DRUG IDENTIFICATION AND ABUSE WHAT ARE DRUGS DRUGS

DRUG IDENTIFICATION AND ABUSE

WHAT ARE DRUGS • DRUGS ARE STRONG CHEMICALS USED TO MAKE SICK PEOPLE WELL AGAIN • THEY ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE USED JUST FOR “FUN” • THERE ARE SEVERAL CATEGORIES OF DRUGS BASED ON WHAT THEY DO TO THE BODY.

WHAT IS DRUG ABUSE? • THE HABITUAL TAKING OF ADDICTIVE OR ILLEGAL DRUGS

IDENTIFYING SIGNS OF DRUG ABUSE • BLOODSHOT EYES, PUPILS LARGER OR SMALLER THAN USUAL. • CHANGES IN APPETITE OR SLEEP PATTERNS. • SUDDEN WEIGHT LOSS OR WEIGHT GAIN. • DETERIORATION OF PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, PERSONAL GROOMING HABITS. • UNUSUAL SMELLS ON BREATH, BODY, OR CLOTHING. • TREMORS, SLURRED SPEECH, OR IMPAIRED COORDINATION.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF DRUGS • MARIJUANA • STIMULANTS AND COCAINE • CRACK • HEROIN • NICOTINE • INHALANTS • PHENCYCLIDINE

PSYCHOACTIVE DRUG • A CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE THAT ACTS PRIMARILY UPON THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM WHERE IT ALTERS BRAIN FUNCTION, RESULTING IN TEMPORARY CHANGES IN PERCEPTION, MOOD, CONSCIOUSNESS AND BEHAVIOR. • CAFFEINE IS CONSIDERED A PSYCHOACTIVE DRUG.

MARIJUANA • COMES FROM A CANNABIS PLANT • CONTAINS A CHEMICAL KNOWN AS TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL (THC) • THIS IS A PSYCHOACTIVE DRUG

STIMULANTS AND COCAINE • STIMULANTS ARE PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS (SEE NEXT SLIDE) • INDUCE TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENTS IN EITHER MENTAL OR PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS OR BOTH • THEY PRODUCE AN EXTREME EUPHORIA, BUT LEAVE A RESTLESS IRRITABLE FEELING • COCAINE IS A STRONG STIMULANT MOSTLY USED AS A RECREATIONAL DRUG. • IT IS COMMONLY SNORTED, INHALED, OR INJECTED INTO THE VEINS

CRACK COCAINE • MOST COMMONLY SMOKED AS A ROCK, IT IS THE MOST ADDICTIVE FORM OF COCAINE • GIVE A FEELING OF EUPHORIA, CONFIDENCE, INCREASED ENERGY, OR DELUSIONS FOR 5 -10 MINUTES. • DEATH MAY OCCUR FROM INCREASED BLOOD PRESSURE OR HEARTRATE. • THE CRASH THAT COMES AFTER THE HIGH INCLUDES DEPRESSION. • DAMAGE TO THE BODY INCLUDES DAMAGE TO LUNGS AND HEART. • DAMAGE TO UNBORN BABIES INCLUDES POOR COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE AND INFORMATION PROCESSING, AND ATTENTION TO TASKS.

NICOTINE • A TOXIC COLORLESS OR YELLOWISH OILY LIQUID THAT IS THE CHIEF ACTIVE CONSTITUENT OF TOBACCO. • IT ACTS AS A STIMULANT IN SMALL DOSES • SMOKING AND SMOKELESS TOBACCO HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO CAUSE CANCER.

INHALANTS • INTOXICATIVE INHALANTS CONTAIN A BROAD RANGE OF ITEMS • PAINT THINNER, GLUE (NOT U. S. MADE GLUE) • VOLATILE VAPORS OR GASES ARE TAKEN IN THROUGH THE NOSE • SIDE EFFECTS INCLUDE • CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA (HEART BEATS TOO FAST OR TOO SLOW) • BRAIN DAMAGE

PHENCYCLIDINE • A SYNTHETIC COMPOUND, ORIGINALLY USED AS AN ANESTHETIC, BUT TAKEN OFF THE MARKET IN THE 1960’S • IS A PSYCHEDELIC DRUG – CAUSES HALLUCINATIONS, NUMBNESS, AND MEMORY LOSS • ALSO KNOWN AS PHP OR “ANGEL DUST”

HEROIN • A HIGHLY ADDICTIVE OPIATE • ANALGESIC (PAIN KILLER) DRUG DERIVED FROM MORPHINE • OVERDOSES FREQUENTLY INVOLVE A SUPPRESSION OF BREATHING, WHICH LEADS TO HYPOXIA AND POSSIBLE BRAIN DAMAGE

HOW TO HELP SOMEONE STUGGLING WITH DRUG ABUSE? • IT'S COMMON FOR THOSE ABUSING DRUGS TO GET ANGRY EASILY, SO YOU NEED TO APPROACH THE SITUATION WITH CARE IF YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH THEM ABOUT IT • REFER A TREATMENT PROGRAM TO HELP THEM BEAT THEIR ADDICTION IF THEY ARE WILLING TO OVERCOME IT

NATIONAL HELP LINE • SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION • SAMHSA HTTP: //WWW. SAMHSA. GOV/FIND-HELP/NATIONALHELPLINE • 1 -800 -662 -HELP (4357)