Frequently Asked Questions

Do you employ safety-sensitive workers that must have DOT drug and alcohol tests, such as those who manage drivers or railroad workers? Do you manage a DOT drug or alcohol testing program? If the answer is yes to either of these questions, then it is likely that your managers or supervisors will require reasonable suspicion training [1].

What is Reasonable Suspicion Training?

Reasonable suspicion training, or reasonable cause training, helps a person understand the symptoms of drug and alcohol use. If a company employee in a managerial position suspects an employee is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the supervisor must have been previously trained to detect the signs of drug use to order a DOT exam [2].

What are the Requirements for Drug Testing an Employee Once a Supervisor Has Become Suspicious?

Part of the reasonable suspicion training will include not only noticing the signs of drug use, but also how a manager must approach conducting a test for drugs or alcohol.  That process will look something like this:

• A trained supervisor (or company official) suspects an employee is on drugs or intoxicated by noting appearance, behavior, speech, or smell indicative of drug or alcohol use.
• The trained supervisor must then consult another trained supervisor or company official for collaboration. This second company official does not need to be on-site; however, at least one of the DOT-trained supervisors must be on the premises with the employee.
• Then, and only then, can the supervisor that is present at the situation document his or her observations and make the decision to drug or alcohol test an employee.

Why Do My Supervisors Need Reasonable Suspicion Training?

In short, a company is required to test an employee if the manager observes signs that the employee is under the influence [3]. If the training has not been conducted, an otherwise competent supervisor may make mistakes that the company would then be liable for. Some of those mistakes include:

• Failing to properly notice that a person may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. [4]
• Incorrectly making the call to drug test an employee based on a complaint from another person or an email or phone tip from a source that is not a trained supervisor.
• Failing to document the process that leads the supervisor to their conclusion that the employee may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Incorrectly identifying the correct and specific observations a supervisor (or company official) MUST make before recommending a drug test be done.
• Failing to consult a secondary company official.

FMCSA 49 CFR Part 382.603 makes it clear that the legal requirement is 60 minutes of both drug and alcohol misuse training [5] to be considered trained for reasonable suspicion. Because the time commitment is so minor, there is not a reason not to get your supervisors trained as soon as possible.

Methamphetamine is a Dangerous Drug

Also called crystal methamphetamine, or simply crystal meth, methamphetamine is a fairly recent discovery in the world of illegal recreational drugs. As a DEA Schedule II drug, it is recognized that methamphetamine has medical uses, but it also carries a very high risk of abuse and addiction. In this overview, we will discuss the historical background of methamphetamine and where it came from, as well as other details about the drug, its most common street names, side effects associated with it, and what users feel when they abuse it.

The Historical Background of Methamphetamine

While amphetamine was first synthesized in the late 19^th century, it was not until 1919 that crystal methamphetamine was first created in Japan. Because of its crystalline structure, methamphetamine was soluble in water, making it an ideal drug for injection.

Methamphetamine use gained popularity, and both the Axis and Allies prescribed it to their troops to keep them awake and alert on the battlefield. The Japanese were especially known for giving it to their Kamikaze pilots, but after the war they made it available to the general public in their country, as well.

After World War II, while Japan was experiencing an epidemic of methamphetamine abuse by injection, in the United States, methamphetamine was prescribed as a weight loss aid. Likewise, college students were using it to stay awake to study, and it gained popularity with athletes and long-haul truck drivers, too.

It was not until the 1970s that methamphetamine use became illegal for almost all purposes. Since then, however, thanks to outlaw motorcycle clubs in the US and Mexican drug cartels, there are now massive labs cooking methamphetamine and distributing it across the US on a daily basis.

Details – What Is Methamphetamine?

When encountered on the street, methamphetamine is usually found as a white crystalline powder that has no odor but has a bitter taste. Users may get high by snorting, smoking, or injecting it. While injection is the fastest delivery system, smoking and snorting are also highly effective and can get the drug to the brain very quickly, where it releases dopamine, giving the user a feeling of extreme pleasure.

Street Names for Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is often referred to on the street as:

• Crystal meth
• Ice
• Meth
• Crystal
• Glass
• Speed
• Crank
• Fire
• Stove Top
• Cristy
• Biker’s Coffee
• Hot Ice

Side Effects of Using Methamphetamine

Like other Schedule II drugs, methamphetamine has a number of dangerous side effects, including but not limited to:

• Psychosis
• Paranoia
• Memory loss
• Violent behavior
• Extreme weight loss
• Extreme mood swings
• Increased heart rate and/or blood pressure
• Permanent change in brain structure and/or function
• Hallucinations
• Physical dependency

Like any other intravenous drug, users who choose to inject methamphetamine also run a higher risk of contracting a blood-borne disease, such as HIV, Hepatitis, and others.

What Does the High From Methamphetamine Feel Like?

So what does it feel like to get high on methamphetamine? Basically, dopamine is closely linked to the brain’s reward center. The natural release of dopamine makes you feel good as a reward for doing something good for your mental or physical health, such as exercise. When a user takes methamphetamine, their brain will be flooded with dopamine, and they will feel a heightened sense of euphoria while the stimulant makes them feel more awake and alert than usual at the same time.

Especially with extended use, though, a methamphetamine high can include dramatic mood swings, sweating, itching, and scratching or picking at actual or perceived sores on the skin. Repeated use will lead to addiction and dependency.

Methamphetamine is increasingly becoming an issue for the American people. Becoming a certified DOT supervisor helps to ensure that methamphetamine is not present in many industries that are vital to the country. Contact us today at Drugtestingcourses.com to get started on your DOT certification training.

Drug tests are used to detect the presence of illegal or prescription drugs.[1] Employers may require job applicants and employees to submit to drug testing either during the hiring process or after being hired. There are several reasons to test, the most common reasons include: pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion/for-cause, and post-accident drug testing. Unique to post-substance use and abuse treatment programs, employers may test before an employee returns to duty and as part of a follow-up program overseen by a substance abuse professional.

Drug testing laws vary from state to state, so employers must be diligent in efforts to ensure compliance with applicable state and/or federal laws.

The United States Department of Transportation (“DOT”) drug and alcohol testing regulations do not address who is responsible for paying for drug or alcohol testing in most circumstances.[2] The employer and the employee can bargain and agree as to which party is to pay for the drug or alcohol test.[3] However, when a split specimen test is requested, an employer must order the test, likely at its own expense, and then seek payment or reimbursement from the employee if the employee was responsible for paying for the test.[4] However, the employer must still make sure that the test is conducted as requested regardless of whether the employee pays for the test or not.[5]

Drug and alcohol testing programs not subject to federal regulations like the DOT are subject to the applicable state law. There is no uniform drug and alcohol testing law across the United States and thus the rules vary from state to state, making compliance challenging. For example, in the State of Florida, an employer who has adopted the state’s voluntary drug-free workplace program for workers’ compensation insurance premium discounts is required to cover the cost of all employee drug tests required by the employer.[6] The statute covers both initial and confirmation drug tests required by the employer.[7] In Florida, an employee or job applicant is only required to pay for any additional drug tests that are not required by the employer if the employer is participating in the voluntary drug-free workplace program.[8] However, an employer may choose to implement a drug-free workplace program and not opt-in to the voluntary program; in so doing, the employer would not be subject to the aforementioned requirements. Under a similar voluntary program in Georgia, an employer is required to pay “the cost of all drug tests, initial and confirmation, which the employer requires of employees.”[9] The employee or job applicant is required to pay for any test that is not required by the employer.[10]

The State of North Carolina makes employers responsible for the initial costs of all drug testing.[11] The North Carolina Administrative Code provides that “[t]he examiner shall pay expenses related to all controlled substance examination except examinee-requested retest.”[12] Therefore, under North Carolina law, the employer cannot make the employee or applicant pay for a drug test unless it involves a retest requested by the employee, just like Georgia and Florida.[13] The law does not seem to distinguish between pre-employment drug tests and random drug tests. Thus, an employer is likely responsible for the costs of drug testing whether the individual is a current employee or a prospective employee. Like the State of North Carolina, Maryland allows employers to require employees to submit to drug tests and all expenses should also be assumed by the employer.[14] Under Maryland law, a person is required to pay for any independent test conducted for the purpose of verification.[15] However, Texas law leaves it up to the employer to determine who should bear the cost of pre-employment testing.[16] The Texas Workforce Commission cautions employers who shift that burden to be cognizant of other indirect impacts which may lead to concerns with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the United States Department of Labor.[17]

Employers who are considering whether to charge their employees for a drug or alcohol test must first determine whether the test is federally regulated or regulated by state law. DOT regulations, for example, leave that to the employer and, if applicable, collective bargaining. If regulated under state law, is the program subject to the strict requirements of a voluntary drug-free workplace policy, subject to no state regulation, or some state regulation? In addition, even if the law allows an employer to place the burden of the test on the employee, if its implementation creates a noticeable negative impact on protected classes, the EEOC and the Department of Labor may act to prohibit it. Any such change to a policy should be made in consultation with an experienced employment law attorney.

