Drug Use and Abuse What is a drug
Drug Use and Abuse
What is a drug? l A substance that produces an effect on the body and mind
What is drug abuse? • Drug abuse is any use of an illegal drug (ex. Marijuana) or the misuse of any legal drug (ex. Prescription medicine) or other psychoactive substance. • Psychoactive drug- is a chemical substance that acts on the brain, affecting a persons mind and behavior. The affects depend on the type of drug taken.
Drug use, misuse and abuse • Use- drugs taken when needed, as directed, and only for the purpose that it was intended. • Misuse- using a drug in a way that is not intended. Using someone else's medicine or taking the wrong dosage. • Abuse- taking drugs in ways which they were not intended, using substances that are illegal, or not intended to be taken into the body.
Continuous drug use can make you look like this. Do you want to look like this?
The acceptable uses of drugs are: • • • Prevent disease Diagnose disease Ease pain Regulate body organs Treat disease
How are drugs misused • • • Taking someone else’s prescription Larger dose than prescribed Stretching medication Using medicine before symptoms occur Mixing drugs with alcohol Giving adult medication to children Mixing different types of drugs together Using expired medication Taking medication in the dark
How drugs enter the body • Orally- taken into the mouth • Injection- using a hypodermic needle • Inhalation- taken is gaseous state or sniffed. *absorbed into the blood through mucus membrane • ***Side effect- an unwanted result not related to the major purpose of the drug.
Drug Interaction • Independent- two drugs taken together have no affect on each other. • Antagonistic- the effect of either or both is blocked or reduced • Additive- the two drugs interact and double the effect • Synergistic- the two drugs cause an effect that is greater than twice the effect
Drug Classifications • 1. Stimulants- speed up activity of the central nervous system • A) Cocaine • Made from the leaves of the coca plant • Highly addictive • Risk or heart attack, stroke or seizure • B) Crack • Purified (crystalline) form of cocaine • More addictive than cocaine • Higher risk or addiction after only a short period of use
• C) Amphetamines • Highly addictive synthetic stimulant • Produces a sense of Euphoria • Euphoria: a feeling of intense happiness and well-being • D) Caffeine • Found in chocolate, coffee, tea and soda • Not a controlled substance
• Depressants (sedative-hypnotics) • • • A sedative has a calming effect on a person’s behavior Hypnotics produce drowsiness and sleep Used for insomnia, high blood pressure, nervous conditions • A) Barbiturates • • • Strong depressant Highly addictive Used in sleeping pills • B) Tranquilizers • • Used for anxiety Dangerous when taken with alcohol
• Narcotics- Strong pain killer that produces a relaxed dreamy state • A) Opium • • • B) Morphine • • • Dark gummy substance made from the juice of poppy seeds Smoke to produce a dreamlike state of euphoria White powder made from morphine Highly addictive pain killer C) Heroin • • Made from morphine Highly addictive pain killer
• D) Codeine • • • Made from opium To relieve pain and suppress coughing E) Methadone • • • Synthetic opium, highly addictive Used by addict to block heroin craving Does not produce the debilitating effects of heroin
• Hallucinogens- “mind expanders” causes distortion of perception- all senses are affected • A) LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) • • Most powerful hallucinogen Synthesized in 1938 Drug of the 60’s psychedelic era Psychological dependence • B) Mescaline (peyote) • • Taken from Mexican cactus buttons Used by Indians for tribal rituals • C) Psilocybin • • Taken from mushrooms found in mexico Used in religious rituals
• D) Marijuana- dried leaves of the cannibus plant • • • Active ingredient is THC Fat soluble, builds up in fat cells including the brain, heart and liver Used to be 1 -5%THC, now is 8 -15% • E) Hashish- made from the resins of the marijuana plant • • May be in liquid or solid form Much stringer than marijuana
Inhalants- these are not controlled substances. They are snorted, sniffed or inhaled – Examples are; amyl nitrite, nail polish remover, furniture polish, gasoline, glue, hairspray, nitrous oxide, white out, magic marker, etc. Designer drugs- Drugs made in the laboratory to “mimic” the effects of controlled drugs – The most common of these is Ecstacy – Imitates the effects of amphetamines and LSD Anabolic steroids- Lab drugs that act like a male hormone testosterone – Increases muscle mass – Many adverse side effects: liver damage, infertility, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression
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