Drug Analysis

Drug Analysis Lab   

Drug 4 picture courtesy of Alexis
Bell

Cocaine and meth are very powerful drugs that  can destroy the body and can effective the future of people's lives. In the drug analysis experiment, my group used certain chemicals to test the cocaine reagent and LSD reagent. We mixed the white substance in the water . Then we took the mixed substance and the chemical reagent dropped it little of each on the petri dish . To tell if each drug was cocaine or not, the color would turn blue. The LSD reagent would turn yellow if it is positive. The last step is testing the ph of the drug. The ph of the drug should turn the color yellow and have the Ph of 7 to be positive.There was meth reagent we were going to do but we did not have the necessary tools to do that particular part of the experiment. Presented below this is the data we collected on all six drugs.

Drug(listed in order)	LSD(yellow +)	Cocaine(blue +)	Meth	Ph(the color also)
1	Negative	Negative	Not Tested	6 -yellow
2	Negative	Positive	Not Tested	10-blue
3	Positive	Negative	Not Tested	3-
4	Negative	Positive	Not Tested	7-green
5	Negative	Negative	Not Tested	7-yellow
6	Positive	Negative	Not Tested	4-red

Drug station 4 picture courtesy of Alexis Bell

The History of Meth

Meth is a extreme powerful central nervous system stimulant that has a high potential for use in abuse. Meth was orginally created in Germany. In the 1920s, the drug started the use of a cure or treatment for those who had depression to decongestion.   The meth plant is created from a group of shrubs called ephedra and is found in China, Pakistan, India, and America. Nazi soldiers in World War II gave out meth for sailors and pilots just so they could get on high on the meth .Through the meth pills given to German soldiers caused health effects as a boost for fighting ability. Then in the 1950s meth started in America. Students began to pop pills to keep awake and meth had a use for the treatment of obesity. In the 1960s, Doctors in California gave injections of meth to heroin addicts. Then transcending in the 90s Meth was continuously growing in urban communities. There was alarming growth of meth everywhere in America such as South Dakota. Meth was a major threat in this area.

The Effects of Meth

Meth can destroy the brain, teeth, tissues, and blood vessels but the body cannot repair these organs in our body. People who take meth tremendously amount times over again can age quickly and deteriorate. Meth addicts that use meth on a day-to-day basis usually have poor diets, rotting teeth, and bad hygiene. Meth can additionally change the physical appearance of meth users. Meth causes blood vessels to shrink which means there is no steady blood flow to the parts of the body. Some continuous users of meth can start to create unhealed sores because of obsessive skin picking brought on thought that they might have bugs crawling on them.

The Brief History of Cocaine

Cocaine was created in the years between 1858-1860, by the 1860s it was used for many illnesses. Theodor Aschenbrandt in 1883 gave the soldiers of the Bavarian army cocaine. They discovered that it helped the soldiers persistently keep in action on the battlefield. Then cocaine started to sell over the counter. Cocaine was used for helping in toothaches cures and patent medicines. Another medical use for cocaine was it was an excellent anesthetic.  Cocaine was use for surgical procedures such as the one conducted by William Halstead. William Halstead unfortunately experimented with an injection of cocaine and became an addict. His cocaine habit lasted the rest of his life. There is a soda named after cocaine named Coco-Cola it was introduced to prevent nerve afflictions. In the year of 1903 the serving of Coca Cola had 60 mg of cocaine in it but today Coca Cola is made out of coca-leaves.

cocaine

The Effects of Cocaine

The effects of cocaine can eventually create permanent damage of the body parts, addiction and death. There are short term effects and long term effects that can take hold of the user. The short term effects that he or she may experience are decreased appetite, dilated pupils, constricted blood vessels and blood pressure. The long term effects on a day-to-day user are strokes, seizures, and breathing problems. There are methods of taking in cocaine that can produce health effects. Snorting in cocaine can cause nosebleeds, loss of smell, and problems swallowing. Ingesting cocaine into your system can cause severe bowel infections that reduce the blood flow to the intestine. Injecting cocaine in your system can cause high risk of HIV, Hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases.

LSD

LSD is also known as Lysergic acid diethylamide is chemical that effects a person’s mood, thoughts, or perceptions.LSD was created from a fungus that grows on various of grains such as rye. Albert Hofmann in 1938 created LSD for the use of stimulating circulation and breathing. After Albert Hofmann left the experiment he was doing containing LSD, he came back and accidentally absorbed a bit of LSD which caused him to be dizzy, crazy, and have weird visuals. He immediately experienced effects of LSD.

The Effects of LSD

LSD also known as lysergic acid diethylamide is very powerful drug. One single grain of LSD can cause many of effects. There are behavior effects of people that use LSD including chills, muscle weakness, confusion, fear and increases blood pressure. For day-to-day users they have to immediately absorb LSD so they will not have greater effects by it .The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 says that the penalty of anyone have 1 gram of LSD gets 5 years in prison.




In my personal opinion drugs have been around forever. In the 1990s drugs were a real problem in the black community too. Drugs can destroy a persons future in a twlinking of an eye. After hearing about effects of cocaine and meth, I know I willl not be trying drugs anytime soon. I have actually saw people be effected by drugs . The sight of a  drug addict looked like the drugs were the only thing that kept them breathing. Drugs are so powerful. After learning about these drugs I think will help people in my community to get drug addicts help.Even if its just passing out flyers to the addicts on the streets it may help them  go to a rehabilitation and get some help.

Citations

"Neuroscience for Kids - LSD." UW Faculty Web Server. Web. 03 Dec. 2011. <http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/lsd.html>.

This website gets the credibility for the definition of LSD and the effects of LSD


"History of Cocaine." Promises of Reovery- Alcohol,Narcotis,adult Child,CoDependancy Anonymous. Web. 03 Dec. 2011. <http://promises.www4.50megs.com/cocaine.html>.
This website gets the credibility of the research about the history of cocaine.

 "Cocaine." Cocaine Effects, Cocaine Withdrawal, Cocaine Treatment. Web. 03 Dec. 2011. <http://www.cocaine-effects.com/>.
this website above gets the credbility of the idea about the short and long term effects of cocaine

"A Brief History of Meth." Mapp-SD A Project of Prairire View Prevention Services. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. <http://www.mappsd.org/Meth%20History.htm>.
This website gets the credibility of the defintion about Meth.

"How Meth Destroys The Body | The Meth Epidemic | FRONTLINE | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 03 Dec. 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/body/>.
This website gets the credbility of the idea about the effects on the body using meth.

"A Brief History of Methamphetamine - Alcohol and Drug Abuse Information." Vermont Department of Health. Web. 03 Dec. 2011. <http://healthvermont.gov/adap/meth/brief_history.aspx>.
This website gets the credibility of the idea about the 1950s teenagers popping meth pills to keep awake.


"DEA, Cocaine Images." Welcome to the United States Department of Justice. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. <http://www.justice.gov/dea/images_cocaine.html>.
This website gets the credibility for the image of cocaine.

"History of Methamphetamine." Montogomery County Sheriff's Office, a Full Service Law Enforcement Agency. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. <http://www.montgomerycountytn.org/County/sheriff/meth/methHistory.aspx>.

This website gets the credbility of the research on the history of meth.

Links

 http://www.methproject.org/

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/cocaine_abuse/article_em.htm