References:

[1] Drug Testing, MedlinePlus, https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/drug-testing/ (last visited Aug. 17, 2020). [2] Frequently Asked Questions, U.S. Dep’t Transp., https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/faq#Who-pays-for-the-DOT-drug-or-alcohol-test-or-SAP-recommended-treatment-education-the-employer-or-employee (last visited Aug. 16, 2020); but see, 49 CFR § 40.173 (2020) (indicating that an employer must order a split specimen test once an employee requests it, even if that means the employer pays for it and, if the employee was responsible for payment, the employer would need to seek reimbursement from the employee). [3] Id. [4] See, 49 C.F.R. § 40.173. [5] Id.  [6] Fla. Stat. Ann. § 440.102(5)(m) (2020). [7] Id.    [8] Id.(this may come into play when an employee tests positive on a confirmation test, but wishes to have the sample sent to another laboratory for re-testing to attempt to establish that the result was erroneous).   [9] O.C.G.A. § 34-9-415(d)(10) (2020).  [10] O.C.G.A. § 34-9-415(d)(11). [11] See 13 N.C. Admin. Code 20.0601 (2020). [12] Id. [13] Id.   [14] Drug Testing – The Maryland Guide to Wage Payment and Employment Standards, Md. Dep’t Labor, https://www.dllr.state.md.us/labor/wagepay/wpdrugtest.shtml (last visited Aug. 17, 2020). [15] Md. HEALTH-GENERAL Code Ann. § 17-214(e)(2020). [16] See, e.g., Texas Workforce Commission, “Drug Testing in the Workplace” https://www.twc.texas.gov/news/efte/drug_testing_in_the_workplace.html (last accessed Oct. 3, 2020) (providing that, “[p]re-employment drug testing is something that some employers choose to do for applicants. It is not regarded under the ADA as a medical examination, so it may be done at any point of the selection process, but due to cost issues, most companies restrict such testing to the final candidates for a position. Regarding the issue of who pays for the test, most companies assume that burden. Texas and federal law do not have specific provisions one way or the other, but if requiring an applicant to pay for a pre-employment drug test would have the effect of discouraging minority applicants, or else effectively result in less than minimum wage for the employee’s first paycheck, EEOC and/or the U.S. Department of Labor may have concerns under EEO or minimum wage laws. It would be best to let doubtful cases be reviewed by employment law counsel prior to such testing. Even though drug tests themselves are not covered by the ADA, the results from such tests are considered medical records and should be kept in a separate, confidential medical file just as other types of medical records must be maintained under the ADA”). [17] Id.

When most people think of anabolic steroids, they think of bodybuilders and weightlifters attempting to gain strength and mass. Do you know what anabolic steroids actually are, though? And do you know how they can be used, misused, and abused?

As a DEA Schedule III substance, anabolic steroids have known and accepted medical uses and they have relatively low-risk levels for abuse and/or dependency. Other drugs besides anabolic steroids on this schedule include ketamine, products with fewer than 90 mg of codeine, and others. Basically, if you have a prescription for anabolic steroids and you are in possession of no more than the prescribed, proper amount of the drug, you will be in no danger of criminal charges. However, there are ways in which people illegally abuse anabolic steroids every day.

Drug Details – What Are Anabolic Steroids?

The actual proper term for anabolic steroids is “anabolic-androgenic steroids.” These are variations that are synthesized to mimic testosterone, the male sex hormone. As far as what anabolic steroids do, the term “anabolic” refers to muscle growth, while the term “androgenic” refers to an increase in male sex traits.

Anabolic steroids are often prescribed by physicians and other healthcare providers to treat a number of conditions, including hormonal deficiencies or imbalances, muscle loss, and others. Those who abuse anabolic steroids generally do so to boost their performance in their sport or career or to gain a more muscular physique.

A Brief History of Anabolic Steroids

In terms of scheduled drugs, anabolic steroids are relatively new. In the 1930s, scientists synthesized male sex hormones to help men produce more of the hormone to achieve normal growth and development.

A few years later, scientists discovered that malnourished soldiers fighting in World War II could gain weight and improve their endurance and performance when given these synthetic hormones. After this discovery, athletes began using synthesized testosterone as performance-enhancing drugs leading up to competitions.

After observing the Soviet athletes’ vastly improved performance in the 1956 Olympic Games, Dr. John Bosley Ziegler, an American physician, created a more focused and selective type of synthetic hormone, and anabolic steroids as we know them today were born. From then until the early 1970s, steroid use went unchecked, and not just for Olympic athletes. Professionals and even high school athletes were using them, as well. However, in 1975, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) banned steroid use for all athletes.

This, of course, did not stop black-market steroid sales. Steroid use was still so popular that the US Congress was forced to pass the Anabolic Steroid Enforcement Act of 1990, which – among other things – made anabolic steroids a DEA Schedule III substance.

Street Names for Anabolic Steroids

Some prevalent street names for anabolic steroids include:

• Juice
• Pumpers
• ‘Roids
• Gym Candy
• Steroids

Market names for these drugs include:

• Oxandrin
• Depo-Testosterone
• Anadrol
• Durabolin
• Equipoise

Side Effects of Using Anabolic Steroids

Just a few of the potentially harmful side effects of anabolic steroids are:

• Shrunken testicles
• Testicular cancer
• Low sperm count
• Breast growth
• Infertility
• Sexual dysfunction
• Aggressive or violent behavior (often called “roid rage”)
• Male-pattern baldness (in both men and women)
• Changes in menstrual cycle
• Stunted bone growth (for developing teens)

What Does the High From Anabolic Steroids Feel Like?

Unlike other scheduled substances, there is not a “high” that goes with taking anabolic steroids. Those who abuse steroids generally enjoy faster recovery after hard training sessions and more muscle growth and development in less time.

Dextromethorphan – more commonly called DXM – is an FDA approved substance that is the active ingredient in most over-the-counter cough medicines. When taken according to the instructions on the label, it is considered safe and effective for suppressing coughs and allowing those suffering from congestion to get some rest and relief. Some users take DXM in excess, though, and this can be highly dangerous.

Drug Details – What Is DXM?

DXM is the main ingredient to suppress coughing in most over-the-counter cough and cold medicines. Like ketamine and PCP, it falls in the category of dissociative anesthetics. This makes it highly effective in small doses, giving an anesthetic effect to calm a persistent cough and relaxing the user so that they can rest and recover.

Unlike other drugs, DXM has only one known delivery system – swallowing. Those looking to abuse the drug may buy it as cough medicine and ignore the recommended dosage. It is also available in pure powder form, which is most often found on the Internet or on the street.

Another thing that sets DXM apart from other illicit drugs is that the DEA does not schedule it. However, some cough medicines (those with “less than 200 milligrams of codeine per 100 milliliters”) are DEA Schedule V drugs. Thus, some medicines containing DXM may be scheduled, although DXM is not. In most cases, though, DXM is used as a substitute for codeine in cough medicine, so most Schedule V cough suppressants do not contain DXM.

A Brief History of DXM

DXM was first synthesized and used in cough medicine in the 1950s. As we mentioned a moment ago, it was first developed to replace codeine in these drugs, as there had been a rise in the abuse of cough medicines containing codeine. There was no known abuse of DXM for a few years, but by the 1960s, there had been some reports of abuse.

DXM abuse did not become widespread until the late 1990s. At that time and since then, most users seem to be adolescents seeking an easily accessible high. DXM is inexpensive, readily available, and unscheduled, making it potentially the easiest mind-altering substance for teens to get their hands on.

When you think of illicit drugs or drugs that people are likely to abuse, you may not immediately think of glue, paint thinners, or whipped cream dispensers. However, these products all fall under the category of inhalants. This overview will explore in more detail what inhalants are, how and why they are abused, their background, and more.

Drug Details – What Are Inhalants?

While a number of different illicit drugs can be snorted or inhaled, the term inhalants specifically refer to a variety of otherwise legal substances that are almost exclusively abused by inhaling them. These include solvents, aerosols, nitrites, gasses, and others. In general, inhalants were not created to be consumed as drugs (or at all), and so they are not typically considered drugs or controlled substances. However, when purposefully inhaled, these products become dangerous drugs.

So how and why do people abuse inhalants? Essentially, many of the normal products you will find around your home or office contain ingredients that have mind-altering qualities. Typically, teens, children, and others looking for an easily accessible, the inexpensive high will abuse inhalants like markers, spray paint, adhesives, and others.

A Brief History of Inhalants

Believe it or not, inhalants go much further back in history than the invention of aerosol cans and permanent markers. There is some evidence that people in India, China, Egypt, and throughout the Middle East inhaled a number of different types of gas vapors to achieve an altered state. In fact, there is a common theory that the Oracle of Delphi priestesses gained their visions from getting high inhaling psychoactive substances.

In the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries, ether, nitrous oxide, and chloroform were all popular anesthetics. Noting the altered state that nitrous oxide-induced, Sir Humphry Davy, a British scientist, touted nitrous oxide as an inexpensive alternative to alcohol and coined the term “laughing gas”.

It wasn’t until the 1940s that many people in the US began recreationally inhaling solvents and other household inhalants. That trend has continued and is still prevalent today.

Street Names for Inhalants

Some of the most common street names for solvents include:

• Laughing gas
• Poppers
• Whippets
• Snappers

The practice of abusing inhalants is often called huffing, and some of the most commonly abused chemicals include amyl nitrite and toluene, in addition to nitrous oxide.

Side Effects of Using Inhalants

Using inhalants can produce a number of different negative side effects, including but not limited to:

• Loss of coordination
• Slurred speech
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Delusions
• Addiction
• Nausea and vomiting
• Liver and/or kidney damage
• Damage to bone marrow
• Impaired hearing
• Impaired memory
• Limb spasms
• Permanent brain damage

In addition to the psychoactive effects of huffing certain chemicals, inhalants also get users high by depriving their brains of oxygen. Too much oxygen deprivation can not only lead to permanent brain damage but may actually be fatal.

