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Drug use affects the brain's ability to feel pleasure. A chemical called dopamine is responsible for activating a reward pathway, causing a person to feel good. The brain releases dopamine when a person is doing things they enjoy, like eating ice cream or watching movies. However, drugs increase dopamine secretion and overtime cause a person's brain to be less sensitive to levels of dopamine. As a result, drug users crave drugs frequently or use it in large quantities to keep their dopamine levels up.

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Known as pot, dope, weed and the gateway drug, marijuana is a popular drug that many people first use. Marijuana is most commonly smoked as a joint/blunt. It can act as a depressant, stimulant or hallucinogen. It can cause distorted perceptions, a high, loss of motor coordination and increased heart rate. Long term effects are memory impairment, damage to the immune system and increased risk of certain cancers.

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Stimulants increase activity in the central nervous system, causing increased heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure and alertness. Methamphetamine is a stimulant that is extremely addictive and causes drug dependence. It is most commonly smoking, but it can be injected, swallowed or snorted. The drug produces a high feeling, but afterwards leaves users feeling shaky and emotionally/mentally unstable. It is commonly referred to as meth, crank, crystal or ice. The short term effects are increased respiration, elevated body temperature, convulsions and stroke. Long term effects are psychotic behavior, brain damage, stroke and memory loss.

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When it comes to polarizing health topics, few subjects spark more debate than weed (except maybe CrossFit or the Paleo Diet). Can it improve your health? Lower stress? Make you more forgetful? Even make you skinnier?

The science is still, well, hazy-but some research is starting to give us an idea of what exactly weed does to the human body.

For instance: Toking up regularly could dull your emotional response and cause addiction, according to a marijuana study from the University of Michigan Health System. Researchers analyzed 108 people in their early 20s (69 men and 39 women), all of whom were taking part in a larger study of substance use. In the study, participants sat in an MRI while they played a game, in which they pressed a button when they saw a target on a computer screen cross in front of them. Before each round, they were told they could win 20 cents or $5-or they might lose that amount, or have no reward or loss. Scientists assessed the moment of anticipation (a.k.a. when volunteers knew they could get a few dollars richer).

Now, you'd think getting free money would be cause for excitement, but scientists found the more marijuana use volunteers reported, the less their reward centers were activated.

"Over time, marijuana use was associated with a lower response to a monetary reward," study author and neuroscientist Mary Heitzeg, Ph.D, said in a press release. "This means that something that would be rewarding to most people was no longer rewarding to them, suggesting but not proving that their reward system has been 'hijacked' by the drug, and that they need the drug to feel reward-or that their emotional response has been dampened."

That's not all. Smoking weed might also be more addicting than you think.

"Some people may believe that marijuana is not addictive or that it's 'better' than other drugs that can cause dependence," Heitzeg said. "But this study provides evidence that it's affecting the brain in a way that may make it more difficult to stop using it. It changes your brain in a way that may change your behavior, and where you get your sense of reward from."

To be fair: Even if one scientific study suggests that marijuana might help your bones grow or hurt your short-term memory, that doesn't necessarily make it true. All this research is still developing, and it'll be a long time before we know anything for sure about weed's effects on the human body. Still, it's good to know where the science is heading.

Find out all the other ways-good and bad-marijuana could be influencing your health.

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When it comes to polarizing health topics, few subjects spark more debate than weed (except maybe CrossFit or the Paleo Diet). Can it improve your health? Lower stress? Make you more forgetful? Even make you skinnier? The science is still, well, hazy-but some research is starting to give us an idea of what exactly weed does to the human body.

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Club drugs (designer drugs) are often found at raves and are used by teens or young adults. Ecstasy has stimulant properties that constrict blood flow in the veins and arteries, increase heart rate and blood pressure, and cause pupil dilation. Users take ecstasy in the form of a pill with a beverage. This gives users energy and allows them to have fun at parties for longer. it is referred to as Love Drug, X, E, M&M, Adam and XTC. It can also cause hallucinations, enhanced feelings of emotional closeness and increased body temperature. In the long run, it can cause seizures, damage brain cells and mood instability.

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Harnen, an Alabama native, returned home to Scottsboro in 1991. Today, Harnen serves as Chief Deputy for Jackson County Sheriff's Office.

"I think I brought it back with me," laughed Harnen.

Working meth labs in the region were how he and Sheriff Chuck Phillips got to know one another. Once the sheriff's office seized a lab, DEA agents were called in to clean up.

As the United States continues to fight an opioid crisis, methamphetamine also remains a problem.

According to The Lancet, an industry journal for health professionals, these crises were previously considered distinct and affecting different populations. More and more, in areas like Alabama-specifically in Jackson County-new patterns suggest they are beginning to overlap as increasing numbers of people use both drugs.

Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that from 2010 to 2014, the number of drug overdose deaths involving meth more than doubled, jumping from around 1,400 to nearly 4,000.
Meth labs
For years, local authorities have dealt with meth labs throughout Jackson County. In 2011, the sheriff's office seized 72 labs. However, through the years, stronger state laws have put a hamper on meth labs. Alabama has a meth offender list, which prohibits the sale of pseudoephedrine (PSE) products, to anyone convicted of a meth crime.

