Many young people think inhalants cause no harm because they are everyday items bought by parents, sold in stores, and even advertised on television. The chemicals in the inhalant vapors, however, are poisons. They can change the way the brain works and harm other parts of the body. New users are typically between the ages of twelve and fifteen. This plain-speaking narrative explains the harmful effects of chemicals on a teen's body and mind. Steps...

PCP is an illegal hallucinogen that can cause psychotic episodes. It is manufactured by street gangs and distributed around the country. Users can never be sure what they're getting when they buy it. Now sold in many forms, including a convenient and cheap cigarette, PCP is a drug whose use is on the increase. It is easy to find in cities, and it is spreading to suburbs and smaller communities. Use of the drug can result in extreme violence, danger,...

LSD has had a colorful history, to say the least. First developed for medical purposes, it was soon adopted by mental health therapists and spiritual seekers. Experimented with by both the military and the CIA, the drug was eventually adopted by hippies seeking to "turn on, tune in, and drop out." LSD and other hallucinogens have since become a staple of party and club culture. This colorful history, however, belies the very real dangers and destructiveness...

Results of the 2009 Monitoring the Future survey showed 20.6 percent of high school seniors had smoked marijuana in the past month, 32.8 percent had smoked it in the past year, and 42 percent had smoked it in their lifetime. Teens learn here that marijuana use can have serious consequences, including loss of short-term memory and negative effects on mental development. Besides describing the effects of marijuana, this volume also provides information...