What Does the High From Inhalants Feel Like?

The high from inhalants is short-lived. Huffing from a spray paint can or whipped cream dispenser can result in about 30 seconds to a minute of feeling high. That high usually does not come with hallucinations, but the user may feel a full-body buzz, and sound and sight may be distorted. In most cases, users will not just huff a product once or twice but continue to inhale repeatedly each time the high wears off.

Because inhalants are found in households, offices, and workplaces across the country and have perfectly legal and reasonable uses, the DEA does not schedule them. However, they should still be considered highly dangerous.

Mescaline is an Ancient Hallucinogen

Perhaps one of the oldest hallucinogens in the world, there is evidence of mescaline (also known as peyote, the cactus from which mescaline is derived) use dating back as far as 4000 BCE. It was not always used for its hallucinogenic properties, though, as peyote actually does have some antiseptic qualities, as well. Despite this, today, mescaline is listed with the DEA’s Schedule I drugs, meaning that it has no recognized medical uses and poses a high risk for abuse and dependency.

Details – What Is Mescaline?

The peyote cactus grows in hot, arid climates and is indigenous to central Mexico, the southwestern regions of Texas, and some other areas in the southwestern United States. Mescaline is derived from the disc-shaped “buttons” that grow on the crown of the plant. These are harvested and dried, after which they may be chewed or they can be made into a tea.

A dose of mescaline is usually between 0.3 and 0.5 grams, and at about 0.1 gram of mescaline per gram of dried peyote, users will take between three and five grams of peyote to get high. This high will generally last for about 12 hours, during which the user can expect a number of intense visual hallucinations.

Also, though many users prefer “natural” mescaline, the drug may also be synthesized and will have the same effects when taken in powder form. This drug may be taken by ingestion or smoking.

The Historical Background of Mescaline

As we mentioned earlier, peyote (mescaline) is one of the oldest known psychedelic drugs in the world. Ancient Aztecs considered it a magical substance and used it in a number of religious and spiritual rituals. It was also used to treat various illnesses, and to communicate with the dead.

Because Native American people have used peyote for thousands of years in their rituals, in 1918, when their right to use the drug was threatened, they formed the Native American Church. This gave them the legal right to use the drug in their ceremonies until 1990, when the US Supreme Court passed down a decision effectively banning the drug, even in this limited capacity.

Street Names for Mescaline

There are a few different street names for mescaline, including:

• Peyote
• Buttons
• Cactus
• Mesc(s)
• Big Chief
• Mescalito
• Topi
• Mescal
• Tops

When mescaline is combined with MDMA, it is called “snackies”.

Side Effects of Using Mescaline

Some of the most common side effects of using mescaline include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Tachycardia (rapid heart rate)
• Increased blood pressure
• Anxiety
• Headache
• Muscle weakness
• Impulsive behavior
• Mood swings
• Tremors

Though it is not physically addictive, mescaline can be psychologically addictive, and prolonged use can result in permanently altered brain chemistry and physical and mental health problems. In most cases, vomiting and/or diarrhea result from the body’s reaction to the cactus, not specifically to the mescaline.

What Does the High From Mescaline Feel Like?

The high from mescaline can be compared with the high from LSD and other strong mood-altering hallucinogens. However, unlike many of these other substances, mescaline high can last up to 12 hours, and the effects of the high can continue for even longer. Hallucinations can be mild or intense and may last for several hours. Moods can change quickly, and a good trip can become a nightmare in minutes.

As a Schedule I drug, mescaline possession and/or distribution can come with serious criminal charges and extensive prison time. This drug may have been used for thousands of years, but that does not make it less dangerous to your mental or physical health.

Perhaps one of the most infamous drugs on the streets today, heroin is a DEA Schedule I substance. It has “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” An opioid, heroin, is highly addictive and can be extremely detrimental to a user’s mental and physical health. This overview should give you a complete understanding of heroin, where it comes from, what it is, and other important information about the substance and its use.

The Historical Background of Heroin

Heroin’s historical background is a bit convoluted, as it begins with opium, derived from opium poppies and used as far back as 3400 BCE by Persians and Egyptians. Its pain-relieving qualities were recognized in Europe and the United States in the 18^th century, but physicians soon discovered just how addictive opium was.

To try to get the pain-relieving qualities of the substance without the detrimental effects, researchers synthesized morphine and codeine from opium in the early 19^th century. Unfortunately, morphine proved to be just as addictive as opium, and by the mid-19^th century, physicians were looking to synthesize a substance that would not be as addictive, and that would help morphine abusers get off the drug.

While it has no accepted medical value today, heroin was first synthesized in 1874 by a chemist in England to stop morphine abuse. Unfortunately, it, too, was found to be highly addictive, and users moved from abusing morphine to abusing heroin.

Details – How Is Heroin Used?

Heroin can be used in a number of ways, including:

• Snorting
• Smoking
• Injection

Though injection is the most direct route, both snorting and smoking heroin will also deliver the substance to the brain very quickly. This fast delivery time, and the instant gratification that goes along with it, is believed to be a major factor in heroin’s high addiction risk and its incredible health risks.

Street Names for Heroin

Some of the most common street names you will hear for heroin include:

• Horse
• Smack
• H
• Skag
• White horse
• China white
• Dope
• Brown sugar
• Mud
• Junk

Side Effects of Using Heroin

Heroin has numerous side effects and damaging effects on the body and brain. Some of the most common acute, temporary side effects include:

• Drowsiness and/or sedation
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Coordination impairment
• Confusion
• Breathing problems

Other health risks include:

• Constipation
• Cardiovascular problems
• Contracting hepatitis, HIV, and other bloodborne pathogens
• Addiction
• Overdose

When heroin travels through the bloodstream to the brain, the body converts it back into morphine, and the brain’s opioid receptors take it up. Heroin use affects the brain dramatically, as these receptors are also linked to the brain’s pain and reward perception centers.

An overdose of heroin will almost always result in the depression of the body’s breathing functions, causing the user to stop breathing, or causing their breathing to slow dramatically. Even a non-fatal heroin overdose can result in long-term effects, such as brain damage or coma.

What Does the High From Heroin Feel Like?

Heroin users report having a state of complete euphoria and relaxation. Some have hallucinations, but most report that the experience is very tactile. The sense of touch is far more intense, but many users will nod off and dream for most of the experience.

Though the high of heroin is very intense and pleasurable to most users, it is important to keep in mind just how dangerous this drug is. Heroin is one of the deadliest of all Schedule I substances and should not be used recreationally.

Opium is Highly Addictive

Like heroin, opium is an opioid, but while heroin is a DEA Schedule I drug, opium appears lower on the list, as a Schedule II, III, and V drug. It is highly addictive, and users report that it has a very intense high. Suppose there was ever an argument against “natural” drugs being better and healthier than synthetic drugs. In that case, that argument is opium, as it is very dangerous and can lead to a number of serious physical and mental health problems. In this overview, we will walk you through opium’s background, what it is, how it works, and other details, such as street names and side effects. With this information, you should better understand exactly how dangerous opium is.

The Historical Background of Opium

Opium has played a prominent role throughout history across the world. The earliest recorded use of opium is from 3400 BCE, in southwest Asia by the Sumerians, who derived it from the opium poppy. There, it was called “Hul Gil”, which meant “joy plant.” Traveling Sumerians introduced Assyrians to the drug, and they, in turn, introduced it to the Egyptians. Its popularity continued to spread throughout Asia and Europe. Thanks to the Silk Road, opium was a constant factor all over Europe by the 19^th century.

Details – What Is Opium?

So how is opium made, and what exactly is it? To create opium, manufacturers take unripe seed pods from opium poppies (Papaver somniferum) and slit them open. The sap from the pods then seeps out, dries, and hardens into yellowish-brown latex. This latex, which is then scraped from the pods, is opium.

It may be surprising to some that opium is not a Schedule I drug, but because morphine and codeine can be derived from it, it does have some recognized medical uses. Why would it be added to multiple schedules, though? Essentially, the amount of opium a person is holding will determine whether a drug is Schedule II, III, or V. Thus, it is possible to have a very small amount of opium (e.g., codeine or morphine) on one’s person legally, as in the case of prescription narcotics.

Street Names for Opium

Opium is not as popular as heroin, so it does not have as many street names. However, you may hear opium referred to as any of the following:

• Black stuff
• Laudanum
• Block
• Hop
• Big O
• Paregoric
• Gum

Side Effects of Using Opium

Many of the side effects of using opium are similar to those of heroin use. Common short- and long-term side effects include:

• Drowsiness and/or sedation
• Mood swings
• Anxiety
• Exhaustion
• Respiratory depression
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Constipation
• Sweating
• Seizures
• Memory problems
• Paranoia
• Insomnia
• Itching
• Delusions
• Poorer mental health
• Coma
• Death

Also, because opium is highly addictive, if a user becomes addicted, they will also experience a number of withdrawal symptoms, including many of the side effects listed above and others.

What Does the High From Opium Feel Like?

The high from opium is very similar to heroin and other opioids. Users generally feel a sense of deep euphoria and relaxation. The sense of touch is often heightened, but other senses may be dulled or otherwise affected, and response times are slowed.

Though opium is not a Schedule I drug, it is still very addictive and dangerous, and misuse and abuse of opium can lead to serious physical and mental problems. Many people with opium addictions become addicted while using prescription pain medication, so it is essential to seek help if you believe that you may be gaining a dependency on opium or any other opioids.

