Neighbourhood Watch: STN 1 South YarraRegion 1 Division 2 Stonnington, Victoria, Australia.
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Neighbourhood Watch: STN 1 South Yarra
Region 1 Division 2
Stonnington, Victoria, Australia.
You are here: Home>Newsletters>Sept 2001
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September, 2001 Recent reports on the use of ecstasy suggest that heavy users may develop long term health problems. Here are two of those reports: Ecstasy link to brain damage Taking ecstasy when dancing all night – as users tend to do – increases the chance of brain damage, a comprehensive review of the latest research on the drug shows. The study was published recently in the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet. Injecting or snorting ecstasy, taking more than one tablet, or taking it with other drugs also increases the chance of damage, said Dr Iain McGregor, a senior lecturer in Psychology at the University of Sydney. "Ecstasy's potential for brain damage is heightened by the use of the drug in combination with vigorous activity in hot, crowded environments with little access to water: as in clubs and at dance parties," Dr McGregor said. "The nerve cell damage is slow and insidious: most users will not be aware that damage is taking place." Human brain imaging research shows long-term use of ecstasy damages people's brains. "The brain imaging evidence adds to Australian research which reveals users are taking ecstasy in higher doses and for longer periods. They are snorting and injecting the drug, combining it with amphetamines and cocaine, and not taking measures to avoid the adverse conditions found at dance parties," said Dr McGregor. "This increases the risk of toxicity and brain damage." Higher ecstasy use has been linked with decreased performance in memory and problem solving tests, weight loss and eating disorders, irregularities in heart rate and body temperature control, and sleep disturbances. Clinical research shows one in five users have sought treatment for depression, anxiety, disruption to social relationships or work difficulties. It has been linked to an eightfold increase in birth defects if used during pregnancy. "There is no known safe level of use," Dr McGregor said. "Researchers are debating whether even a single tablet can cause brain damage. However we're more confident about damage being caused by moderate to high levels of usage (one to several tablets per week)." The University of Sydney Regular ecstasy users risking loss of memory Regular users of the drug ecstasy are inflicting so much damage to their memory they frequently forget simple tasks and routinely lose their train of thought while talking, according to UK research. People who use the recreational drug regularly suffer significant impairment to all aspects of their everyday memory, finds the research. The research is among few studies of this subject, but previous work has revealed the detrimental effects the drug has on recall and working memory. This is the first time a danger to "prospective memory" - the planning centre of the brain which keeps most people's lives in order - has been revealed. A team of psychologists found that people who took ecstasy regularly, between eight and 10 times a month, had significant memory problems; they would forget such things as setting their alarm clocks, and they had difficulty with long-term episodic memory, forgetting to pass on messages. The drug users also had problems with internally "queued memory", failing to remember what they were saying half way through a sentence. "The research adds to the growing body of evidence which suggests there are psychological dangers associated with taking ecstasy. For example, people have found it can contribute to depression, that it can make users more irritable, and this study suggests it can impair your everyday memory," said Dr Heffernan of the University of Northumbria. The research was carried out by comparing the memories of 40 adults, aged 23 on average, who took ecstasy regularly. Thirty-nine others were included who did not take the drug. Allowances were made for the tendency of ecstasy users to use more than one drug. The results were replicated in a second study by one of Dr Heffernan's students. Dr Heffernan is not sure why ecstasy impairs the memory of regular users, but research in associated areas points to a biological explanation. It is feared that regular use may cause damage to the frontal and pre-frontal cortex of the brain, which are used in planning and strategy. If the explanation lies in biology, Dr Heffernan said, it could have particularly worrying consequences for young ecstasy users. "There is some evidence that the frontal cortex is still developing in teenagers and adolescents," he said. "If your brain is still developing in parts, there is a strong possibility you could be seriously damaging this development with ecstasy use." The researchers plan to expand their study to see if the damage to memory is permanent or whether the brain can be rehabilitated. The Guardian A Word on Passwords Whether you are on the Internet or an online banking program, you are often required to use a password. The worst passwords to use are the ones that come to mind first - name, spouse's name, maiden name, pets, children's name, even street addresses, etc. The best passwords mix numbers with upper and lower case letters (eg. H2yaZ4B). A password that is not found in the dictionary is even better. There are computer programs that will try every word in the dictionary in an effort to crack your security. Ten things you can do to ASSIST a burglar 1. Leave a note on the door when you are expecting a caller. Something like "Just popped done to the shops. Back at 2.30." This reassures the burglar that nobody is home and tells him how much time he has to ransack the place. 2. Hide a spare key in a secret place. I mean, this is a place that YOU picked, so nobody else would ever think of hiding a key there, would they! 3. Leave a window open, or better still, leave a door unlocked as well. This can confuse a burglar into thinking he may be walking into a trap. After all, nobody could be that stupid! 4. Grow some shrubs around your windows. A burglar will appreciate your gardening expertise in providing a place to hide while he breaks into your home. 5. Don't tell your trusted neighbours when you are going to be away from home. When they see a car parked in your driveway they'll assume you're having friends around for dinner. 6. Don't mark your valuables for identification purposes. This will greatly help the burglar to easily dispose of your goods and get some ready cash. 7. Leave the garden shed or garage unlocked. This will assist the burglar by providing a few useful tools to help him break into your home. Oh, and don't forget to leave a ladder lying around. This would be much appreciated! 8. Don't leave a light on when you go out for the evening. A burglar wouldn't think of breaking into a home in complete darkness! 9. Turn UP the volume on your telephone when you go out so that a burglar can hear that nobody is answering the phone. 10. Leave a message on your answering machine such as "We can't come to the phone because we are on holiday until ...." Have a nice time, but anticipate an unwelcome caller while you are away. So there you have it. Ten things you can do which will almost guarantee your home will get burgled. The more things you do the better your chances. On the other hand, if you wanted to avoid being burgled ... 50/50 Relationship A young man saw an elderly couple sitting down to lunch at McDonald's. He noticed that they had ordered one meal, and an extra drink cup. As he watched, the gentleman carefully divided the hamburger in half, then counted out the fries, one for him, one for her, until each had half of them. Then he poured half of the soft drink into the extra cup and set that in front of his wife. The old man then began to eat, and his wife sat watching, with her hands folded in her lap. The young man decided to ask if they would allow him to purchase another meal for them so that they didn't have to split theirs. The old gentleman said, "Oh no. We've been married 50 years, and everything has always been and will always be shared, 50/50." The young man then asked the wife if she was going to eat. She replied, "Not yet. It's his turn with the teeth." Next Meeting
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Last modified 7 September 2003.