Spokesperson of Parkview Police Station, Sergeant Lloyd Ramovha, has shared facts on drugs and the effects of them, as he believes the more you know about how drugs work and the effect they have on your body and mind, the more you will be able to protect yourself against them.
“Drugs cause different reactions in different people. Never take a drug based on someone else’s reported experience of using that drug,” warned Ramovha.
A pamphlet issued by Parkview Police Station said different drugs cause different feelings and physical responses. Uppers such as cocaine, ecstasy, speed, crack and tik are designed to make you feel great and energised, however, they can also make you feel anxious, nervous and paranoid and could cause death as it puts a strain on the heart.
It said that alcohol, dagga, heroin and mandrax are all classified as downers as they can make a person feel relaxed and laid back. Unfortunately, you can’t control how relaxed you will feel when on these drugs. Too much of a powerful downer such as heroin causes the systems of the body to shut down, eventually leading to death.
Hallucinogens such as mescaline, whoonga, and nyaope cause hallucinations or dreams in which your reality is changed. You will not be able to predict whether the dream will be enjoyable or be a hideous nightmare, said the pamphlet.
The more drugs you take, the more you need. It is said that the first time you take a drug, you will experience an exhilarating high. However, as your body gets used to the drug, you will need more and more to get that same feeling again, it warned.
“Some people take drugs for a while and then manage to escape before they become addicts or before irreparable harm is done. But all addicts start out believing that they could give up drugs any time they wanted to. Every addict is sad proof of how wrong that belief is,” explained Ramovha.
Details: Parkview Police Station 011 486 5000.
