Grace Kirker's blog

Molly, the common name for the pure crystalline powder form of MDMA or ecstasy, is considered a club drug.  A club drug is a drug that teens and young adults commonly use at social events including parties, concerts, raves, and clubs.  MDMA affects our mood and our awareness of surrounding objects and conditions.  It also increases energy, pleasure, feelings of emotional warmth, and distorts our perception of time.  MDMA is usually taken in a pill form however it can come in a powder or liquid form as well.  Read more about What is Molly?

Frequently misused and abused drugs that are often forgotten about are over-the-counter medications.  Over-the-counter medications do not require a prescription and include cold, allergy and cough medications that we are able purchase from any pharmacy.**  Some over-the-counter medications do have the potential for misuse when taken at a higher than recommended dose, when taken to get high, or when mixed with other medications or drugs.

What over-the-counter medications should you be aware and wary of?  The most commonly misused ones are Dextromethorphan (DXM) and Loperamide.  Read more about What You Need to Know About OTC Drugs

With a heavy focus being placed on the opioid epidemic, it is important that we don’t forget about or disregard the other substances that impact the health and wellbeing of our youth.  One such substance is alcohol.  The National Institute on Drug Abuse funds an annual Monitoring the Future Survey that measures drug and alcohol use and views in our 8^th, 10^th, and 12^th graders, and last year’s results were shocking.  Read more about The Shocking Trend in Alcohol Use