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration as an analgesic (pain relief) and anesthetic. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as an analgesic and was first developed in 1959 and introduced in the 1960s as an intravenous anesthetic.

It is legally manufactured and distributed in the United States. Licit fentanyl pharmaceutical products are diverted via theft, fraudulent prescriptions, and illicit distribution by patients, physicians, and pharmacists. From 2005 through 2007, fatal overdoses associated with abuse of clandestinely produced fentanyl and law enforcement encounters increased markedly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 1,013 fatal overdoses recorded from April 2005 to March 2007. More recently, there has been a re-emergence of trafficking, distribution, and abuse of illicitly produced fentanyl, with a dramatic increase in overdose fatalities.

What are the common street names?

• Apache
• China Girl
• China Town
• Dance Fever
• Friend
• Goodfellas
• Great Bear
• He-Man
• Jackpot
• King Ivory
• Murder 8
• Tango & Cash

What does it look like?

Fentanyl pharmaceutical products are currently available in the following dosage forms: oral transmucosal lozenges commonly
referred to as fentanyl “lollipops” (Actiq), effervescent buccal tablets (Fentora), sublingual tablets (Abstral), sublingual sprays
(Subsys), nasal sprays (Lazanda), transdermal patches (Duragesic), and injectable formulations. Clandestinely produced fentanyl is encountered either as a powder or in counterfeit tablets and is sold alone or in combination with other drugs such as heroin or cocaine.

How is it abused?

Fentanyl can be injected, snorted/sniffed, smoked, taken orally by pill or tablet, and spiked onto blotter paper. Fentanyl patches are abused by removing their gel contents and then injecting or ingesting these contents. Patches have also been frozen, cut into pieces, and placed under the tongue or in the cheek cavity. Illicitly produced fentanyl is sold alone or in combination with heroin and other substances and has been identified in counterfeit pills, mimicking pharmaceutical drugs such as oxycodone. According to the National Forensic Laboratory Information System, reports on fentanyl (both pharmaceutical and clandestinely produced) increased from nearly
5,400 in 2014 to over 14,600 in 2015, as reported by federal, state, and local forensic laboratories in the United States.

What is the effect on the body?

Fentanyl, similar to other commonly used opioid analgesics (e.g., morphine), produces effects such as relaxation, euphoria, pain relief, sedation, confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, urinary retention, pupillary constriction, and respiratory depression.

What are the overdose effects?

Overdose may result in stupor, changes in pupillary size, cold and clammy skin, cyanosis, coma, and respiratory failure leading to death. The presence of triad of symptoms such as coma, pinpoint pupils, and respiratory depression are strongly suggestive of opioid poisoning.

Which drugs cause similar effects?

Drugs that cause similar effects include other opioids such as morphine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, methadone, and heroin.

What is the legal status in the Federal Control Substances Act?

Fentanyl is a Schedule II narcotic under the United States Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

Marijuana is a common drug in the US;. However, it has recently been legalized for medical use in some areas, marijuana is still an illegal drug in most of the United States. It is also one of the country's most commonly used recreational drugs. To give you a more in-depth understanding of marijuana, in this overview, we will briefly cover the historical background, details (such as uses, etc.), street names, and potential side effects of marijuana use.

Background of the Substance

According to historical documents and other evidence, marijuana has been used for over 2000 years, with the earliest use in China and India. It is believed that the first recorded references to marijuana or cannabis use were in the writings of Shen Nung, the Chinese emperor, in 2737 BCE.

Details – What Is Marijuana?

But what exactly is Marijuana? First, it is DEA Schedule I drug under the category of cannabinoids. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa.” When smoked or eaten, marijuana provides a high due to its THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) content.

Schedule I drugs include substances or chemicals “with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” Other examples of DEA Schedule I drugs, besides marijuana, include but are not limited to peyote, heroin, LSD, and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (also known as ecstasy).

Though there has been a large movement to prove that cannabinoids have valid medical uses, recent moves to get marijuana removed from the DEA’s list of Schedule I drugs have been unsuccessful.

Street Names for Marijuana

Of course, not everyone who uses or sells marijuana will refer to it by its proper name. Some of the most common street names for marijuana include, but are not limited to:

• Dope
• Ganja
• Weed
• Herb
• Mary Jane
• Pot
• Green
• Trees
• Green trees
• Skunk
• Bud
• Reefer

Because marijuana is often smoked, you may also hear other terms about it, such as:

• Joint – A marijuana cigarette
• Blunt – A cigar or cigarillo rolled with a combination of marijuana and tobacco
• Bong – A water pipe used for smoking marijuana
• Pipe – A pipe (usually glass) made for smoking marijuana

Side Effects of Using Marijuana

Smoking marijuana is the fastest and most effective means to get THC into the bloodstream. Your blood will then carry the THC to your brain and other organs. Because your brain naturally produces chemicals like THC, it has receptors that will react to the presence of THC in your bloodstream, causing you to feel high.

Some short-term side effects of smoking marijuana include:

• Changes in mood
• Lethargy
• Changes in sense perception
• Impaired memory and/or problem-solving skills
• Increased hunger

Long-term side effects of using marijuana can include prolonged memory impairment and/or decreased intellectual capacity, especially if the user begins smoking in their teens before their brain has fully developed. Other long-term side effects include:

• Breathing problems
• Cardiovascular problems
• Decreased life satisfaction
• Poorer mental and/or physical health

What Does the High from Marijuana Feel Like?

Most users report a feeling of euphoria when smoking or eating marijuana. Some will have hallucinations, while others will have somewhat altered senses for a period lasting between a few minutes and a few hours. Users generally have slower reaction times to stimuli and feel more relaxed and at peace when high.

While many people believe that the recreational use of marijuana is harmless, you can see from this overview that it has several side effects. It is still a Schedule I substance and is illegal in most of the US.

Supervisor training is legally necessary, and your entire workplace will benefit from having a competent supervisor that is equipped with the proper knowledge to handle tough and even dangerous situations. Not only will you have a more confident supervisor, but a few hours of training can also save lives and money[1]. Because the FMCSA rules that cover safety-sensitive positions in the workplace are specific and cover many positions including driving a commercial motor vehicle, inspecting or servicing equipment on motor vehicles, and even the loading and unloading of commercial motor vehicles[2], a good supervisor is essential in the success of every member of a team.

Advanced Awareness of the Team

One of the biggest benefits to supervisor training is a better idea of what to look for in a team member that hints at impairment of any kind. Since your supervisors are in the best position to get to know employees, they will also know when things are strange. With proper training, a supervisor will know how to handle these situations and determine if the employee is simply having a bad day or personal problem, or if a DOT exam is required.

This also means that a supervisor can properly assess whether an employee is exemplary and deserves more credit or a bonus for what they do, which helps raise team morale and build loyalty to your company.

Knowledge of the Small, but Necessary, Details of DOT Exam Requirements

Even if a supervisor does a perfect documentation and analysis job when considering if someone is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, small details must be addressed that are easily missed without proper training. For example, the FTA indicates that an alcohol violation is only if the blood alcohol content (or the BAC) is over .04. This is when more serious consequences occur. However, a properly trained manager or supervisor also knows that if the BAC is anywhere between .02 and .039, an employee must be released from work for the day unless a retest indicates a BAC of less than .02[4].

Consequences of safety-sensitive employees that had a BAC between .02 and .039, above and beyond being released from work for the day, varies from organization to organization but must include a written notice of the organization’s drug and alcohol policies and testing procedures and a training session the signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol misuse.

Knowing When to Document, Act, and Refer to a Program

When should a supervisor document an employee’s suspicious actions, and when should they approach the employee to talk about the situation that was observed? A well-trained supervisor will know this process well and know the steps to ensure that the employee’s rights are not violated and the company is not liable for any lawsuits or legal action. In addition, the same manager will be able to refer an employee that is struggling with either alcohol or drug addiction to proper, affordable programs for help, and can assist in finding a program that will support an employee through their hardship.

An expert supervisor will also have built rapport with an employee and perhaps be able to suggest the best program based on what he or she knows about the employee. An organization should continue to offer support to employees that choose to attend recovery programs. An otherwise solid employee, once recovered, may be permitted to return to work based on the company’s decision; however, it will be the employer’s responsibility to ensure that the employee is not a danger to themselves or the public once they have returned[6].

Feeling Confident to Respond to a Workplace Crisis

Anyone in a supervisory role should have a sound mind and a good head, making them less likely to panic in a difficult situation; however, training is essential to ensure the safety of all employees[7]. Highly-charged situations can become unpredictable quickly, and your supervisor should know what questions to ask, how to remain calm, and note what they should be documenting and listening for during the crisis.

This is especially important when it comes to drug and alcohol crises. Equipped with the proper knowledge will help the manager understand how to handle an event, no matter how the employee reacts, and they’ll know what they should record and how to properly listen to an employee’s statements and repeat them back to clarify understanding.

A properly trained supervisor understands their employees, understands their workplace rules, and understands federal and state regulations. Not only does this make them more valuable to you, it means you’ll be less likely to face lawsuits and other difficult situations.

References:

[1] https://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/videoresource/stpusdotdrug.pdf

[2] https://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/videoresource/stpusdotdrug.pdf

[4] https://transit-safety.fta.dot.gov/DrugAndAlcohol/Publications/DocumentInfo.aspx?DocID=414

[6] https://www.samhsa.gov/workplace/toolkit/plan-implement-program/supervisor-training

[7] https://www.monster.co.uk/advertise-a-job/hr-resources/workforce-management-and-planning/pay-and-benefits/how-can-training-courses-be-used-as-a-company-benefit/

very employer that conducts drug and alcohol testing should conduct training that includes information about how to make reasonable suspicion determinations that do not violate state and federal employment laws.

