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Show About Drug Abuse What Are the "UpondDowiTDnJ And What Con They Do to Yeyii Amphetamines and barbiturates barbit-urates are the "up and down" rinigs, usually taken in pill form. They are said to "pick you up when you're dowm and bring you down when you're up." For most people, amphetamines amph-etamines do have exhilarating effects, while barbiturates bring calming. They are powerful drugs, too powerful to play around with. Yet too many people are doing so. No one knows how many, but the best estimates est-imates are that about 200,000 and perhaps as many as 400.-000" 400.-000" persons regulary abuse these and other non-narcotic drugs. The case of Mary Jones illustrates the matter. It's a hypothetical case, not a real name, but it is ture. Mary takes amphetamines to get going and barbiturates barbiturat-es to put her to sleep. She does this day in and out. She takes the "up and down" pills without the su 'j of her family doctor" Mary is-or is on j. -to being-a slave t0 " drugs, addicted to i a "junky" as the shu' i What is worse, she S know facts she' needs tc f like these: The "up drugs," po, also called "henries' "speed," are a group 0; :", known as amphet;-" They form one-half 0' i is perhaps the bigoe? r;i of the drug abuse" p. in the U.S. today. The other half of ft. blem are the "down i .1 sedatives, sleeping f;: 1 ', large family of drugs; for medical purposes ;; j. ax a person. '' What do the "down t '.- do? They produce a ; ing effect for most p. in normal, medically s vised doses, they mild; ress the action of the p skeletal muscles, and ; muscle. In abnormal : the effects resemble si lie drunkenness. Are these drugs add:? The amphetamines or drugs" produce "psyi gical" -dependenee-a ; tice that can become a I for mental or emote! sons. The "down drugs," b; urates usually, are p: ally addicting. Some m Consider barbiturate f ion more diffcult to cure dependency upon a vs. like heroin or cocaine. Are these drugs das;-to das;-to use? They have definite re: and health values if pra used under a physi: direction. None is properly avsi without a physician's?:: tion. This is for a very reason that their mas abuse can be dangers; Barbiturates are a 1;; cause of accidental p: deaths'. Sleeping pills i , how people see ft: they slow down rear and responses. They ti important cause of alitor-accidents. alitor-accidents. Amphetamines misus: n lead to accidental : and to accidents becais ey can distort perce: judgment, and even : severe mental derang:" For a free leaflet on Up and Down Drugs."' to Box 1080, NDIH, ' ington, D.C. 20013. |