Rave realities: the truth about club drugs.

* Some teens go to all-night dances, called raves or trances, Some like to party at clubs. Many of the young people who are Into the club and dance scene don't do drugs. But some do. They may be attracted to club drugs like MDMA (ecstasy) because they promise Increased stamina for hours of dancing and intoxicating highs. But what these teens don't know may hurt, or even kill, them. Here are the facts on club drugs.

MDMA (Ecstasy)

The so-called "love drug" can cause psychological problems like confusion, depression, sleep problems, and severe anxiety. MDMA can also cause physical difficulties, such as faintness, nausea, muscle tension, blurred vision, involuntary teeth clenching, and chills or sweating. MDMA can affect the body's ability to regulate its temperature, which can lead to severe overheating (hyperthermia). In rare cases, this has resulted in death to MDMA users. Some side effects of MDMA don't go away when the drug wears off. Depressed feelings can emerge several days after MDMA is ingested. Animal studies show that MDMA can cause brain damage; this may also occur in people.

GHB 

Sometimes called Georgia Home Boy, liquid ecstasy, or G, GHB slows the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), causing a sedative effect. Odorless and colorless, it can be slipped into a drink without the victim realizing it. Disabled by the drug, the victim can be easily robbed or raped. GHB can cause sleep, coma, and death. The drug can also cause vomiting, loss of reflexes, and death by suffocation if an unconscious user's airway becomes obstructed through, for example, vomiting. Chronic drug users may have withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, tremors, and sweating when they stop using GHB.

Ketamine 

Ketamine ("Special K," "Vitamin K") is an anesthetic intended primarily for use on animals. It's called a dissociative drug because of the sense of detachment it produces in users. At high doses, "Special K" can cause delirium, amnesia, high blood pressure, and potentially fatal breathing problems.

LSD 

A hallucinogen, LSD causes extreme changes in sensory perceptions. Also known as acid, the drug produces physical effects, including tremors, sleeplessness, dry mouth, dilated pupils, loss of appetite, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. People taking LSD may also lose touch with reality. For example, they may see or hear things that aren't there (hallucinations). They may also have bizarre or paranoid thoughts and act on them, causing injury to themselves or others. Users may also have recurring perception problems, sometimes called flashbacks, long after they take LSD. For example, they may see trails of light that aren't there or feel like the room is spinning.

Methamphetamine

This highly addictive drug has many street names--speed, ice, chalk, meth, crystal, crank, fire, and glass. It's a stimulant with many serious health risks. Meth can cause memory loss, aggression, violence, psychotic behavior, heart problems, brain damage, stroke, and extreme anorexia. Scientists are investigating whether heavy, long-term meth use contributes to a permanent loss of muscle control that includes shakes and tremors. This drug can kill in many ways; for example, by causing convulsions, hyperthermia, and disabling heart and lung function.

Rohypnol

Like GHB, Rohypnol (roofies, rophies, forget-me pill) acts as a sedative. It has been used in robberies and sexual assaults. A pill that dissolves easily in drinks, it makes a scary cocktail that can weaken and disable victims, making it impossible for them to fight back. It can also produce amnesia, wiping out any memory of what happened while under the influence. Last but not least, Rohypnol mixed with alcohol can be deadly.