Curriculum Resource

Curriculum theme: Focus of activity: Resource name: Health & Wellbeing Drugs Education Legal/ Herbal Highs Which drug am I?
ECM Outcomes: Be Healthy Stay safe Enjoy & Achieve Make a positive contribution Timing: 30 mins Achieve economic well-being Equality

Resources and Materials: Which legal/herbal high am I? Worksheet and cards Legal Highs leaflets Flipchart Pens

Purpose: To encourage youth workers to work with young people to develop their understanding of issues relating to their health. Young people should feel encouraged to make healthy choices based on high quality information and support. Aim: To give young people information about the effects of legal/herbal highs on the body and mind. Plus, to highlight the risks of using them when they are often labelled incorrectly or sold as other substances. Underpinning youth work principles, values and ethics: Empowering; equipping young people with the necessary skills and support to tackle their own issues. Responsive; young peoples attitudes, values and needs must always be the starting point of acceptable responses in youth work. Informative; ensuring that young people have the means to access information to enable them to make informed choices and fully maximise their opportunities.

Background reading: Local context: http://www.leedspct.nhs.uk/phrc/ http://www.breezeleeds.org/links/home.ikml?p=2

National context: http://www.substance.org.uk/ http://www.talktofrank.com/ http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/ http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/drug-misuse/Pages/Introduction.aspx http://www.drugscope.org.uk/resources/faqs/faqpages/what-types-of-treatment-are-there

What to do: You will need copies of the legal/herbal highs which drug am I? worksheet Or you can use a worksheet as it is with small group's, getting them to draw lines between the matching boxes or cut it up to form a matching card game (you might use an enlarging photo copier or write you own cards). Once the group have completed their task, go through the questions with the whole group. Each time ask which drug they think it is and why before giving the correct answers. Also discuss what they have heard and know about that drug. Discuss their ideas fully. Go through the answers, discuss how they did and any new things they have learnt and which drugs they now would like to find out more information about.

Practical tips: An alternative method is to write the names of the drugs on the board and then read out the descriptions of the drugs in turn, getting small groups to work out which of the drugs you are talking about.

Possible outcomes - what have the young people learned? Young people know about the risks to their health from particular actions and decisions. Young people are able to support peers in making safe and healthy choices. Young people want to continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of health issues.

An Introduction to Legal/ Herbal Highs:

Very little is known about most of the drugs mentioned in this resource. Proper controlled research is sparse and therefore side effects and possible dangers are not yet known. However, the most commonly used legal highs are actually Tobacco and Alcohol which seems to be a social norm in the UK. Herbal and legal highs are sold on the Internet or in a number shops in Leeds. Some are substances that mimic the effects of some illegal drugs such as ecstasy and speed, but are not controlled by the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA). Recent changes have been made to the availability of many of these drugs, making it illegal to sell them without a legitimate license under the control of Medicines Act, so for example Poppers is sold as room odorizer to get around the laws. Now the label may tell you Latin chemical name of the stuff, but what it will not tell you on the box, is about the side effects. The problem with these drugs is they are not always what it says on the tin head shop owners sell the substances with the wrong name or label to make easy money because they are not regulated enough. Brief descriptions for the worker:
Ephedrine Comes from the Ephedrine plant and is sold as an ecstasy replacement. It is a stimulant drug which exhilarates users. Fly Agaric Amanita Muscaria, or Fly Agaric, mushrooms are more like the red and white spotted toadstools you see in fairytale books. After picking, they're often eaten raw or are dried out and stored. Most people take between 1-5 grams. The fly Agaric mushrooms tend not to be consumed raw as they can cause severe nausea. They are a hallucinogenic and can severely alter your perspective of the world around you. For example some people hear colours or see sounds. Salvia Salvia is derived from the American plant Salvia divinorum, a member of the mint family. It is used by the Mazatecs and others in Meso America in shaman rituals and healing. It is marketed in the UK as herbal ecstasy using names such as Eclipse. It is purchased dried for smoking (in large amounts) or as a herbal remedy under its botanical name. Its effects are more hallucinatory than other legal highs - though high doses are usually needed to achieve these effects. The main active ingredient is thought to be salvinorum A.

Smoking blends Smoking herbs have been a part of history for thousands of years. Theyve been used for ceremonial, religious and even medicinal reasons; there is nothing new about them. Ancient cultures have used herbs, and Herbal Smoke to induce relaxed or euphoric states, to enhance dreaming, and even to produce visions. Some are sold as an alternative to Cannabis for example Spice which was a legal high until recently and is now a class B drug.

Khat Khat (Catha edulis) is a herbal substance containing many different compounds. Its main effects are due to two compounds with stimulant properties similar to, but less powerful than, amphetamines. Stimulants speed up your mind and body. It comes from a leafy green plant of the same name. Used mostly in Africa, Khat is becoming more common in Europe particularly in some immigrant communities.

