Codeine, Hydrocodone & Lortab – What are These Drugs & What are Their Differences?

SUBTLE DIFFERENCES

With the ever-growing opioid crisis you may be hearing drug names such as Codeine, hydrocodone and Lortab floating around news stories and conversation. Codeine, Hydrocodone, and Lortab are prescription painkillers. All three are generally in pill-form and when misused have a strong propensity to lead to painkillers addiction. These pills should be taken only when prescribed, as prescribed, and under the supervision of a physician.

Codeine, hydrocodone, and Lortab differ in their compositions. So, although they work similarly in the body to reduce pain, they are not identical, each prescription is composed of slightly different compounds.

It’s important to note that these medications should never be shared or taken without a prescription as they are highly addictive and can be deadly when used beyond the recommended dosage or without a prescription.

CODEINE & HYDROCODONE ARE OPIOIDS

Opioids are medications that reduce pain. They’re commonly prescribed typically for pain associated with injury, respiratory pain, or dental work. These drugs work with the nervous system to alter the body’s perception of pain and provide relief. Painkillers drugs, such as these, are often referred to as narcotic drugs which work to control mood or behavior.

Narcotic drugs can be highly addictive even when used appropriately, so they are highly regulated in the United States and in other countries around the world. If you or someone you know is prone to addictive behavior, it is advised to stay away from narcotics such as these as the risk of addiction to these pills is high.

It is also important to note that hydrocodone is the most widely prescribed painkiller in the United States today. While a very effective painkiller and can help those that might otherwise not be able to live without chronic pain live normal lives, it is also effective in relieving intense pain or even reducing a cough. However, the high experienced by many, can lead to abuse of the drug and subsequent addiction..

There are several strains of Opioids include heroin, morphine, codeine, and hydrocodone. Many that abuse codeine and hydrocodone move on to use heroin, as it is a much less expensive option and offers a similar high.

LORTAB IS ACETAMINOPHEN AND HYDROCODONE COMBINED

Lortab is one of the many prescription name-brand drugs that is typically prescribed as a temporary pain reliever. You may recognize other name brand Hydrocodone drugs as: Vicodin and Lorcet.

Hydrocodone, a narcotic drug and opioid, combined with a mild painkiller like acetaminophen (the main ingredient in Tylenol or Excedrin), increases the potency of the hydrocodone.

CODEINE & HYDROCODONE DEPENDENCY

Codeine and Hydrocodone, when used frequently, causes a physical dependency on the drug itself. The more a person takes, the more a person needs to feel the effects of the drug. The “high” or “euphoria” that comes from the drug decreases with repeated use.

The body becomes accustomed to having the drug in its system to function and therefore craves the drug to feel stable. Since the body does not naturally need to drug to function, this is a high-risk place for the body to exist. When the body does not receive the drug, then the body will experience symptoms of withdrawal such as chills, sweating, nausea, vomiting, muscle spasms, and diarrhea, to name a few.

If you or a loved one is battling with an addiction to Codeine, Hydrocodone, or other prescription drugs an ARISE® Drug & Alcohol Intervention can help.

SOURCES:
https://www.dea.gov/druginfo/factsheets.shtml

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What You Should Really Know About The New Drug “Mojo”

WHAT IS “MOJO”?

“Mojo” is another name for a group of drugs marketed as synthetic marijuana, also sold as “Spice,” “K2,” and “Scooby Snax,” and belongs to a relatively new group known as “synthetic cannabinoids” or “new psychoactive substances”. Synthetic cannabinoids, or “mojo” is made of natural herbs or plant matter, which are then sprayed with synthetic chemicals that are supposed mimic the effects of real marijuana when they are ingested or inhaled. Because of the term “synthetic”, many people, including first-time users, are fooled into thinking that synthetic marijuana is not as harmful or dangerous as the real thing. In fact, “Mojo” and other synthetic cannabinoids are often sold as a “legal alternative to marijuana” and are packaged in brightly colored wrappers similar to children’s candy. In actuality, this synthetic drug produces effects that are much stronger than marijuana, often more unpredictable and in some cases life-threatening.

