04-10-1996 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Other Effects: * greatly impaired driving ability * reduced coordination and reflex action * impaired vision and judgment * inability to divide attention * lowering of inhibitions * hangover, which can be accompanied by headaches, nausea, dehydration, unclear thinking, unsettled digestion and aching muscles Marijuana, also known as "pot ", "weed ", "grass ", and other street names, alters the user's sense of time and reduces the ability to perform tasks requiring concentration. The drug has a significant effect on judgment, caution, and sensory /motor functions. Marijuana stays in the body for 28 days, unlike alcohol, which dissipates in a few hours. Other Effects: * impaired driving for at least 4 -6 hours after smoking one "joint" * restlessness * inability to concentrate * increased pulse rate and blood pressure * rapidly changing emotions and erratic behavior * altered sense of identity * dulling of attention * hallucinations, fantasies and paranoia * reduction or temporary loss of fertility Cocaine is a stimulant drug which increases heart rate and blood pressure. As a powder, cocaine is inhaled, ingested, or injected. Cocaine is also used as free -base cocaine known as "crack" or "rock ", which is smoked. The crack "high" is reached in 4 -6 seconds and lasts for about 15 minutes. Many people mistakenly believe that, because it is smoked, crack is safer than other forms of cocaine use. It is not. Crack cocaine is one of the most addictive drugs known today. The most dangerous effects of crack are that its use can cause vomiting, rapid heart beat, tremor and convulsions. All of this muscle activity increases the demand for oxygen, which can result in a cocaine - induced heart attack. Since the heat regulating center in the brain is also disrupted, dangerously high body temperatures can occur. With high doses, brain functioning, breathing, and heart beat are depressed, which can lead to death. -9- Page 61