In addition, Alabama is part of the National Precursor Log Exchange system that instantaneously tracks the purchase of all sales of PSE in the state.

"I didn't really think [the laws] would work," said Harnen. "But I've been pleasantly surprised."

Scottsboro police investigator Zackie Gant can remember working meth labs on a regular basis ten years ago.

"Back then, people were making meth in their shed or their house," said Gant. "Today, you don't even see one-pot labs very much."
What is meth?
While laws may have slowed the manufacturing of methamphetamine, the use continues to be rampant. Meth is an addictive drug classified by the DEA as Schedule II stimulant.

It affects the central nervous system, stimulating dopamine receptors in the brain and producing euphoric effects.

"You can take one hit off meth and be addicted," said Gant. "And then you are always chasing that first high."

Meth can be smoked, snorted, injected or taken by mouth. One form of the drug is crystal methamphetamine, which resembles clear or bluish glass shards. It's also called ICE.

Gant said in the last three years or so, ICE has made its way to Jackson County.

"ICE is a stronger, purer high that lasts longer," said Gant.

And purchasing the drug, rather than making it, is also cheaper. Gant said one-half gram of ICE meth is around $50, while cooking a couple of grams can cost as much as $150.

"It's a lot easier to just buy it," said Gant. "There is not as much risk as cooking it."

Harnen agreed, saying ICE is "stronger, better and cheaper than what a person can manufacture."

Mexican drug trafficking organizations have become the primary manufacturers and distributors of methamphetamine throughout the United States, according to the DEA.

"We can't regulate what goes on in Mexico," said Harnen.
Risks
Meth has been linked to a number of health risks, including hepatitis C infection, stroke, psychosis and other forms of psychological distress.

A longitudinal study of 278 people who were dependent on methamphetamine but not schizophrenic or manic, published in Addiction in 2014, found that violent behavior increased after subjects used methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine users also face a higher risk of death than people who use other drugs, including cocaine and alcohol.

"It's very addictive," said Harnen. "People can use cocaine on the weekends, and then function all week. Methamphetamine is different. It's very addictive and very hard to get off of. "

A study published in the American Journal on Addictions in 2014 suggests that certain social outcomes, including homelessness, drug dealing, being a victim of violence and prostitution are associated with crystal methamphetamine use.

Research exploring connections between methamphetamine use and criminal behavior indicates that meth users "have more extensive criminal records and are more likely than other drug users to commit property crimes."

Harnen said methamphetamine started as "poor white guy drug."

"Now it crosses all races and certainly doesn't have to be poor," said Harnen.

Gant added that methamphetamine has taken over as the hard drug.

"You don't sleep for days," he said. "Then you start stealing, looking for money, for that next high."

Methamphetamine continues to be a large percentage of cases worked in Scottsboro and Jackson County.

Jackson County Sheriff's Office has seized more than 1,600 grams of methamphetamine in the last two years. Scottsboro Police Department made 111 meth-related arrests in 2017, up from 86 arrests in 2012.

Of the 189 individuals booked at the Jackson County Jail on Wednesday afternoon, 28 have current charges directly related to manufacturing or possession of methamphetamine. This number does not include those individuals booked for failure to appear or bond issues from previous meth charges.

Harnen told the Sentinel that it's safe to say that somewhere around 50 percent, maybe more, of the population in Jackson County Jail are incarcerated because of charges related to methamphetamine.

"It's still a huge problem," said Harnen. "I can't compare it to heroin, but as far as what I have dealt with it is the worst."

"It's not going anywhere," added Gant.

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The Shattering Truth: Methamphetamine isn't going anywhere

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Of the 189 individuals booked at the Jackson County Jail on Wednesday afternoon, 28 have current charges directly related to manufacturing or possession of methamphetamine. This number does not include those individuals booked for failure to appear or bond issues from previous meth charges.

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Drugs that distort perception, mood and though are hallucinogens. These drugs overwhelm the brain with sensory information. They are illegal. PCP, also called angel dust, is a hallucinogen that eliminates the sensation of pain. It can be smoked, sniffed, injected or eaten. A short term effect of PCP is eliminated sensation of pain, which can cause users to unknowingly injure themselves. Long term effects are schizophrenia and flashbacks.

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Emma remembers the first time she took one of the pearly white oblong pills, like straightened-out Polo mints with X-A-N-A-X indented along one side. They felt cool and light, and rattled like beads in her palm.

"Me and my friends thought it would be really funny if we took them during lessons at college," she says. "Which is probably the most 16-year-old thing ever."

The counterfeit pills split into quarters, and Emma snapped one along its indentations, to make four tiny cubes that scattered across the desk like dice. One by one, she and her friends swallowed the letters. Then they did it a second time. "We didn't feel anything straightaway, so obviously we thought we should just take more," she says.

Emma felt an...

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How British teenagers became hooked on Xanax

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Emma remembers the first time she took one of the pearly white oblong pills, like straightened-out Polo mints with X-A-N-A-X indented along one side. They felt cool and light, and rattled like beads in her palm. "Me and my friends thought it would be really funny if we took them during lessons at college," she says.