THE SIDE EFFECTS

In many users, “Mojo” and other synthetic cannabinoids produce severe agitation, paranoia, and anxiety, along with an increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Other signs that a person has ingested “Mojo” could include nausea, vomiting, seizures, muscle spasms, and tremors, coupled with intense hallucinations. Psychotic episodes and both suicidal and homicidal fixations are not rare in users under the influence of these drugs. Cases have been reported in which a user was reduced to a psychotic state after using “Mojo” and other synthetic cannabinoids only once. The drug has caused mental illnesses similar to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and ADHD in some users.

“MOJO” ADDICTION

Physical addiction to “Mojo” and the other members of the synthetic cannabinoid group is a real possibility for regular users. The withdrawal symptoms can be particularly severe. Of special concern is the fact that there are currently no psychiatric drugs that have been developed specifically to treat the side-effects of these new drugs. Consequently, patients exhibiting psychotic illnesses brought on by the synthetic cannabinoid group receive the same treatment given to anyone who has been diagnosed with similar illnesses.

If you or a loved one are suffering from the devastating effects of Mojo or any of its related drugs, there is help and support available to you – an ARISE® Drug and Alcohol Intervention can help get your loved one into treatment and on the road to recovery from synthetic cannabinoids.

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Is Nitrous Oxide Legal?

WHAT IS NITROUS OXIDE?

Nitrous oxide – commonly known as “Laughing Gas”, NOS, nitrous or nitro, is an odorless and colorless gas. When the gas is inhaled it produces feelings of euphoria, giddiness, and relaxation, and can cause auditory and visual hallucinations. If no more of the gas is inhaled, the effects disappear after a couple of minutes. In the late 1700’s the substance was used as a source of entertainment at social gatherings of the upper classes in Europe – enjoyed for it effects of making partygoers dreamy, sedated and often break out in laughter. In the 1844, nitrous oxide was first used in a dental extraction procedure and found to be effective as an anesthetic for dental and medical procedures.

Nitrous oxide still used today as an effective anesthetic for medical and dental procedures, because of it’s common usage in the dental and medical fields, the question often arises as to whether the substance is actually legal.

IS NITROUS OXIDE LEGAL?

The majority of the states in the United States have definite laws concerning nitrous oxide and similar substances. These laws state that it is unlawful to possess or sell nitrous oxide for the purpose of inducing an intoxicated state (by inhaling it). These laws also state that it is unlawful for nitrous oxide to be sold to any person under the age of 18. The violation of these laws is usually classed as a misdemeanor and involves the payment of a stiff fine. The legal use of nitrous oxide is as an anesthetic – to be used under controlled circumstances in medical and dental procedures. However, despite the legal restrictions, this substance continues to be used by individuals recreationally to obtain a so-called “legal high.” The important thing to remember is that nitrous oxide is a drug, and that this drug has certain effects upon the human body. While the effects may be entertaining, there are other effects and consequences resulting from the use and over-use of this drug that can be very harmful when used outside of the controlled, supervised environment of a medical or dental office.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS AND DANGERS OF NITROUS OXIDE?

The outward symptoms that occur shortly after a person has inhaled nitrous oxide are a feeling of euphoria and relaxation, spatial and time disorientation, an increased pain threshold, auditory and visual hallucinations, and a lower voice pitch (the opposite of helium). All of these symptoms are combined with a loss of motor control. Consequently – due to the loss of motor control, a person on a nitrous oxide “trip” is in serious danger of falling unless he or she is sitting or lying down.

