to my life repair.

I am now in the latter stages of my sauna program on the New Life Detoxification and feel closer to my goal for a drug-free life than ever. I exercise, eat healthily, take vitamins and ensure every day that my problems are dealt with properly with help of the supportive staff at Narconon.

Not only do I have a new lease of life, but my outlook for the future seems brighter and clearer than ever. 

I will always remember and cherish Narconon for the help given me."

Call us today on 00800 802 1375

Visit Narconon United Kingdom's website

New Life Detoxification positive change