However, training supervisors on conduct when it involves making reasonable suspicion determinations will help protect employers from civil claims and help ensure that their employees who are subject to drug and alcohol testing are not subjected to improper requests for testing.

Reasonable suspicion training teaches supervisors to identify reasonable doubt and how it can be formed by observing the employee’s behavior and appearance. Normal behaviors including eating, drinking, sleeping, talking on the phone, coughing, or sneezing are not reasonable suspicion.

Training can help supervisors make reasonable suspicion determinations when interacting with employees subject to drug or alcohol testing.

To make a reasonable suspicion determination that an employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol and cannot perform their duties, an employer must have training on making reasonable suspicion determinations that do not violate state and federal employment laws.

Training supervisors on reasonable suspicion training will ensure that proper training is conducted for all those involved in making reasonable suspicion determinations for drug and alcohol testing.

What training should include?

Supervisor training should include training that helps understand what a reasonable suspicion determination is, training that helps them to understand how to make reasonable suspicion determinations in compliance with federal and state employment laws, training which includes examples of violations of company policy, and training on the steps involved in making reasonable suspicion determinations.

Training supervisors on the definition of “reasonable suspicion” and helps them understand what training is needed to make a reasonable suspicion determination in compliance with the federal employment and state drug testing laws will help reduce the risk of litigation.

Training should also instruct supervisors on determining if reasonable suspicion exists and how to document that determination following State and Federal Laws.

It is recommended training should be conducted by experienced trainers and training curriculum providers with an understanding of federal and state employment laws, drug testing regulations, and drug and alcohol testing.

The training should be provided periodically (even if it’s only required once in a supervisor’s lifetime) to all supervisors and others who have supervisory responsibility for employees subject to drug and alcohol testing.

By training your supervisors on reasonable suspicion training, you’ll ensure the proper training on reasonable suspicion determinations is conducted in compliance with state and federal employment laws.

Training all supervisors on reasonable suspicion determinations is just one part of safety in the workplace.

What types of reasonable suspicion training are there?

When it comes to reasonable suspicion training, there are two types:

1. DOT reasonable suspicion training (for those employers that are subject to DOT regulations. And, if required by the state reasonable suspicion testing laws); and,
2. NON-DOT reasonable suspicion (for all other employers).

To determine whether reasonable suspicion is needed for your company, you need to be aware of the type of reasonable suspicion training you have and whether it’s DOT reasonable suspicion or NON-DOT reasonable suspicion.

What reasonable suspicion is not:

Reasonable suspicion is not a reasonable cause for a positive drug test. The reasonable cause must be proven by “direct observation,” which can include various behaviors, but reasonable suspicion requires a “suspicion,” not direct observation.

What reasonable suspicion is:

Reasonable suspicion is the reasonable doubt formed by observing employee behavior or a combination of actions and behaviors that causes supervisors to suspect an employee may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol and unable to perform their duties safely. It can also be reasonable suspicion when there is a combination of employees’ actions and behaviors that causes supervisors reasonable doubt.

Reasonable suspicion can also include the reasonable doubt formed by an observable change in employee behavior or characteristic, such as how they dress, their speech patterns, changes in physical appearance (like bloodshot eyes), unusual odors, or other signs of possible drug or alcohol use.

Reasonable suspicion is a reasonable doubt that an employee may use drugs or alcohol. The reasonable suspicion determination doesn’t require direct observation to form reasonable doubt; it can include a combination of behavioral and physical changes—which can include the way they dress, their speech patterns, changes in physical appearance (like bloodshot eyes), unusual odors, or other signs of possible drug or alcohol use.

Suppose you are unsure how to train your supervisors or other personnel to make reasonable suspicion determinations for drug or alcohol testing. In that case, training help is available from our trainers, who specialize in training employers to comply with federal and state employment laws when conducting drug or alcohol testing of their applicants and employee population.

A powerful stimulant, amphetamine, is a DEA Schedule II drug. Though it has some recognized and accepted medical uses, it also has a high risk of abuse and addiction. This overview will discuss the history and background behind amphetamine and details about the drug, its street names, side effects, and what an amphetamine high feels like.

Amphetamine’s Historical Background

Chemist Lazar Edeleanu first synthesized amphetamine in 1887. At this time, Edeleanu, his colleagues, and others did not take note of the drug’s stimulant effects. However, by the 1930s, the medical world had discovered that amphetamine could be used as a respiratory stimulant. It was first marketed under the brand name Benzedrine to relieve nasal congestion.

Throughout the early and mid-twentieth century, amphetamine was recommended for nasal congestion and as a hangover cure and to treat depression, hyperactivity, and narcolepsy. It was also prescribed to help reduce weight, as well.

As it grew in popularity and doctors claimed that it posed no significant risk for addiction, new amphetamines were developed for oral and intravenous use. Thus, methamphetamine was derived, as well as others. Throughout World War II, it was often prescribed to soldiers and military personnel to improve alertness and to increase endurance.

As users discovered that intravenous amphetamine use could create a euphoric high, more and more people began to misuse and abuse the drug, starting in the 1960s and moving into the 1970s. As the decades have worn on, though law enforcement agencies attempt to quell amphetamine abuse, it continues to be prevalent today.

Details About Amphetamines

Amphetamines are stimulants that specifically affect the central nervous system. As you can see from their history, amphetamines have been used for many things. They still have some accepted medical uses, such as ADHD treatment, asthma medications, etc. However, when used recreationally, amphetamines can be highly addictive and dangerous.

In most cases, amphetamine is found in powder form, though it can also be found in pill form. Users will swallow, snort, or inject it to get high, depending on their preferred delivery system.

Street Names for Amphetamine

You will often not hear amphetamine referred to by its proper name on the street. Instead, you may hear other street names, like:

• Bennies or Benzies
• Crosses
• Truck Drivers
• LA Turnaround
• Uppers
• Speed
• Footballs
• Lid Poppers
• Poppers
• Wake-Ups
• Black Beauties
• Hearts

Side Effects of Using Amphetamine

Some of the most common side effects of amphetamine include, but are not limited to:

• Weight loss
• Increased heart rate and/or blood pressure
• Stroke
• Excessive sweating
• Teeth grinding
• Dilated pupils
• Dry mouth
• Itching
• Scratching or picking at skin
• Twitching

In addition, snorting amphetamine can result in a deviated septum or other damage to the nasal passage. If a user shares needles when injecting amphetamine, they may also run the risk of contracting several bloodborne pathogens, including HIV, hepatitis, and tetanus.

What Does the High From Amphetamine Feel Like?

Because amphetamines are stimulants, the high with any amphetamine will generally include increased energy and alertness. Users typically feel more talkative, energetic, and happy, but their moods may be unstable. During the high, a user may feel happy one moment but then have a drastic mood swing that leads to a feeling of anxiety, paranoia, or depression the next.

While amphetamine does have some known medical uses, it is important to understand that taking too much or taking amphetamine in any way not prescribed by your doctor can result in major problems for your physical and mental health.

If you’re looking to get into the drug testing industry, you may have more potential clients than you realize. There are some industries that are obvious targets for marketing a drug testing company but take a deeper look at the trends in how employers are investigating the usage habits of their employees and applicants, and you may find some surprises.

The Obvious Industries

The obvious target markets for drug testing companies looking for new clients will be those involving heavy equipment, driving, and other dangerous work.

Some other industries to consider are:

• Healthcare providers
• Financial services providers
• Fortune 500 companies

All of these industries routinely engage in drug testing, whether because this is a requirement of their insurance and regulations or because they want to filter out employees who may prove unreliable or downright dangerous in certain roles. Consider that there are other markets out there that you may want to target.

Unexpected Opportunities

Data from the US Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration gathered in the mid-1990s revealed some surprising facts about illicit substance abuse. Any drug testing company should consider it potentially worthwhile marketing information.

For example, in the aforementioned data, substance abuse rates were as high as 16.3% in eating and drinking places. Those rates were as high as 14.4% in furniture and appliance stores.

Even in venues where drug testing may not be the norm, illicit drug use rates can be quite high. 9.3% of workers were found to be abusing illicit substances in grocery stores. Such employees may have access to cash, heavy equipment, and so forth, and there is a good reason for employers in these retail industries to consider adding drug screening to their application process.

Remember to look at industries that may not immediately come to mind when considering drug testing. There may be the potential to gain many new clients among those industries and, at the same time, help them deal with a real threat to their profitability.

It’s also important to remember that small businesses may need affordable drug testing options and even mobile drug testing. While you should look for large industrial clients, remember that the smaller businesses in your area may be just as promising as new customers.

Discrimination lawsuits have risen sharply in the last few years, including those involving drug and alcohol abuse and misuse. The EEOC now handles more than 120,000 reasonable suspicion claims annually, increasing from about 21,000 a decade ago. Employers must train their supervisors to handle reasonable suspicion accusations in a manner consistent with applicable laws. Any reasonable suspicion training provided to supervisors or employees needs to be comprehensive.

Reasonable Suspicion Definition and Application

Defining reasonable suspicion is the first step to training supervisors in reasonable suspicion. There are many definitions available; however, for discussion purposes, reasonable suspicion is defined as “a belief that the reasonable possibility exists that an employee’s behavior will lead to certain conclusions.” The reasonable suspicion definition should be broken down further for use in reasonable suspicion training by stating: reasonable suspicion is a reasonable belief based on fact, not perception. In contrast and reasonable belief is a reasonable conclusion or opinion based on perceived facts.

