Legal Intoxicants and Legal Dissociatives

When it comes to drugs, it would be wrong to equate legality with safety. The law prohibits most dangerous psychoactive substances, but not all. Take the case of legal intoxicants. Many of these drugs are either completely or partially legal, yet they nevertheless carry a high potential for abuse. Drugs that fall in this category include:

• Adderall: A stimulant designed to treat ADHD. Potentially habit-forming. Often misused by people with no valid prescription.
• Ritalin: A central nervous system stimulant manufactured to treat ADD and ADHD. Carries a high potential for abuse.

Unfortunately, many people use prescription medications like Adderall and Ritalin to self-medicate or to get high, which can lead to a lifetime of dependency, not to mention a range of adverse health effects.

Legal Dissociatives

In recent decades, an increasing number of people have turned to a special class of intoxicants called dissociatives—hallucinogens that distort a user’s perceptions and create a sense of detachment from reality. They include:

• Synthetic marijuana: When people first heard of synthetic cannabis, they assumed it was a safer, more legal form of marijuana. Nothing could be further from the truth. Also known as K2 and Spice, this designer drug has proven to be highly dangerous. Side effects range from vomiting and headaches to kidney damage and psychosis.
• Salvia divinorum: A psychoactive plant that can give rise to hallucinations, salvia divinorum remains legal in many states.
• Nitrous oxide: Doctors use nitrous oxide, sometimes known as laughing gas, to sedate or anesthetize patients. Others use it illegally to experience a sense of dissociative euphoria.
• Ketamine: Classified as a dissociative anesthetic, ketamine is primarily used to sedate animals. People often use it illegally to enter a dreamlike state or to induce immobilization in “date-rape” victims.

The Dangers of Legal Drugs

Just because mind-altering drugs have escaped prohibition doesn’t mean they are safe for human consumption. Every year, countless people suffer illness, addiction, or even death after taking such substances. At RECO Intensive, we help individuals break the cycle of dependency that keeps them chained to street drugs and prescription medications. Send us a confidential email to speak with a counselor and learn about our highly effective treatment options.