Herbal ecstasy Has until recently been sold freely at dance events, clubs, concerts and festivals. It contains various herbs and extracts that are claimed to be hallucinogenic and/or stimulants. Packaging and vendors claim that they are a natural and safe substitute for ecstasy. Although they may be herbal or a herbal extract they are not necessarily safe, with side effects similar to synthetic drugs.

Yohimbine Marketed as an aphrodisiac (and often referred to as herbal Viagra) and sold as a hallucinogenic with stimulant effects in some natural high capsules such as Yohimbix8 or as an additive to other herbal highs. Yohimbine is derived from the West African Yohimba tree roots or bark, Corynanthe yohimbe or Pausinystalia yohimba. The drug increases the availability of noradrenalin (a 'fight or flight' hormone that stimulates the body) that in turn raises blood pressure and increases heart rate. The hallucinations are said to be quite strong and the effects on the body similar to that of ecstasy.

Poppers Poppers are small bottles filled with liquid chemicals called alkyl nitrites. Nitrites like amyl nitrite (and butyl nitrite and isobutyl nitrite) dilate the blood vessels and allow more blood to get to the heart. They're usually sniffed straight from the bottle and deliver a short, sharp high. Poppers are often sold in sex shops, clubs and gay bars.

Legal/ Herbal Highs Which drug am I?

Effects
1. I am used lots at the gym. Some people say I am like whiz or speed coz I make the heart beat faster. 2. I grow outdoors and make people see the world differently. 3. I am unpredictable, I can make you feel like the wind is blowing when its not. I may make you feel panic but my effects dont last for very long. 4. I have been around for years, usually used for cultural reasons but widely available. 5. I am chewed and can make people more alert and talkative. I can produce feelings of elation and can also suppress the appetite. 6. I am a substitute for a popular dance drug, many young people think they are taking the other drug but they get me instead. 7. I come from the bark of a tree and can make you feel like you have taken Viagra. 8. I make your head buzz but not for long, you can find me in shops all over the place.

The Drug

Please write your answer

Drug Cards

Yohimbine
Yohimbine is marketed as an aphrodisiac (increases sexual desire) and sold as an hallucinogenic with stimulant effects. It comes from the West African Yohimba tree roots or bark, and can raise blood pressure and increase the heart rate. The hallucinations are said to be quite strong and the effects on the body similar to that of ecstasy.

Khat
Khat is a herbal substance containing many different compounds, some having stimulant properties. Stimulants speed up your mind and body. It comes from a leafy green plant of the same name. Used mostly in Africa, Khat is becoming more common in Europe.

Smoking blends
Smoking herbs have been a part of history for thousands of years, with many ancient cultures using them to induce relaxed or euphoric states, enhance dreaming and even produce visions. Theyve been used for ceremonial, religious and even medicinal reasons. Some are sold as an alternative to Cannabis, for example Spice was a legal high until recently and is now a class B drug.

Herbal ecstasy
Until recently, herbal ecstasy has been sold at dance events, clubs, concerts and festivals. It contains various herbs and extracts that are claimed to be hallucinogenic and/or stimulants. Although they may be herbal or a herbal extract they are not necessarily safe, with side effects similar to synthetic drugs.

Fly Agaric
Amanita Muscaria, or Fly Agaric, mushrooms are like the red and white spotted toadstools you see in fairytale books. After picking, they're usually dried out and stored they can be eaten raw, but this can cause severe nausea. They are a hallucinogenic and can severely alter your perspective of the world around you. For example, some people hear colours or see sounds.

Poppers
Poppers are small bottles filled with liquid chemicals called alkyl nitrites. Nitrites like amyl nitrite dilate the blood vessels and allow more blood to get to the heart. They're usually sniffed straight from the bottle and deliver a short, sharp high. Poppers are often sold in sex shops, clubs and gay bars.

Ephedrine
Comes from the Ephedrine plant and is sold as an ecstasy replacement. It is a stimulant drug which exhilarates users it makes the heart beat faster and is used by some people to lose weight.

Salvia
Salvia is derived from the American plant Salvia divinorum, a member of the mint family. It is used by people in Meso-America (Central America) in shaman rituals and healing. It is marketed in the UK as herbal ecstasy using names such as Eclipse. It is purchased dried for smoking (in large amounts) or as a herbal remedy. Its effects are more hallucinatory than other legal highs - though high doses are usually needed to achieve these effects.

Answers Sheet
1. Ephedrine

2. Fly Agaric Magic Mushrooms (because they dont contain psilocin or psilocybin)

3. Salvia

4. Smoking blends (formally known as Synthetic cannabinoids that do not contain THC)

5. Khat

6. Herbal ecstasy

7. Yohimbine

8. Poppers