If supervisors are aware of reasonable suspicion legal parameters, reasonable suspicion is easier to identify.

Reasonable Suspicion Involving Drug and Alcohol Tests

Supervisors must realize reasonable suspicion drug tests are different from reasonable suspicion alcohol tests. An employer or supervisor cannot simply assume without discussing it with the employee and documenting reasonable belief, and any reasonable suspicion alcohol test must be based on observed behavior, while a reasonable suspicion drug test must be based on observed and reported behavior.

Reasonable Suspicion Policy and Procedure

Supervisors need reasonable suspicion guidelines that can be followed if reasonable drug abuse and misuse issues are discussed with an employee. The reasonable suspicion policy should state reasonable belief must have a factual basis. It should explain reasonable suspicion legal parameters with reasonable suspicion drug testing should be included in the reasonable suspicion policy.

Reasonable Suspicion Training for Supervisors

Training supervisors to conduct reasonable suspicion determinations for drug and alcohol testing will allow employees to express concerns about drug use or abuse in the workplace without retaliation. All reasonable suspicion training will include, but not limited to:

• DOT reasonable suspicion testing requirements and DOT drug test results policies–including DOT alcohol testing procedures.
• DOT reasonable suspicion testing guidelines–including DOT alcohol reasonable suspicion testing rules and DOT drug reasonable suspicion training procedures.
• DOT reasonable suspicion testing policies (consequences) and DOT reasonable suspicion alcohol testing procedures (consequences)–including DOT reasonable suspicion procedures.

DOT-Regulated Employers Must Provide Mandatory Reasonable Suspicion Training to Supervisors

It is mandatory for employers to train supervisors on reasonable suspicion, including DOT reasonable suspicion testing guidelines. Training is not just about meeting regulations;, its also about:

• Encouraging supervisors to recognize reasonable suspicions while protecting employees' rights lowers the employer’s risk of DOT reasonable suspicion lawsuits.
• If DOT reasonable suspicion training is not conducted or reasonable suspicion protocols are not followed, employers face legal consequences, which is why employers should always incorporate reasonable suspicion training into an existing DOT alcohol testing policy or DOT drug testing program to make it easier for supervisors to make determinations without fear of legal reprisal.
• If DOT-regulated employers conduct comprehensive training on DOT reasonable suspicion requirements and implement a DOT alcohol testing policy that considers employee concerns about being under the influence of drugs or alcohol while at work, they can potentially avoid objective liability by paying attention to what constitutes “reasonable belief,” employers can protect their image with employees. The larger concern is the possible DOT reasonable suspicion lawsuits and penalties if training is not performed.

What about NON-DOT Reasonable Suspicion Training?

A NON-DOT reasonable suspicion training program for supervisors should also be in place to educate and inform supervisors about reasonable suspicion testing issues that involve alcohol or drug reasonable suspicions for employees who the Department of Transportation does not regulate. If a NON-DOT regulated employer or supervisor ignores reasonable suspicion–including reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol testing rules–they are rolling the dice with their government and regulatory compliance efforts.

Reasonable Suspicion Training: Supervisors vs. Non-Supervisory Employees

Supervisory employees such as managers, foremen, team leaders, production assistants, and other front-line supervisors need to understand reasonable drug abuse concerns regarding safety-sensitive positions. In many instances, supervisors need reasonable suspicion training to use employee concerns about drug abuse and reasonable suspicions to protect the employees’ rights before they are subjected to a drug test based on non-compliance with reasonable suspicion testing rules.

Can Non-Supervisors Conduct Reasonable Suspicion Testing?

If you ask this question, you may be surprised at what the answer really means; however, reasonable suspicion testing cannot be conducted by just anyone.

As a NON-DOT regulated employer, reasonable suspicion alcohol testing should not be done by supervisors who do not meet certain qualifications. To conduct tests under DOT regulations or NON-DOT rules. If reasonable suspicion testing is conducted by someone not qualified to do reasonable suspicion testing, you face significant consequences. It’s safer for employers to actually define reasonable suspicion training requirements and reasonable suspicion protocols in an employee handbook or policy manual that is communicated regularly. This helps reduce risk because the rules are clear to all employees when reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol testing may happen, who can make a reasonable suspicion determination, and how it will be administered.

The concept of NON-DOT reasonable suspicion should still be included in employer policy manuals. Employers need to address issues such as drug abuse or alcohol use during work hours. Hence, supervisors know reasonable suspicions about drugs while at work includes being under the influence of drugs while performing any operation or activity–not just driving a commercial motor vehicle.

Employee Training for a Drug-Free Workplace

Employee training for a drug-free workplace should be in place for all employees, including non-supervisor roles, and employee handbooks and policies should communicate clear rules about employee use of alcohol and drugs that can affect safety during work hours or while getting ready to go to work. There should also be a process included in an employee handbook for identifying and dealing with work place alcohol or drug abuse issues, and employee training for a drug-free workplace should address guidelines that prohibit employees from reporting to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol, as well as leaving early if they are under the influence of illegal drugs while working.

As a NON-DOT regulated employer, it is critical that supervisors are clear about the role of drugs and alcohol in an Employee Training for a Drug-Free Workplace plan.

Non-DOT Rules: Employee Training for a Drug-Free Workplace

There are several reasons why employee training for a drug-free workplace is critical for employers, they are as follows:

• Employee handbooks and policies about Employee Training for a Drug-Free Workplace should address:
• Employee responsibilities related to Employee Training for a Drug-Free Workplace. It’s the employee’s responsibility to follow Employee Training for a Drug-Free Workplace guidelines in order to keep their job.
• Policies prohibiting use of alcohol or illegal drugs–or both–during work hours, on company property, and while getting ready to go to work.
• How an Employee Training for a Drug-Free Workplace policy will be enforced. Most importantly, employees need to know how Employee Training for a Drug-Free Workplace violations will affect them and their jobs if they violate Employee Training for a Drug-Free Workplace rules. If you do not have Employee Training for a Drug-Free Workplace policies or Employee Training for a Drug-Free Workplace Employee Handbooks, please take steps to create them now.
• Employee training for a drug-free workplace Employee Handbook should address your expectations related to:
• Employee responsibility rules if alcohol or drugs are found in their system while at work.
• When an employer will consider other Driver Controlled Substance and alcohol testing options, because if one test result is confirmed positive, it’s presumed that evidence exists that the driver committed violations of controlled substances and alcohol prohibitions standards. Hence, an employer would not have to conduct reasonable suspicion drug testing or alcohol testing as proof of reasonable suspicion before taking action against an employee who violates Employee Training for a Drug-Free Workplace rules.

In short, it’s important to train all supervisors and executives, and how to conduct reasonable suspicion determinations in the workplace and also understand the importance of maintaining a drug-free workplace.

MDMA is Becoming Increasingly Popular

When used legally, ketamine is almost solely used on animals, rather than humans, as a tranquilizer or anesthetic. Because it has legal, accepted medical uses, ketamine is a DEA Schedule III drug. This means that it is considered safe and legal in certain quantities with a relatively low risk for abuse. However, the maximum quantity is set to prevent the possibility of abuse and psychological dependence.

Details – What Is Ketamine, and What Does It Do?

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic. This means it creates a feeling of dissociation (detachment) from the user’s environment by distorting their perception of sound and sight. Users can inject, snort, or swallow the drug.

It is sometimes used as a date rape drug, which can easily dissolve in a beverage. Typically, when someone is dosed with ketamine, they will feel detached and may have difficulty moving or struggling, making it an attractive tool for attackers.

Ketamine’s Background

Ketamine was first synthesized in 1962 and intended to be a replacement anesthetic for PCP. Whereas PCP had a long list of negative, lasting side effects, ketamine was supposed to be a safer alternative. When human testing began two years later, researchers found that ketamine had at least mild hallucinogenic effects. Those side effects were so mild compared to preceding drugs, though, that it was determined that ketamine would be safe for human use.

It was not until the 1970s that ketamine became popular for recreational use. It took about a decade for the DEA to react, placing ketamine under Schedule III drugs in 1982. It has been considered a controlled substance ever since.

Street Names for Ketamine

If you hear dealers and users talking about ketamine, they may use its actual name in some instances, but in most cases, you will hear other slang terms, such as:

• Vitamin K
• Special K
• Cat Valium
• K
• Super C
• Super Acid

The two most prevalent brand names for ketamine are Ketalar and Ketalar SV.

Side Effects of Using Ketamine

Some of the most common side effects of using ketamine include nausea, vomiting, and/or loss of appetite. Others may include:

• Drowsiness
• Sedation
• Increased heart rate and/or blood pressure
• Disorientation
• Confusion
• Muscle weakness
• Respiratory Depression
• Death (due to overdose)

Some users have reported psychotropic effects as well, such as hallucinations. Overdosing on ketamine could result in a coma or brain damage.

What Does the High From Ketamine Feel Like?

So what is it like to be on ketamine? Between two and five minutes after ingesting or snorting ketamine, the user will have a sudden high that usually lasts for about an hour. If the user decides to inject the drug, they can expect the high to be even faster, taking only about 30 seconds to begin.

In most cases, the user will first feel completely relaxed. Some have reported feeling like they were floating, while others felt a “full-body buzz.” This is where the dissociative nature of the drug comes in, as users will generally feel detached from their bodies or environments.

