|
»My sister has been
using cocaine & ecstasy at the same time and recently her doctor
has put her on Zoloft for depression not knowing of the drug problem.
Is this a dangerous combination?
There are no direct physical dangers from mixing
Zoloft and Ecstasy (MDMA). Zoloft (or to use its chemical name,
Sertraline) is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors),
the same class of anti-depressants as Prozac (Flouxetine),
Celexa (Citalopram Hydrobromide), Luvox (Fluvoxamine),
and Paxil (Paroxetine). These chemicals will actually reduce
or even completely eliminate the effects of Ecstasy when the two
are taken together, due to both drugs having almost opposite effects
on the brain's serotonin system. Also Celexa in particular is sometimes
used to treat cocaine-dependency and may reduce cocaine effects
and craving.
Cocaine works on the dopamine system in the brain
to produce its effects and MDMA has no direct effect on this system,
although dopamine does play a role in the MDMA effect. Cocaine,
however, does increase heart-rate and blood pressure which may cause
physical problems in an unfit person.
Perhaps more importantly, long term, both cocaine
and ecstasy cause significant crashes and depression after use.
In different ways. There are consistent reports, both anecdotal
and scientific, that constant or binge ecstasy use is linked to
depressed mood. Cocaine causes noticeable mood-swings and crashes
on a next few days basis for occasional users, and long-term mood
problems for chronic users. Using both on a regular basis is likely
to exacerbate her depression.
» I am 7 months pregnant. I have smoked
an occasional "one hitter" of cannabis throughout my pregnancy.
What is the possible side effect for my child? I do not smoke cigarettes
or drink alcohol.
"Marijuana has no reliable impact
on birth size, length of gestation, neurological development, or
the occurrence of physical abnormalities. The administration of
hundreds of tests to older children has revealed only minor differences
between the offspring of marijuana users and nonusers, and some
are positive rather than negative. (...) While it is sensible to
advise women to abstain from all drugs during pregnancy, the weight
of evidence suggests that marijuana does not directly harm the human
foetus." (1)
You can find more on this subject
here.
» I am off to Amsterdam today with
my fiancée who doesn't smoke cannabis. My idea is to introduce
him to hash cakes but he is allergic to aspirin and I am worried
that he might have a reaction to cannabis.
Your fiancée shouldn't have any allergy
problems with eaten cannabis. However if he hasn't ever taken cannabis
before, BE VERY CAREFUL about feeding him hash cakes. Dutch cannabis
is very strong and eating cannabis triples the effect (see cannabis
effects). It could be very disconcerting for him if he's
never been stoned.
Go to a good coffee shop and the staff will be able to advise you
on strengths and varieties. We wrote an full Amsterdam guide on
http://www.seethru.co.uk.
You'll find some good cafes and hang-outs there.
» Is it possible to
be allergic to cannabis? Recently I have had nasal problems when
cannabis smoke is around me, my nose gets plugged and sometimes
I get a runny nose and occasionally I sneeze to.
Is it possible to allergic to cannabis although
the active ingredient, THC, is endowed with some moderate anti-inflammatory,
anti-allergic properties. There has been little study in this area.
It may be that other elements in the smoke, especially if you mix
with tobacco, are causing your reaction. If you can, try smoking
through a vaporiser (which significantly decreases the amount of
toxic smoke-based compounds) and see if that produces the same effect.
If it does, then you probably are allergic to cannabis. Unlucky.
 top
» What is the most
common way to test for LSD?
There used to be a product available from
online Dutch smart shops which tested for LSD and other tryptamine-family
chemicals (i.e. psilocybin and DMT) but we are unable to find it
anymore. You may be able to locate it if you search around Google.com.
The alternatively is one of the numerous home-testing kits marketed
for suspicious parents. Like this.
» Is it dangerous
to take ecstasy if you have asthma?
Anecdotal reports seem to suggest that there
are no particular problems or direct physical dangers for asthmatics
taking ecstasy. However many asthma inhalers (such as Ventolin or
Salbutamol) use amphetamine-like chemicals which increase heart
rate and blood pressure and may not be wise to combine with Ecstasy.
top
»
When I take drugs like mushrooms, they seem to last a lot longer
for me than anyone else? Is this heard of or am I a freak?
Basically, different people react differently
to different drugs. Some hard heads have a very high resistance
to psychoactives and have to take double or triple doses just to
feel the normal doses. Other people, like yourself, are highly sensitive
and are bouncing off the walls after the smallest amount. Size,
body-weight, gender, and race are all factors which can affect sensitivity.
top
» How come sometimes I can smoke 5
grams of marijuana and be perfectly alright, and other times have
one joint and have an anxiety attack?
The character of many drugs effects and reactions
are dependent on 'set and setting', your mindset (how you feel at
the time, what's going on in your life, your prevailing mood, the
kind of day you've had) and your environment (where are you? are
you relaxed there? who's with you? are you comfortable with everyone?).
Maybe examining when, where, what, and how you smoke
will help?
Is there any thing consistent in your panic reactions?
Time of day? Place where you're smoking?
You say sometimes 5 grams is okay. Sometimes one joint
is enough to send you spiraling off. Could it be a strength issue?
Is the cannabis you smoke always the same quality? The difference
between a mild or low-grade strain and a fresh powerful strain can
be considerable. If you're not prepared for being so stoned, so
quickly, it may unsettle or even panic you.
What time of day do you smoke? Evenings are generally
best as the body and the mind is more relaxed. Have you eaten before?
Generally, an empty stomach will make drug effects stronger. A full
stomach tends to ground you and lessen the possible unsettling out-of-body
spacey side-effects of cannabis.
Otherwise, our page on Bad
Trips And How To Avoid Them may be helpful
1. Zimmer L, Morgan JP.
Marijuana Myths Marijuana Facts. A review of the scientific evidence.
New York/San Francisco: The Lindesmith Centre, 1997.'
|
