Dangers in the club: information about alcohol and drugs for parents of teenagers

“Want a bullet there? A candy?” Bala and doce are slang for the two most successful drugs in clubs – respectively, ecstasy and LSD. “They make people agitated and euphoric. It’s common to talk faster, want to get up and dance a lot. Ideas spring up like cannon volleys and senses sharpen”, explains psychiatrist Arthur Guerra de Andrade, coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Group for the Study of Alcohol and Drugs at the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of São Paulo and president of the Center for Information on Alcohol and Drugs Drugs. Do you understand why they attract so much young people? Worse: alcohol, often consumed together, potentiates the effects and increases the risks, including fatal heart failure. As if this weren’t enough danger, these and other drugs have had their content adulterated, which makes users consume even more harmful versions – and without knowing it.

Parents who think it’s too early to think about this may be unaware of a survey by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) with adolescents between 13 and 15 years old: 70% have already tried alcoholic beverages and 10% (which amounts to 312,000 young people) have already used illicit substances . “Recognize that your child’s risk of exposure to drugs is high. Invest in prevention”, advises pediatrician and toxicologist Anthony Wong, head of the Toxicological Assistance Center at USP’s Hospital das Clínicas. That means taking any opportunity – a soap opera character, a newspaper article, a TV ad – to introduce the subject. And don’t leave it to talk until the eve of the next party.

Parents are often permissive in relation to alcohol: they don’t mind if their child drinks and even offer the drinks themselves. “Adolescents understand this as authorization to drink with friends and, as alcohol increases disinhibition and reduces critical thinking, they are more likely to try other drugs. There is no justification for alcohol consumption by teenagers. Parents should not tolerate it,” recommends Wong.

As for illegal substances, he warns that the discourse that it is harmful may not work: “If the young person tries and feels pleasure, he will ignore what his parents said”. In conversations, it is necessary to focus on the harm that the drug can bring in the future. Therefore, the best way for parents is to stay informed about proven effects and news. For example, for you, is marijuana still that drug that causes drowsiness and, therefore, has less appeal with night goers? Know that a new version “turbocharged” in the laboratory has been invading the tracks. More potent, not only does it not have a calming effect, but it keeps the user turned on at maximum voltage. It is mixed with a chemical group called JWH, developed in the 1990s to fight cancer (and still in testing). It raises blood pressure, causes tachycardia, aggression, dependence and depression.

Synthetic marijuana is just one example capable of illustrating a phenomenon that has been reinforcing the somber tone of this scenario. With the emergence of stronger, cheaper and, in general, more harmful versions, the supply of narcotics is increasing. Result: the danger increases and everything gets complicated. Ecstasy and LSD have gained counterfeits. With the name of the first, colored pills with low-relief figures of a dolphin, skull, heart, atom, alien are sold. The original contains MDMA, an amphetamine derivative that elevates serotonin, making the user happy and sociable. Among the undesirable effects, which last up to a week, are depression, anxiety, irritability, sleep disturbances, nausea, loss of concentration, vision changes, increased blood pressure and arrhythmia.

But several options were apprehended as ecstasy in São Paulo nightclubs, such as Superman Green, Peace Sign (also green and with the peace symbol), Red Diamond (red diamond) and Adam-Eva (in green or pink) pills. . A kind of Wikipedia of pills, the Australian site Pillreports.com, which identifies and details what is in circulation in the world through reports and own tests, concluded that only the Green Superman version actually had MDMA. The others brought other compounds or had unknown content (the case of Adam-Eva Pink). Even horse anesthetic pills (ketamine) have been found. “Since there is no quality control, it is not possible to know the composition, the concentration of the active principle and the intensity of the effect”, warns Guerra. “Consuming these bullets is a dip in the dark.”

Sweet, sour or LSD is sold in the form of a colored microseal to place under the tongue. In addition to agitation and amplification of the senses, it can cause hallucinations and have a residual effect years later. LSD also carries the risk of the so-called bad trip, which manifests itself as anxiety and sadness, which can lead to a panic attack. There are also fake versions. The cost is even higher. “It harms the heart, the kidneys, the liver, in addition to making young people violent”, warns Wong. The purity and concentration of the drug affect its response, but the reaction, vulnerability to dependence and overdose vary according to the organism and the user’s degree of anguish and depression.

How to detect if your child uses these substances when going to a party? See if the next day he becomes restless and irritable. “Before attributing these symptoms to adolescence, check whether they are accompanied by changes in sleep and food”, recommends Guerra. And notice if behavior has changed, not just at home. Did he switch classes? Has school performance dropped? Has he been missing sports training? Ask friends, friends’ moms, and teachers. Visit the club, the gym. Wong warns, however, that it is common for the discovery to be late: when the young person emits signals that are perceived by the parents, he is already intensely involved – and, therefore, he cannot hide it. Given the difficulty in dealing with the situation, do not hesitate to seek out a specialist in chemical dependencies as soon as possible. He will know how to help.