If the user takes a higher dose, they typically see at least mild hallucinations, which may last beyond the high. Some users describe falling into a “K-hole” because they feel completely detached from their bodies as if they have an out-of-body or near-death experience.

Taking ketamine recreationally is dangerous and illegal. Using it to exploit or sexually assault someone else is illegal, dangerous, and immoral. While some quantities of ketamine are legal under the right circumstances, any recreational use or possessing a large quantity of ketamine could result in a prison sentence.

Flunitrazepam – better known by its market name, Rohypnol – is also known as the date rape drug. While most people associate this drug with illegal uses and taking advantage of others, it does have some known medical uses and can be used in small, safe doses. Thus, it is classified by the DEA as a Schedule IV drug. It has a low risk for abuse or addiction, but because it does have some illegal uses, it is still monitored above Schedule V drugs.

Details – What Is Flunitrazepam?

Flunitrazepam is, according to the University of Maryland’s Center for Substance Abuse Research, “A central nervous system depressant in a class of drugs called benzodiazepines.” These drugs are sedative-hypnotics, and they are used for a variety of purposes, including treatment of:

• Sleep disorders
• Seizures
• Anxiety
• Insomnia

In lower doses, flunitrazepam and other sedative-hypnotics can be used as muscle relaxers. In higher doses, they are generally used for sedation. It should be noted, though, that flunitrazepam is significantly more powerful than Valium, and it has never been approved for prescription or over-the-counter use or sale in the US.

Thus, in this country, flunitrazepam is almost only found as a street drug sold in pill form as round white tablets. These pills are tasteless and odorless, and they easily and quickly dissolve in liquid.

In almost all cases, people do not use flunitrazepam willingly. Rather, it is slipped into a drink or otherwise given to them unknowingly. Most of the time, they will then lose consciousness and will not have any memory of anything that happened leading up to or after taking the drug.

Flunitrazepam’s Background Abroad and in the US

Because it is legally prescribed in other countries and because it has gained a reputation in facilitating sexual assault, manufacturers have changed the appearance and makeup of the pills. Newer Rohypnol tablets are now oblong, green, and when they dissolve in the liquid, they change its color to blue. This makes them much more easily detectable.

Also, while flunitrazepam is only a Schedule IV drug, under the Drug-Induced Rape Prevention Act, the penalties for trafficking can be as severe as those for Schedule I, II, or III drugs (respectively, depending on quantity).

Street Names for Flunitrazepam

Common street names for flunitrazepam include:

• Rohypnol
• Roach
• Roche
• R2
• Mexican Valium
• Forget-Me Pill
• Rope
• Rophies
• Roofinol

Side Effects of Using Flunitrazepam

In addition to memory loss, the side effects of taking this drug also include:

• Muscle weakness
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Unconsciousness
• Difficulty breathing
• Blurred vision
• Confusion

What Does the High From Flunitrazepam Feel Like?

In most cases, there is no appreciable high from taking flunitrazepam. People who take it themselves will usually take it to forget painful or anxiety-inducing experiences such as surgery or a prolonged dental visit. People who give it to an unknowing victim are hoping that the victim will be disoriented and weak and that they will either lose consciousness completely or have no memory of any of the occurrences after giving them the pill.

It is important to remember that, even if you have Rohypnol for personal use and it is technically a Schedule IV drug, the consequences could be very severe if you have obtained it illegally. Depending on how much of the drug you have on your person, you could be convicted for attempting to traffic a Schedule I substance, which is on the same level as attempting to traffic heroin or LSD. The DEA takes date rape drugs very seriously.

Salvia Divinorum Explained

A member of the mint family, salvia divinorum is native to the Sierra Mazateca Mountains of Mexico. In its indigenous region, native people have been using it as a tool for healing and religious rituals for many centuries. It has been likened to marijuana in that it has a psychoactive element that can produce mild to intense hallucinogenic effects.

Unlike marijuana, though, it has not yet been classified under any of the DEA’s drug schedules, though it has been imported to the US and is being grown in a few places around the country. In this overview, we will discuss a few details about this drug, what it is, and its history, as well as street names to help identify it and other information.

Drug Details – What Is Salvia Divinorum?

As we mentioned a moment ago, salvia divinorum is a member of the mint family. It also contains salvinorin A, a chemical that alters the user’s brain chemistry temporarily, causing them to hallucinate. The federal government has not yet made a decision on the legality of salvia, but due to its potentially intense hallucinogenic properties, the DEA has added it to the list of drugs of concern as a potential risk to the public. Also, some states have passed local laws banning its use.

Salvia can be used in a few different ways:

• Drying and smoking the leaves, as with marijuana.
• Chewing fresh salvia leaves.
• Vaporizing dried leaves and inhaling the vapor.
• Crushing the leaves and mixing them into a beverage.

A Brief History of Salvia

Though salvia divinorum has been used by indigenous people for centuries, the earliest recorded use was in 1938 by Jean B. Johnson, who had heard that Mazatecs were using the leaves of the plant in a tea to induce visions. Johnson and his father-in-law recorded the tea preparation, and in 1962 psychedelics researcher Albert Hoffmann and R. Gordon Wasson experimented with it. Hoffmann called it “a less desirable substitution” for tea made with psilocybin mushrooms.

Not much research was done with the plant beyond that until 2002 when it was discovered that it actually reacts with the brain’s kappa opiate receptor (KOR) site, which regulates human perception.

Street Names for Salvia Divinorum

Salvia divinorum is most commonly referred to as:

• Shepherdess’ Herb
• Salvia
• Magic Mint
• Sally-D
• Diviner’s Sage
• Diviner’s Mint
• Sister Salvia
• Lady Salvia

Side Effects of Using Salvia Divinorum

Some of the side effects of salvia that concern the DEA and other governmental entities include:

• Dizziness
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Loss of coordination
• Slowed heart rate
• Lowered blood pressure
• Chills
• Awkward speech patterns
• Slurred speech

Although it has apparently been in use by indigenous people in Mexico for hundreds of years, there is not yet enough data to determine whether or not prolonged use of salvia will have any negative physical or mental health effects.

What Does the High From Salvia Feel Like?

Upon smoking or chewing salvia, users report having intense hallucinations in which they feel as though they are floating, flying, spinning, or even traveling through time and space. Users who ingest salvia by eating it or drinking it in a beverage have milder hallucinations, as the digestive system breaks down the active ingredient and any exposure to the salvinorin A happens in the mouth and esophagus.

Whatever the method of ingesting the drug, it seems that visual hallucinations caused by salvia can be ended by interrupting them with light and noise.

Though salvia is technically legal in much of the United States, that may not be the case for much longer. The DEA will continue to research this drug to determine if it is a risk to the public and/or if it should be placed in one of their drug schedules.

Just a few years ago, many people thought that cocaine had seen its heyday and would be virtually gone from the streets forever. However, over the past years, cocaine has seen a massive resurgence all over the United States. Though it is not as dangerous as heroin, LSD, and other DEA Schedule I substances, cocaine falls just beneath them as a Schedule II drug. This overview should give you a thorough understanding of this all too prevalent drug, where it comes from, and how it affects its users.

The Historical Background of Cocaine

Cocaine derives from the leaves of the coca bush (Erythroxylon), and is primarily found in South America. People have been consuming these leaves for a number of reasons for at least 5,000 years. Some of the uses for coca leaves throughout history have been:

• Appetite suppressant
• Energy boost
• Fatigue relief
• Pain relief

It was not until 1860, though, that Albert Niemann would isolate the drug itself. Then, within the next 20 years after Neimann’s achievement, it gained usefulness as an anesthetic in a number of types of surgery for the eyes, nose, and throat. Not only was it good as an anesthetic, though, but it also decreased bleeding, as it constricted the patient’s blood vessels.

Coca leaves and cocaine gained so much popularity in beverages and other products, though, that the Harrison Narcotic Act of 1914 was necessary to ban cocaine importation for any reason other than medical or pharmaceutical uses.

This, of course, did not stop illegal cocaine trafficking, which only gained speed with the Controlled Substance Act of 1970. This further regulated pharmaceutical amphetamines, driving recreational drug users to a more available substance – cocaine. Then, with the advent of crack cocaine in the 1980s, cocaine, gained even more popularity on the streets.

Details – What Is Cocaine?

You know that cocaine was derived from coca leaves, but what is it? And what does it do? Cocaine is a very powerful stimulant. When sold on the streets, it comes in the form of a fine white powder. To keep their profit margins up, dealers may “cut” their cocaine by mixing it with baby powder, flour, cornstarch, or other substances. They may also mix it with other, cheaper stimulants to keep their customers from noticing the difference.

Most often, users will get high on cocaine by snorting it. However, it may also be smoked (as in the case of crack cocaine), or it may also be injected.

Street Names for Cocaine

Some of the most common street names for cocaine in powder form include:

• Coke
• Flake
• Snow
• Toot
• Blow
• C
• Candy
• Charlie

A small amount of cocaine, usually snorted off of a key, is called a bump, and you may hear people referring to cocaine use as “doing a bump” or “going skiing.”

In the case of crack cocaine, you may also hear it referred to as:

• Crack
• Rock(s)
• Sleet
• Ball
• Scrabble
• Raw

Side Effects of Using Cocaine

Some of the most common side effects of cocaine include but are not limited to:

• Anxiety
• Increased heart rate and/or blood pressure
• Muscle spasms, tremors, and/or twitches
• Restlessness
• Nausea

A cocaine overdose can be fatal, but, in many cases, users will experience negative side effects and health problems due not only to the cocaine but also to whatever substances may have been mixed with it.

