GRADE SIX

1. GRADE SIX DRUG USE & ABUSE

2. Data on Drugs A drug is a substance other than food, which is taken to change the way the body or the mind functions. A drug changes the way you feel and act. A drug’s effects depend on: • The kind of drug you take • How much of the drug you take • When you take the drug • How often you take the drug • What else you have taken with the drug Once a drug has been taken, you cannot control the drug’s effects. It will continue to work in your body until the body breaks it down and removes it. For example, if you take a drug that makes you drowsy, you will continue to feel drowsy until the drug wears off.

3. Medicines, Legally available drugs, Illegal or ‘street’ drugs • sleeping pills and antibiotics are prescription drugs that are available only by visiting the doctor and pharmacist medicines • many kinds of eye drops, cold and cough remedies and pain relievers are non-prescription or ‘over-the-counter’ drugs medicines • tea, coffee and cola drinks contain caffeine, which is a legally available drug legally available drugs • cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco and chewing tobacco contain nicotine, a legally available drug for people over 18 legally available drugs • cannabis (also called marijuana) illegal drugs

4. Medicines, Legally available drugs, Illegal or ‘street’ drugs • insulin (to help people with Diabetes), inhalers (to help people with Asthma) and medicated epi-pens (for severe allergic reactions) are prescription drugs for people with specific conditions medicines • wine, beer and liquor are legally available drugs for people over 18 legally available drugs • illegal drugs are against the law to purchase illegal drugs • illegal drugs are also called ‘street’ drugs illegal drugs

5. Drug Effects • Drugs can be poisonous if you take too much of them (taking a lot at one time or taking small amounts often) • It is risky to take a drug for a longer period of time than is needed • You can become seriously ill if you take a drug that your body does not need • It can be harmful to mix different kinds of drugs • Some people are more sensitive or allergic to certain drugs; they can get sick, even if they use small amounts • Many drugs can cause side-effects, like drowsiness; this makes it dangerous to do certain activities that require alertness • It is unsafe to take a drug without following proper instructions

6. Fact or fiction? Read through the following questions and circle the best answer: 1. Almost half of the smokers in Ontario smoked their first whole cigarette between which ages? a) 14 and 17 b) 18 and 21 c) 22 and 25 a) 14 and 17 (early smokers are likely to continue the habit)

7. Fact or fiction? 2. A common reason people use drugs is to do what? a) Punish themselves b) Form an addiction c) Change the way they feel or think c) Change the way they feel or think (for some, drugs provide an easy substitute for taking control of their lives in a stressful world)

8. Fact or fiction? 3. What is the best definition of a drug? a) It is a substance that is very habit forming b) It is a substance that can change the way your body and/or mind function c) It is an illegal substance that can harm you b) It is a substance that can change the way your body and/or mind function (there are three categories of drugs — medicines, legally available drugs and illegal or ’street’ drugs)

9. Fact or fiction? 4. What percentage of Alberta students from Grade 7-9 do not drink any alcohol? a) 86% b) 64% c) 22% b) 64% (it is a misconception that “everybody is doing it")

10. Fact or fiction? 5. Why do people gamble? a) For fun, excitement or challenge b) To win money or escape problems c) Both of the above c) Both of the above (people who gamble to escape problems or focus primarily on winning back money may have a problem with gambling)

11. Fact or fiction? 6. What percentage of Ontario students from Grade 7-9 are non-smokers? a) Almost 93% b) Almost 25% d) Almost 46% a) Almost 93% (it is a misconception that most teenagers smoke)

12. Fact or fiction? 7. Which is the most effective way to say “no” to alcohol, drugs and gambling? a) Pretend they don’t exist b) Think about risky situations and have a plan of action c) Hang out with people who don’t know anything about these things b) Think about risky situations and have a plan of action (knowing your choices and acting in your best interest is more effective than not knowing)

13. Fact or fiction? 8. What percentage of Alberta students from Grade 7-9 do not use the illegal drug cannabis (also known as marijuana)? a) 72% b) 12% c) 40% a) 72% (it is a misconception that most teenagers smoke pot)

14. Fact or fiction? 9. What is the best definition of gambling? a) Any activity where somebody wins and somebody loses b) An activity that you will win if you are a lucky person c) Risking something of value on an activity with an uncertain outcome c) Risking something of value on an activity with an uncertain outcome (you can win or lose a basketball game, which would depend on the skill of the teams involved; winning and losing in gambling activities are completely random - it has nothing to do with skill or luck)

15. Fact or fiction? 10. Which is the most effective way to stop an addiction before it has a chance to start? a) Hang out with people who have alcohol, drug or gambling problems and promise yourself that you’ll never let that happen b) Think about what you want in life and how alcohol, drugs and gambling might mess with that c) Think about all the bad effects of alcohol, drugs and gambling and swear them off for good b) Think about what you want in life and how alcohol, drugs and gambling might mess with that (it is more effective to think about the benefits of non-use, rather than the ill effects of use)

16. Cannabis • Marijuana, hash and hash oil come from the Cannabis sativa plant. The main psychoactive (or mind altering) substance of cannabis is a "cannabinoid" called THC (9-delta tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is what makes the user feel 'high'. • Also Known As:acapulco gold, ace, bhang, bud, californiasinsemilla, chronic, colombian, dope (cannabis), doobie, ganja, grass, green, hemp, herb, hippy, indian hemp, hydro, jamaican, jive (sticks), joint, kush, marihuana, marijuana, maryjane, mauiewowie, mexican, panama gold, panama red, pot, ragweed, reefer, sativa, sinse, stink, thai sticks, weed hashish, hash, hash oil, honey oil, weed oil. • Category: Hallucinogens

17. Different Forms of Cannabis • Marijuana • Marijuana is the dried leaves and flower buds of the plant, but may also contain seeds and stems. The colour can vary from green to grayish-green to brown. It often has a pungent or spicy smell. Users will most frequently smoke it in hand-rolled cigarettes (joints, spliffs), in pipes or water pipes (bongs) or wrapped in cigar tobacco (blunts). It is sometimes cooked with food and eaten.

18. Different Forms of Cannabis • Hash • Hashish or hash is made from resin that is collected and compressed from the Cannabis plant. It can range in colour from blonde to brown to black, and may be soft and pliable or firm and brittle. Hashish that has significant quantities of leaf material in it can also be green. Hashish is generally smoked, but may be eaten like marijuana. It generally contains more THC than marijuana.

19. Different Forms of Cannabis • Hash Oil • Hash oil, also called cannabis oil, is produced by extracting resins from cannabis plant material using an organic solvent. Cannabis oil is usually a thick, sticky liquid and can range in colour from gold, to red, to dark brown. Cannabis oil is generally smoked. The THC content of hash oil is usually higher than that of marijuana.

20. Different Forms of Cannabis • Hemp • Hemp is a type of cannabis with very low THC content and is used for its fibre. Industrial uses of hemp include the production of rope, fabric, paper, food and cosmetics.

21. Different Forms of Cannabis • THC • The amount of THC depends on how the cannabis is prepared. • In marijuana it ranges from 1% to 20% • In hash it varies depending on the source and how it is prepared • Hash oil generally contains 10% to 20% but concentrations of THC as high as 70% have been reported. It is generally considered the most concentrated form of the drug. • The amount of THC in marijuana depends on: • how it was grown • the genetic makeup of the plant • the amounts of flower parts, leaves, stems, and seeds

22. How Does Cannabis Affect the Body? • After using cannabis, THC is absorbed into the bloodstream and it travels to the brain. In the brain, THC binds to specific receptors, called cannabinoid receptors. This binding reaction in the brain produces the effects felt by the user. • How quickly cannabis reaches the brain varies. After smoking, the effects are felt almost immediately and last for one to three hours. After eating, it takes about an hour for it to take effect and the effects may last for as long as four hours. • THC is stored in fat cells. It takes a long time to completely clear from the body. Although this does not produce long-lasting psychoactive effects (effects which affect the mind, mood or mental processes), it can result in a positive drug test long after the drug has been taken and the effects have worn off.

23. Cannabis Short-Term Effects • As THC enters the brain, users may feel anxious, euphoric, 'high' and/or fearful. Others may feel relaxed and talkative. Some people enjoy the perceptual distortions produced by cannabis; other people find these effects to be unpleasant. When first using cannabis, many people do not experience psychoactive effects (effects which affect the mind, mood or mental processes), but with repeated use they do. • Short-term use of cannabis can produce many other effects: • red eyes • spontaneous laughter • drowsiness • increased hunger (often called "munchies") • mild paranoia, anxiety or panic • impaired reaction time, coordination and motor skills • impaired short-term memory • increased heart rate and decrease in blood pressure (may lead to fainting) • dry mouth and throat • irritation of the respiratory tract (with smoking) • In addition, a person could potentially experience: • hallucinations (seeing something that does not exist) • pseudo-hallucinations (seeing colours or patterns that the user knows are not real) • paranoia • severe agitation • disorientation • abdominal pain

24. Cannabis Long-Term Effects • Cannabis smoke irritates the respiratory passages. This can lead to bronchitis, especially if used regularly. Cannabis smoke has some of the same toxic substances that are found in tobacco smoke that can cause cancer. • Frequent cannabis use affects motivation and concentration. It can interfere with school and job performance. • Long-term heavy use may also precipitate psychosis or schizophrenia in individuals with a genetic predisposition. Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder. People with schizophrenia lose touch with reality and may: • experience paranoia • have delusions • hallucinate • Cannabis use can complicate the course and treatment of this disorder, for example it can enhance the symptoms of schizophrenia.

25. Different Kinds of Inhalants • There are four main types of inhalants: volatile solvents, gases, aerosols, and nitrites. Volatile solvents, gases, and aerosols can alter moods and create a high. Nitrites are believed to create sexual stimulation and enhancement

26. Volatile solvents • Volatile solvents are liquids that become a gas at room temperature. Some examples are paint thinners and removers, gasoline, glues, and felt-tip marker fluids.

27. Gases • Gases include medical gases (ether, nitrous oxide) and household or commercial products (butane lighters, propane tanks, whipped cream dispensers that contain nitrous oxide, and refrigerants).

28. Aerosol sprays • Aerosol sprays are some of the most prevalent inhalants in the home and include spray paint, deodorant and hairsprays, vegetable oil cooking sprays, and static cling sprays.

29. Nitrites • Nitrites include cyclohexyl nitrite, amyl nitrite, and butyl nitrite. On the street, they're called "poppers" or "snappers." They're found in some room deodorizers and capsules that release vapors when opened.

30. Inhalants Effects on the Body • People inhale chemical vapors in several ways, including sniffing, snorting, or spraying the inhalant directly into the nose or mouth, putting it into a bag or other container and then inhaling from there, putting the vapor onto a rag, or inhaling nitrous oxide from balloons.

31. Inhalants Effects on the Body • Because the high from inhalants only lasts a few minutes, some people may inhale over and over again for long periods of time to maintain the high, increasing the amount of dangerous chemicals entering and damaging the body.

32. Inhalants Effects on the Body • Inhalants can cause many changes in the body. Once the vapors enter the body, some are absorbed by parts of the brain and nervous system. All of the inhalants (except nitrites) slow down the body's functions, similar to the effects of drinking alcohol. At first someone gets excited, but then gets tired, has trouble speaking clearly or walking well, gets dizzy, loses inhibitions, and may get agitated. It can sometimes take up to 2 weeks for the chemical to completely pass from the body.

