To a young person short on sleep and energy, the idea of taking something that will let them party and dance all night is difficult to resist. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), an alarming number of teens and young adults in this country are falling victim to the allure of what has become known as "club drugs."

"Club drugs" is the collective term used to describe a number of very dangerous substances used by young people at dance clubs, bars, and all-night dance parties such as "raves" or "trances." "While users of club drugs may think they're taking them simply for energy, research shows these drugs can have long-lasting negative effects on the brain that can alter memory function and motor skills," said Alan I. Leshner, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). "NIDA-supported research shows the use of club drugs can cause serious health problems, and in some cases, even death. Used in combination with alcohol, these drugs can be even more dangerous."

Because some club drugs are colorless, tasteless and odorless, they can be added unobtrusively to beverages by individuals who want to intoxicate or sedate others, added Leshner. There has been an increase in reports of club drugs used to commit sexual assaults in recent years.

There are six categories of popular club drugs. Of these, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and methamphetamine have stimulant effects; gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and Rohypnol have sedative effects; while ketamine and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) can cause users to hallucinate.

Ecstasy is probably the best-known street name for MDMA, a drug that was developed in the early 1900s as an appetite suppressant. It resembles amphetamine and mescaline, and it can have both stimulant and psychedelic effects. MDMA is usually taken in tablet or capsule form. In high doses, it can result in muscle breakdown, kidney and cardiovascular failure, heart attacks, strokes, seizures and death.

Speed, meth, crystal and crank are some of the familiar slang names for methamphetamine, a toxic, addictive stimulant that can be smoked, snorted, injected, or taken orally. Meth is often made in clandestine laboratories from inexpensive ingredients that are purchased over the counter. Meth users can have serious health consequences that range from memory loss to psychosis and neurological damage. Users who inject meth also run the risk of hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.

GHB has been associated with an increasing number of "date rapes," poisonings, overdoses and fatalities. It is often made in homes with recipes and ingredients found and purchased on the Internet. Many legal, over-the-counter nutritional supplements also contain GBL, a substance that converts into GHB when ingested. GHB is even more dangerous when used with alcohol, and at high doses it can cause coma or death.

Rohypnol is illegal in the United States but is used in 60 other countries as a sedative and pre-surgery anesthetic. It is often called the "Forget-me Pill," because even a very small dose can cause profound temporary amnesia. It has been linked to sexual assaults.

About 90 percent of ketamine legally sold today is intended for veterinary use as an injectable anesthetic. In the 1980s, people began to abuse it when they discovered large doses could cause dream-like states and hallucinations.

LSD, commonly called "acid," is a hallucinogen with unpredictable effects. Two long-term disorders associated with LSD use include persistent psychosis and hallucinogen persisting perception disorder, or "flashbacks."

To alert the public about the dangers of club drugs, NIDA has increased its research funding on these substances and has joined with four organizations to launch a multimedia education campaign. A special Web site http://www.clubdrugs.org/ has been created to inform the public about this issue. People can also call the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 1-800-729-6686 for more information.

--Published January 31, 2000