What Does the High From Cocaine Feel Like?

During a cocaine high, a user will usually feel a sense of extreme happiness, and they will feel highly energized and alert. They may also be hypersensitive to sounds, touch, or sight, and they may grow irritable or paranoid, especially with extended use.

Because they are “natural”, many people believe that psilocybin mushrooms are automatically safer than LSD and other synthesized hallucinogens. We could name any number of things that are natural (poison ivy, for example) that you would not want to put in your system, but even without this argument, psilocybin is a DEA Schedule I drug. This means that the FDA recognizes no medical use for it, and it bears a high risk level for abuse and/or dependency.

Drug Details – What Is Psilocybin?

Basically, psilocybin is a hallucinogenic chemical found in specific mushrooms that grow in subtropical and tropical regions of the US, Mexico, Central America, and South America. One mushroom, according to the National Drug Intelligence Center, usually contains two types of hallucinogen – 0.2-0.4% psilocybin and trace amounts of psilocin. Though both of these substances can be synthesized, there is no major evidence that this is happening with any significant regularity.

To get high off of psilocybin, users will take fresh or dried mushrooms orally. Because the mushrooms have a bitter taste, most users will cook or mix them with other foods, brew them into a tea, or make them into candies.

The Historical Background of Psilocybin

Use of psilocybin mushrooms dates back at least 3000 years, with art and sculptures representing mushroom caps in religious rituals for indigenous people throughout North and South America appearing as early as 1500 BCE.

While many people believe that “sacred mushrooms” played a large part in the religious ceremonies of the Aztecs and Mayans, there is a lot of controversy surrounding this claim. While it is likely that the drug was used in at least some ceremonies and that people from these cultures likely ingested it by accident and/or for recreational purposes, some historians believe that this is as far as mushroom use went and that these fungi were not nearly as “sacred” as many believe.

Modern use of psilocybin began when scientist R. Gordon Wasson was traveling through Mexico studying mushrooms in the 1950s. After participating in a religious ceremony with some Mazatec people in the Oaxaca region of Mexico, he experienced the high and wrote an article titled “Seeking the Magic Mushroom” for Life Magazine in 1957.

Thanks to Wasson’s findings, Albert Hofmann (who first synthesized LSD) was able to identify and isolate the active ingredients, psilocybin and psilocin. Beyond Hofmann’s work, Timothy Leary became intrigued with the drug, and from there it went mainstream with more and more people “seeking the magic mushroom.”

Street Names for Psilocybin

Some of the most common street names you’ll hear referring to psilocybin are:

• Shrooms
• Magic Mushrooms
• Purple Passion
• Mushrooms
• Simple Simon
• God’s Flesh

When psilocybin is mixed and used with other drugs, it may also be called:

• Hippie Flip – mixing MDMA with psilocybin.
• Boomers – using psilocybin with LSD.
• Sherm – using psilocybin with PCP.

Side Effects of Using Psilocybin

Taking psilocybin can produce a number of negative side effects, including:

• Headaches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Anxiety
• Exacerbation of symptoms of mental illness
• Paranoia and fear
• Dizziness
• Low blood pressure
• Lightheadedness
• Loss of consciousness

What Does the High From Psilocybin Feel Like?

Many users describe the high from psilocybin mushrooms as very similar to that of doing mescaline or LSD. Users generally have moderate to intense visual hallucinations and may experience dramatic mood swings throughout the high. They may also be more likely to engage in impulsive behavior, not realizing the potential for danger at the moment.

Like LSD and mescaline, psilocybin is a Schedule I drug, meaning that the DEA considers it as dangerous as these other drugs, whether or not it is “natural”.

Like marijuana, hashish is a cannabinoid and a DEA Schedule I substance. It is very similar to marijuana, or cannabis, and thus its background and side effects often parallel those of marijuana. There are a few distinct differences, though, which is why we have compiled this overview of hashish, including its background and other important details

The Historical Background of Hashish

While marijuana first appeared in written text around the year 2737 BCE, hashish did not make an appearance until around the year 900 AD, when it became popular across what was then known as Arabia. In fact, it was so popular that it made an appearance in the famed One Thousand and One Arabian Nights.

Interestingly enough, hashish gets its name from the Persian word for an assassin, as it was believed to be used by assassins in that area. Whether or not this was true, it is likely that we have none other than Marco Polo to thank for the modern use of the term hashish, as he was the one who brought the legend of hashish assassins back to Europe with him around 1300.

Details – What Is Hashish?

While you likely already know that hashish is derived from the same Cannabis sativa plant as marijuana, you may not know the differences that make it a unique substance. So what is hashish?

Hashish is made by extracting, compressing, and/or purifying the tops of the flowers of the cannabis plant. The flowers contain trichomes, which have the highest THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content of the entire plant. Because THC is the chemical that produces any cannabinoid’s high, hashish is usually much more potent than marijuana and other cannabinoids.

To get high with hashish, users will almost always either smoke it or consume it. To smoke hashish, a water pipe (called a hookah) is almost always used, though it may also be rolled with tobacco into a blunt. When eaten, it is usually cooked into baked goods, such as cookies, brownies, or butter.

It is important to note that, though many people view hashish and marijuana as mild drugs, hashish, and all cannabinoids qualify as Schedule I drugs with the DEA. Schedule I drugs are believed to have a high potential for abuse, and they have no known (or accepted) medical value or use. Thus, Schedule I drugs – including heroin, LSD, and others – carry the harshest criminal sentences of all drug Schedules.

Street Names for Hashish

When referring to hashish on the street, most people will refer to it as one of the following:

• Hash
• Gangster
• Hemp
• Hash oil
• Boom
• Ganja
• Dope
• Weed

Side Effects of Using Hashish

When a user smokes or eats hashish, THC enters the bloodstream and travels to the brain, where receptors for THC-like chemicals that the body produces will naturally pick it up and affect the way the user feels. Some of the most common side effects of using hashish include, but are not limited to:

• Increased heart rate
• Respiratory issues (frequent coughing, infections, etc.)
• Increased anxiety
• Impaired memory
• Decline in mental health

What Does the High From Hashish Feel Like?

Hashish users report a feeling of temporary euphoria and relaxation. Some may also have hallucinations, though these are typically milder than those associated with harder drugs, like LSD. Reaction times are typically slowed, and the user generally feels very lethargic.

With this overview, you should better understand what hashish is and how it affects the human brain and body. Understand that, as a Schedule I drug, hashish is illegal, and possession may result in serious criminal charges.

A DEA Schedule I drug, GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) is often used recreationally or as a date rape drug. While flunitrazepam (better known as Rohypnol) is perhaps the most well-known date rape drug, GHB is also often used because it puts the user into a deep sleep for a period of about four hours during which they cannot be awakened and will not resist.

What Is GHB – and Why Do People Use It?

Because it has very similar results to other sedative-hypnotics like Rohypnol, you may wonder why people would use GHB themselves. Basically, while it puts the user in a sleep state for a period of around four hours, it also builds the body’s dopamine levels. When the body is ready to awaken after the drug-induced sleep, that dopamine is released, giving the user a happy and euphoric feeling upon waking.

Some bodybuilders and weightlifters have also been known to use GHB, as it is believed to help build muscle and burn fat, due to protein synthesis in the sleep state.

For the most part, though, GHB is known as a date rape drug, and it is popular as such because it is easily found in clear liquid form and is not detectable when slipped into a beverage.

The Historical Background of GHB

GHB was first synthesized in 1960, and throughout that decade it was a popular anesthetic throughout the medical world. Doctors found, though, that it had a very poor pain relieving effect, and so they stopped using it as an anesthetic and began recommending it as a narcolepsy treatment. Because it had euphoric side effects, it was ineffective in treating narcolepsy.

It was not until 1990 that the FDA finally declared GHB unsafe for human consumption. It took another 10 years for the drug to become a DEA Schedule I substance. With no known medical uses and a number of potentially dangerous outcomes for use, this drug carries with it the same criminal consequences as heroin and other Schedule I drugs.

Street Names for GHB

Some of the most popular street names for GHB include, but are not limited to:

• Grievous Bodily Harm
• G
• Georgia Home Boy
• Liquid X
• Liquid Ecstasy
• Soap
• Goop
• Scoop
• Easy Lay
• G-Juice
• Great Hormones
• Bedtime Scoop
• Gamma 10
• Somatomax

Side Effects of Using GHB

Some of the acute effects of using GHB, even just one time, include:

• Sedation
• Drowsiness
• Headache
• Disorientation
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of coordination
• Seizures

An overdose on GHB can also result in a prolonged coma or death. Extended drug use increases the likelihood of experiencing some or all of these side effects. And, as the body builds a tolerance to the drug, an overdose is more and more likely.

What Does the High From GHB Feel Like?

Because taking GHB almost always results in a heavy sleep state, most people do not take it recreationally. Rather, they use it as a tool for sexual assault or to otherwise take advantage of a victim.

Those who do take GHB recreationally report that after about four hours of sleep, they wake up feeling euphoric and alert. They feel as though they can take on anything, which is one of the reasons that bodybuilders and weightlifters have been known to use GHB – it may help build muscle, and it makes it easier to get up go train, even after a very difficult session the day before.

Remember, GHB is a DEA Schedule I drug, meaning that it has serious legal consequences, even without the potential negative mental and physical side effects.