Effects Illegal
drugs are defined in terms of their chemical formulas. To circumvent these legal
restrictions, underground chemists modify the molecular structure of certain illegal drugs
to produce analogs known as designer drugs. These drugs can be several hundred times
stronger than the drugs they are designed to imitate.
Many of the so-called designer drugs are related to amphetamines and have mild
stimulant properties but are mostly euphoriants. They can produce severe neurochemical
damage to the brain.
The narcotic analogs can cause symptoms such as those seen in Parkinson's disease:
uncontrollable tremors, drooling, impaired speech, paralysis, and irreversible brain
damage. Analogs of amphetamines and methamphetamines cause nausea, blurred vision, chills
or sweating, and faintness. Psychological effects include anxiety, depression, and
paranoia. As little as one dose can cause brain damage. The analogs of phencyclidine cause
illusions, hallucinations, and impaired perception
