ACID OR LSD
AKA: Blotter, liquid acid, Lucy, micro dot, smilies, stars,
tabs, trips.
LSD is sold on tiny
squares of paper usually with a picture on them, so often it’s
known as whatever’s on the picture – for example, strawberries. It
can also be taken in liquid form or as very small tablets.
Why do people take
it?
What class is
it?
How does it
affect the heart?
What are the
other effects on the body?
What are illegal drugs?
Illegal drugs can damage the brain, heart, and other important
organs. Different drugs affect you in different ways and include
different risks. Here you can find out more about them.
Class A, B or C?
The British government separate the different kinds of illegal
drugs into three different categories. These classes (A, B and C)
carry different levels of penalty for possession and dealing. Drugs
classified ‘A’ have the strongest penalties, drugs classified ‘C’
have the lowest.
(These classes have nothing to do with how strong or dangerous a
drug is – some class ‘C’ drugs can kill you.)
To find out more about the fines and prison sentences you can
get for carrying drugs, go to talktofrank
ACID OR LSD
Why do people take it?
Taking LSD is a mind-altering experience called ‘a trip’. It
makes people hallucinate – this is where things seem distorted and
sometimes you see and hear things that aren’t
there.
One of the problems people experience is that they can’t tell if
they will have a good or a bad trip. A bad trip can be really
terrifying because you really believe that the awful things you see
are happening. If you have a bad trip then you can have flashbacks
from it years later.
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top
What class is it?
A
How does it affect the heart?
LSD can strain your heart as it increases your heart rate and
blood pressure.
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What are the other effects on the body?
Bad trips can cause serious mental health problems, including
panic attacks, anxiety, depression, and paranoia – paranoia is
where you get totally panicky and think that people are out to get
you.
People have had accidents while they are high because they see
things in a distorted way and don’t make safe decisions.
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Useful links
Talk to Frank:
www.talktofrank.com
0800 776600
24 hours a day, every day.
Textphone for people with hearing
difficulties
0800 9178765
Release:
www.release.org.uk
0845 4500 215
help and legal advice line
(open 11am-1pm for drug or legal advice. 2-4pm drugs advice
only)
References
Talk to Frank
(drugs information service)
www.talktofrank.com
0800 776600
Release
(drugs information service)
www.release.org.uk
0845 4500 215
'Cocaine and the Heart'
New England Journal of Medicine 2003
Vol 348:487-488
Kloner.R, Rezkalla.S
Cocaine Abuse: Repolarisation Abnormalities
and Ventricular Arrhythmias. The American Journal of Medical
Science 2000
Vol 320 (1)
Gamouras.G et al