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MDMA is the chemical shorthand for the drug commonly known as "ecstasy" or "Molly." This substance is also called 'the love drug" for its euphoric and emotional effects on users. However, the "love drug" also has some very dangerous impacts on users. The effects of ecstasy can range from a bad hangover the next day to a fatal overdose.

Short Term Effects of Ecstasy

Ecstasy is a psychoactive chemical compound that produces hallucinogenic as well as stimulant effects on users. It is commonly taken in pressed pill form, which often includes other drugs or "cuts" along with MDMA. Ecstasy is also sold in capsules, as a powder, or in crystallized form sometimes called "moon rocks" on the street. It is most commonly ingested or snorted, and it's a popular drug at raves, in underground dance scenes, and at music festivals. The short term and desired effects of ecstasy include:

Increased sociability and a feeling of connection to others

Increased feelings of closeness to others and increased emotionality

Hallucinations

Changes in perception of sound, visuals, and interactions

Altered sense of time

Surge in energy

However, along with these feelings comes negative short-term effects, including nausea, loss of appetite, teeth-grinding, hyperthermia, dehydration, insomnia, sweating, diarrhea, vomiting, and increased heart rate. These effects are on the mild end of the spectrum; more serious side effects of ecstasy can, in fact, be fatal.

What Causes the Effects of Ecstasy?

The desired effects of ecstasy- the reason people experiment with the drug- are caused by changes in brain chemicals. MDMA causes the brain to overproduce dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. These chemicals together create feelings of euphoria, increases in cardiovascular activity, and changes in mood, empathy, and arousal. While the overproduction of these chemicals can cause the pleasant feelings associated with ecstasy, after the drug wears off, the overuse of these chemicals depletes them. This can cause depression, anxiety, and other mood swings after the drug wears off.

The Risks of Ecstasy Use

Even with just one use, ecstasy can be fatal. This is because the drug causes the body to heat up and dehydrate, which can lead to death, especially because the effects of the drug may cause users not to notice significant changes in their body. Ecstasy can also cause serotonin syndrome, a potentially fatal condition. The other potential effects of ecstasy and long-term consequences of use include:

Irritability or aggression

Impulsive behaviors

Mood disorders

Disturbance of sleep patterns

Problems with memory and cognition

Sexual dysfunction

High blood pressure

Loss of consciousness

Panic attacks

Kidney, liver, brain, or heart damage (which can potentially be fatal)

Increased tolerance

Prolonged bouts of paranoia or loss of touch with reality

While some of these risks, like mood disorders, primarily occur as the result of long-term ecstasy use, some of the fatal side effects (like organ damage) can happen with just one use of the drug.

Addiction to Ecstasy

Research shows that while ecstasy may not be as physically addictive as drugs like heroin, it is still addictive for users in a psychological way. Individuals can develop a dependence on ecstasy and experience emotional withdrawal when they stop using the drug. The most significant symptom is a crushing depression that can leave users unable to function normally once they end a binge on ecstasy. Other symptoms of ecstasy dependence include cravings for the drug, panic attacks, insomnia, out-of-body perceptions and experiences, anxiety, paranoia, delusions, and symptoms of psychosis. MDMA is chemically similar to many stimulants, so users of the drug often experience withdrawal symptoms similar to withdrawal from drugs like cocaine or methamphetamine. Dependence on ecstasy can harm an individual's ability to form healthy relationships or to experience joy or pleasure from anything besides using the drug.

Dealing With the Effects of Ecstasy Dependence

The effects of ecstasy can be appealing for first-time users, but they can also be habit-forming and even fatal. If you have found yourself living a lifestyle that's dependent on the use of ecstasy or other drugs to have fun, experience pleasure, or even to function in the most basic way, there is another option- you don't have to depend on drugs. If you are unable to quit using on your own and find that you need some help, there are resources for individuals who struggle with a drug dependence. All About Recovery, Inc. can help. If you're ready for treatment or have questions about how to help a loved one, call 888-712-8480.

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The Downside of the "Love Drug": The Effects of Ecstasy

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MDMA is the chemical shorthand for the drug commonly known as "ecstasy" or "Molly." This substance is also called 'the love drug" for its euphoric and emotional effects on users. However, the "love drug" also has some very dangerous impacts on users.

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Depressants are drugs that slow brain and body reactions by decreasing heart, and breathing rates and lowering blood pressure. Xanax is a depressant that is taken orally. It acts on the brain and nerves to produce a calming effect, so it's often prescribed for mental health disorders. It acts quickly on the brain and the desired effects occur within the first hour of use. Street names for Xanax include zannies, bars, ladders and downers. Short term effects are decreased physical tension, drowsiness and headaches. The lasting health effects of Xanax include cognitive defects, delirious states, chemical dependency to Xanax and memory impairment.

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What is PCP? PCP, or Phencyclidine, also known as Angel Dust, is a dissociative anesthetic first synthesized in 1926 and tested after WWII as a surgical anesthetic. It is classified as a "dissociative anesthetic". It is has a similar method of action as ketamine, both working as NMDA receptor antagonists.