Pubdate: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 Source: Stratford City Gazette, The (CN ON) Copyright: 2006 Stratford City Gazette Contact: http://www.metroland.com/sw/customerservice/lettertoeditor/ Website: http://www.metroland.com/sw/news/stratford/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3716 Author: Jackie Parkin STREET DRUG USE IS RISKY This Is Meth Everyone has a different way of seeing the world. We all make choices based on our perceptions. Many people even have different thoughts about drug use and the safety of using drugs. Some young people report that they believe the drug they are taking is pure, safe, or of a better quality than other drugs. This is a potentially dangerous belief. When using street drugs, there is always the risk of impurities and unknown dosage levels. The purity of drugs bought on the street varies from place to place and day to day. This makes it almost impossible to know exactly what a drug may contain. In many cases, marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, crystal meth, and other drugs contain added ingredients that may be harmful to the user. In some cases, a drug may contain things like sugar or chalk. Dangerous drugs like ephedrine, amphetamine and ketamine can also be added. Ecstasy, for example, often contains additional drugs. As well, it is often impossible to know the true dosage of a drug. This increases the risk of an unintentional drug overdose. Remember: there is more to fear than the drug itself! Any drug may contain hidden dangers: impurities, unexpectedly high dosages, and the addition of unknown drugs. Protect yourself by recognizing this danger. Avoid using unreliable and risky street drugs. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine