I believe even John would never have expected to turn to drugs one day. He was such a hard-working, disciplined and well-liked student that he won a scholarship to study abroad. At University, far from his friends and family, John started to enjoy some liberty he realized he never had in his home. There was no social pressure, one could do as one pleased without being bothered by inquisitive eyes and tongues.

Hence, he regularly joined in parties organized by fellow students. Nothing to worry about, outside the fact that drug consumption was often an unfortunate reality in those venues. Ecstasy, marijuana and even cocaine were some of the infamous accomplices for a “successful” party where travelling into the illusory world of limitless powers and pleasures was a must.

John neither had the will to say “no” as he was taught at school, nor did he wish to look awkwardly different from his mates as he feared they would belittle him because of what would be considered as a lack of daring. We’ve all heard about the deadly consequences of getting hooked on drugs. The abuser’s life turns into a nightmare, his health deteriorates significantly while he becomes a slave to his killer without which he is tortured by the pangs of withdrawal.

What is less talked about is the terrible immediate effects of drug consumption. As John sniffed his first line of cocaine, he was immediately sucked into a frightening red hot haze. He felt snakes growing onto his head while he was being chased by wild dogs. His friends did not quite understand what he was going through as they were themselves trapped into the vapours of drugs. They shouted at him instead of providing reassurance. John was being preyed upon by a tornado of scary feelings. It was like real life, so real he wanted to throw himself out of the window…

John was experiencing the other side of the coin of narcotics, the less spoken of “bad trips” they quite often drive you in. These hallucinations can be terrifying to the point they would haunt you for years with regular flashbacks. One can get depressive or panicky following a “bad trip” or in worse cases death may be the ultimate consequence.

For instance, according to “drug information cocaine website”, a cocaine user is said to have felt his hands growing under the effects of the poison; so true it felt that he tried to cut them off fearing they would be run over by a bus.

Drugs directly affect the brain, the organ through which we perceive the world. It’s in the brain that we love and it’s also there that the apple is red. When it is stimulated by drugs, the brain may send you into an illusive world of mystery and pleasure but it may also project you into hell where you get terrifying hallucinations which may stick to you for life unless professional advice is sought.

Unfortunately, the public at large is less informed about these so called “bad trips” than it is made to believe that the use of drugs is solely associated with some temporary escape from reality through more or less pleasant experiences.

While drug abuse is undoubtedly a sure ticket to a miserable life, that of hell on earth, a single encounter with narcotics may give an immediate taste of it through one of its terrifying “bad trips”.

If people knew more about the risks of being drawn into immediate adverse experiences, they would surely think twice before taking drugs in the hope of having some fun. Including this aspect in drug awareness campaigns may contribute to their effectiveness.

Nature caters for much safer and healthier pleasures on this unique voyage of life ,why yield to the lure of drugs and take the chances of a bad trip while embarking in the wrong direction for sure?

<B>Alain Jeannot</B>