Marijuana and other Illegal Drugs

1. Marijuana and other Illegal Drugs 8th grade Illegal Drugs Lesson 8- pD56-61

2. Marijuana • An illegal drug containing THC. • THC: a chemical that affects short-term memory and causes mood changes • Marijuana is made from dried, crushed parts of the hemp plant, scientific name is Cannabis sativa

3. Marijuana-more unhealthy than cigarettes! • Contains most of the harmful chemicals that are found in tobacco smoke • One marijuana cigarette contains 4 times more tar than smoking a cigarette. • Hashish: another drug that comes from marijuana plant- usually has many times more THC.

4. THC • THC is fat-soluable, meaning gets absorbed and stored in your fat cells. • It is released slowly and can effect mental and physical functions for days • Can be detected for up to a month with a drug test

5. Stats and Facts • Use of marijuana is decreasing among 8th, 10th and 12th graders, but it’s still too high! • Marijuana and the Brain

6. Hallucinogens • Hallucinogens interfere with the senses and cause people to see and hear things that are not really there. • Called Hallucinations • LSD, PCP, Ecstasy, Mescaline

7. LSD • Powder, tablet or capsule • Can also be dissolved in small pieces of paper, sugar cubes or candy and absorbed through the skin. • Hallucinations can be terrifying

8. Flashbacks • A sudden illusion that a person has long after having used a hallucinogenic drug. • It can include hallucinations, bizarre visual effects such as flashes of colored light. • No treatment for flashbacks

9. PCP (angel dust) • Veterinary medication that is use illegally used as a hallucinogen. • Causes unsafe fluctuations in blood pressure, Heart rate, and breathing

10. Ecstasy • Also known as MDMA • Produces a false sense of well-being and increased energy • Causes nerve damage that can lead to mental and psychiatric problems • Referred to as a club drug or designer drug

11. Ecstasy Effects • Can cause twitching • Blurred vision • Causes increased body temperature, resulting in organ faliure • Death

12. Mescaline • A hallucinogen made from the peyote cactus • Same effects as LSD • Effects can last up to 12 hours

13. Anabolic Steroids • A drug used to artificially increase muscle size and strength • Taken orally, injected into muscles, or rubbed on the skin in gel form.

14. Steroids cause…. • Elevated BP, severe acne, increased cholesterol • In males, breast enlargement, shrinkage of the testes, and baldness • In females, growth of body hair, smaller breasts, coarse skin, deeper voice, and disruption of the menstrual cycle.

15. Steriod Acne

16. Steroid- other side effects(as if those weren’t bad enough) • They signal bones to stop growing, so it could lead to stunted growth • Can cause heart attacks, strokes, liver disease and endocarditis (an inflamation of the lining of the heart. • Roid rage: intense feelings of anger, hostility or aggression. • Can cause depression and suicidal thoughts.

17. Inhalants • Chemicals or fumes from common household products that are sniffed or inhaled for their mind-altering effects. • Mostly legal products that are abused • It is illegal to use products in this way

18. Inhalants

19. Inhalants • Sniffing: breathing in inhalants directly from an open container • Huffing: inhaling them from an inhalant-soaked rag. • Bagging: breathing in the vapors from an open container or soaked rag placed inside a paper bag

20. Inhalants • When inhalants are breathed in, they deprive the body of oxygen • Cause headaches, slurred speech, nausea, vomiting, and loss of muscle coordination

21. Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome • Death can occur the FIRST time a person abuses inhalants Don’t gamble with your life!