The Seven Categories of Street Drugs Or Why the Textbook is confusing Why the cop is confusing (Drug Recognition Expert Training Manual, 1993).

Legal Misidentification The Seven Legal Categories of Street Drugs Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants Central Nervous System (CNS) Stimulants Central Nervous System (CNS) Stimulants Hallucinogens Hallucinogens Phencyclidines (PCP) [S, D, H ] Phencyclidines (PCP) [S, D, H ] Narcotic Analgesics [D] Narcotic Analgesics [D] Inhalants [D, S, H ] Inhalants [D, S, H ] Cannabis [H] Cannabis [H]

Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants Examples of Central Nervous System Depressants are barbiturates, synthetic barbiturates, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety tranquilizers, and anti-psychotic tranquilizers. These are drugs that slow brain function, and voluntary actions, and, with increasing dosage, have an impact on the autonomic functions such as blood pressure, heart rate and respiration. Impairment may include slowed reflexes, inability to divide attention, reduced inhibitions, impaired judgment, lack of concentration, impaired vision and coordination, slurred speech, incoherence, and being emotionally labile. Examples of Central Nervous System Depressants are barbiturates, synthetic barbiturates, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety tranquilizers, and anti-psychotic tranquilizers. These are drugs that slow brain function, and voluntary actions, and, with increasing dosage, have an impact on the autonomic functions such as blood pressure, heart rate and respiration. Impairment may include slowed reflexes, inability to divide attention, reduced inhibitions, impaired judgment, lack of concentration, impaired vision and coordination, slurred speech, incoherence, and being emotionally labile.

Central Nervous System (CNS) Stimulants Examples of Central Nervous System Stimulants include ephedrines, drugs to stay awake, cocaine, crack cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, excessive caffeine, and drugs to control appetite. These are drugs that stimulate the brain and raise the heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and body temperature. Impairment may include nervousness, irritability, inability to think or concentrate clearly, and unpredictable and bizarre behavior. Examples of Central Nervous System Stimulants include ephedrines, drugs to stay awake, cocaine, crack cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, excessive caffeine, and drugs to control appetite. These are drugs that stimulate the brain and raise the heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and body temperature. Impairment may include nervousness, irritability, inability to think or concentrate clearly, and unpredictable and bizarre behavior.

Hallucinogens Examples of Hallucinogens include peyote, psilocybin, morning glory seeds, and synthetic drugs such as LSD, MDA, STP. These are drugs that distort reality. Effects include seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, or feeling something that isn't really there or is different from the way it really is. Impairment may include a psychotic episode, panic and uncontrolled excitement, a feeling of terror with an attempt to escape, flashbacks, altered body sensations, weakness, dizziness, tingling skin, and perceptual distortion of the five senses. Examples of Hallucinogens include peyote, psilocybin, morning glory seeds, and synthetic drugs such as LSD, MDA, STP. These are drugs that distort reality. Effects include seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, or feeling something that isn't really there or is different from the way it really is. Impairment may include a psychotic episode, panic and uncontrolled excitement, a feeling of terror with an attempt to escape, flashbacks, altered body sensations, weakness, dizziness, tingling skin, and perceptual distortion of the five senses.

Phencyclidines (PCP) Examples of Phencyclidines include PCP, ketamine, and angel dust. Persons taking PCP can react as if they had taken a stimulant, a depressant, a hallucinogen or any combination of these. The impact upon an individual is unpredictable Impairment includes delirium, agitation, visual disturbances, increased blood pressure, rigid muscle tone, speech difficulty, violence, and convulsions. Examples of Phencyclidines include PCP, ketamine, and angel dust. Persons taking PCP can react as if they had taken a stimulant, a depressant, a hallucinogen or any combination of these. The impact upon an individual is unpredictable Impairment includes delirium, agitation, visual disturbances, increased blood pressure, rigid muscle tone, speech difficulty, violence, and convulsions.

Narcotic Analgesics Examples of Narcotic Analgesics include heroine, natural and derivatives of opium, morphine and derivative forms, and synthetic pain relievers. These drugs are used to relieve pain. Tolerance is developed quickly by the user. Larger doses will be needed to produce the same effect. A user at a steady dose who has developed a tolerance may not become impaired. Impairment includes droopy eyelids, slow raspy speech, deliberate movements, slow respiration, inability to concentrate, vomiting, and depressed reflexes. Examples of Narcotic Analgesics include heroine, natural and derivatives of opium, morphine and derivative forms, and synthetic pain relievers. These drugs are used to relieve pain. Tolerance is developed quickly by the user. Larger doses will be needed to produce the same effect. A user at a steady dose who has developed a tolerance may not become impaired. Impairment includes droopy eyelids, slow raspy speech, deliberate movements, slow respiration, inability to concentrate, vomiting, and depressed reflexes.

Inhalants Examples of Inhalants include acetone, paint, glue, cleaning fluids, aerosol spray propellants, nail polish remover, kerosene, nitrous oxide, chloroform and anesthetic gases. Inhalants block oxygen from reaching the brain. The impact of inhalants may be that of stimulants, depressants or hallucinogens, and is a mind altering result. Impairment may include inebriation, dizziness, numbness, bizarre thoughts, euphoria, distorted sense of time, hallucinations, floating sensations, grandiosity, nausea, excessive salivation, drowsiness, weakness, lightheadedness, altered shapes and colors, slurred speech, disorientation, and confusion. INSTANT DEATH MAY OCCUR. Examples of Inhalants include acetone, paint, glue, cleaning fluids, aerosol spray propellants, nail polish remover, kerosene, nitrous oxide, chloroform and anesthetic gases. Inhalants block oxygen from reaching the brain. The impact of inhalants may be that of stimulants, depressants or hallucinogens, and is a mind altering result. Impairment may include inebriation, dizziness, numbness, bizarre thoughts, euphoria, distorted sense of time, hallucinations, floating sensations, grandiosity, nausea, excessive salivation, drowsiness, weakness, lightheadedness, altered shapes and colors, slurred speech, disorientation, and confusion. INSTANT DEATH MAY OCCUR.

Examples of Cannabis include marijuana, marinol (synthetic), hashish, and hashish oil. Cannabis impairs the attention process. Impairment may include a short attention span, an inability to concentrate, or an inability to perform more than one task at a time. Impairment will exhibit itself as an inability to make more than one small decision at a time, such as signaling in traffic while observing other traffic. It may also include body tremors, disorientation, impaired perception of time and space, decreased sexual inhibition, lung damage, chronic bronchitis, anxiety attacks, and personality changes. Examples of Cannabis include marijuana, marinol (synthetic), hashish, and hashish oil. Cannabis impairs the attention process. Impairment may include a short attention span, an inability to concentrate, or an inability to perform more than one task at a time. Impairment will exhibit itself as an inability to make more than one small decision at a time, such as signaling in traffic while observing other traffic. It may also include body tremors, disorientation, impaired perception of time and space, decreased sexual inhibition, lung damage, chronic bronchitis, anxiety attacks, and personality changes.