By Stephanie Soong Staff Writer Drug use is one of those things that isn't supposed to happen at a respectable college campus, especially in a place like Irvine, where the grass is green, the air is clean and cops have the time to give out parking tickets. However, even the smartest students can make mistakes. Cones estimates that over 20 percent of college students have experienced some kind of illicit drug. Often, when students are tempted to experiment with certain drugs, they do not consider the risk of getting hooked.
Some drugs are less addictive than others, but can cause severe health problems with frequent use.
According to NIDA, these include ecstasy and speed, which bring about feelings of euphoria, increased alertness and energy. Users are at high risk for developing an addiction because of the powerful effects on the body. Ecstasy has been shown to cause long-term, irreversible brain damage that impairs thought and memory. Given the popularity of club gatherings among college students, ecstasy has become a presence on campus. Long-term users of speed may exhibit symptoms that resemble those of Parkinson's disease, due to the brain's inability to produce dopamine.