Prolonged use of nitrous oxide, or several repeated inhalations of the drug, can result in more serious consequences. Since the effects of the drug wear off so quickly, a user is tempted to inhale the drug several times in rapid succession. Due to the very low percentage of oxygen in nitrous oxide, repeated use can result in oxygen deprivation, resulting in irreversible brain damage. The gas is extremely cold in its natural state, there is the danger of frostbite to face and lungs in users inhaling nitrous oxide directly from a tank. Nausea and vomiting can also result from use if the user has recently eaten. Tests have also shown that prolonged use of nitrous oxide can deplete the body’s production of Vitamin B12, which can result in brain and nerve damage. Nitrous oxide interferes with folic acid production, tests have confirmed the risk of severe malformations in infants born to mothers who inhaled the drug regularly during the early stages of pregnancy. Finally, cases of psychological and physical addiction to nitrous oxide have been recorded, if you or a loved one is suffering from an addiction to nitrous oxide, an ARISE® Drug Intervention can help your loved one on the road to recovery.

Although nitrous oxide can be beneficial as a controlled anesthetic, recreational users of the drug should be very aware of its dangers and risks when it is misused.

Sources:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-33955823

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/inhalants

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What is Ecstasy and What Are the Effects of Taking It with Alcohol?

WHAT IS ECSTASY?

The drug known as “Ecstasy” or “Molly (methylenedioxymethylamphetamine or MDMA) is currently one of the most popular illegal drugs of choice. It is a synthetic drug that is chemically similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens. It is frequently associated with the club, party and rave (an all-night dance party). The pills containing the drug are usually brightly colored and stamped with recognizable images such as the superman symbol, butterflies, or the Mitsubishi logo. Depending on their source, the pills may also contain other substances, such as caffeine, ephedrine, methamphetamine, or even LSD or heroin. Being a stimulant, the drug causes the body to produce a great rush of chemicals such as dopamine. Norepinephrine and serotonin. Dopamine regulates various body processes such as mood and temperature control, norepinephrine increases heart rate and blood pressure and serotonin affects mood, hormones and appetite. Because the drug stimulates the body to produce abnormal amounts of chemicals, prolonged use of Ecstasy can actually damage the nerve endings that transmit these chemicals, thus preventing the body from releasing them independent of the drug. When this is the case, prolonged dancing in places such as a hot and crowded club could result in overheating, heatstroke, or even death if sufficient amounts of serotonin are not produced.

The physical effects of Ecstasy on the body involve muscle tension, involuntary teeth-clenching, nausea, blurred vision, fainting, thirst, and chills/sweating. Psychological effects include confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, and paranoia. Ecstasy is more prone to produce a psychological addiction, but there have been cases of physical addiction as well.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU COMBINE ECSTASY WITH ALCOHOL?

Combining Ecstasy with alcohol can result in a deadly combination. Alcohol is a depressant – meaning it deadens messages sent to the body from the central nervous system. When consuming alcohol, judgement is already impaired. A person mixing alcohol with Ecstasy soon loses the ability to determine just how intoxicated they are. Regulating messages from the brain are impaired, and the person ceases to feel (or possibly even care) how fatigued he might be after a period of frenetic dancing at a club or party. Since this person has combined a stimulant (Ecstasy) with a depressant (alcohol), the body is now faced with the task of trying to interpret conflicting messages to the brain. This combination has been known to cause an irregular heartbeat. Possibly the most harmful effect of the Ecstasy / alcohol combination is how it harms the body’s ability to regulate its temperature. A well-known result of drinking alcohol is the fact that it produces thirst, and a well-known effect of ecstasy is a rise in body temperature. When alcohol and Ecstasy are combined, the body struggles to maintain a safe body temperature, but may be unable to do so because of a depressed central nervous system (the alcohol), and /or damaged nerve endings that can’t release enough of the temperature-regulating serotonin (the Ecstasy). The more the person’s thinking is impaired, the more they, may try to quench their thirst with alcohol rather than water. Further increasing their dehydration and their body temperature. Due to this cycle the body temperature can rise to dangerous levels. This can result in dehydration, hyperthermia, heart or kidney failure, or in extreme cases, death.

This drug is especially attractive because of its association with physical pleasure and the release of inhibitions in a social atmosphere. However, prolonged use may cause psychological and physical addiction. Those who have been using Ecstasy, and who show the symptoms of addiction are urged to seek drug counseling, a drug and alcohol intervention or medical attention as soon as possible.

Sources:
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/mdma-ecstasymolly