33. Inhalants Effects on the Body • Other short-term effects of inhaling chemicals include: • increased heart rate • hallucinations or delusions • losing feeling or consciousness • nausea and vomiting • loss of coordination • slurred speech

34. Inhalants Effects on the Body • People who become addicted to using inhalants are likely to become long-term users. This puts them at risk for these health problems: • brain damage (toxic chemicals may make people become slow or clumsy, have trouble solving problems or planning ahead, suffer from memory loss, or become unable to learn new things) • muscle weakness • depression • headaches and nosebleeds • loss of sense of smell or hearing

35. How Inhalants Kill • Like most street drugs, inhalants can be deadly. Someone can die from abusing inhalants after trying it only once. Causes of death include: • "Sudden Sniffing Death" — This is the most common cause of death from inhalant use. The heart beats quickly and irregularly, and then suddenly stops (cardiac arrest). This can happen even the first time a person tries an inhalant and is experimenting. • Asphyxia — Toxic fumes replace oxygen in the lungs so that a person stops breathing. • Choking — A user can choke on his or her vomit. • Suffocation — When vapors are inhaled from a plastic bag placed over the head, the bag can block air from entering the lungs. • Injuries — Since people high on inhalants often make poor decisions, they might try to drive under the influence or do something irrational, such as jump off a roof. They could also get burned or start explosions if a spark ignites flammable inhalants. • Suicide — Some people become depressed when their high wears off

36. ADDICTION Forming an addiction is a process. It does not happen all of a sudden. When people introduce alcohol, drugs or gambling into their lives, negative consequences may occur, but they are not overwhelming in the beginning. Progressively, the negative consequences increase. More time is spent on the addiction, and this decreases the attention given to Important Life Areas, such as school, work, family, friends, responsibilities and interests. These Important Life Areas begin to deteriorate; and as a result, trying to make changes becomes more difficult. Often, people battling addictions feel very badly about what they are doing, but their ability to make wise decisions is limited, due to their physical and/or psychological dependence. They feel that they have few supports and lack the positive skills to seek change. The process itself becomes half the reason why an addiction is so challenging to overcome.

37. Addiction: An addiction is when people depend so strongly on a drug (such as alcohol) or an activity (such as gambling), that they continue the behaviour, even though they may be hurting themselves or others. Addiction includes: Physical dependency — the person’s body becomes so used to the drug or activity that it cannot function normally without it Psychological dependency — the person believes that thoughts, emotions and activities are less satisfying or even impossible without the drug or activity

38. Tolerance Tolerance is the body getting used to a drug or an activity. As people become addicted to something, they increase their tolerance for it. This means that over time the body changes and needs more and more of the drug or the activity to get the same effect.

39. Withdrawal People who are addicted to a drug or an activity experience withdrawal when they stop. This is a change in the body and mind when the person no longer gets the drug or does the activity. It is the body and mind trying to return to normal.

40. Alcohol Acceptance 1. Sahir’s mom and dad have an occasional drink, usually during social events. Sahir’s chances of developing a drinking problem are lower than they are for somebody who comes from a family of heavy drink.......................F T T People may use drugs because of family environment

41. Alcohol Acceptance 2. Teresa feels nervous and awkward around people, especially at parties. Teresa has seen her older brother loosen up after having a few drinks. He becomes the “life of the party!” Social pressure is one of the reasons people drink. ........................F T T People may use drugs because of social pressure

42. Alcohol Acceptance 3. Tony wonders what it’s like to be drunk. He thinks about it a lot and he is very curious to try it. This is unusual. Few people try drinking out of curiosity. ...................F T F People may use drugs out of curiosity

43. Alcohol Acceptance 4. Darcy is having difficulty controlling her anger and relieving her stress. When she is not angry or stressed, she feels depressed. Some people will use alcohol to deal with emotional problems. ..................F T • T People may use drugs because of emotional problems such as anger, stress, anxiety, boredom or depression

44. Alcohol Acceptance 5. Lee’s parents do not drink alcohol. They tell Lee about the dangers of alcohol and forbid him to use it. Lee has a tendency to rebel against authority. He will probably not experiment with drinking because of his parents’ wishes. ....................................F T F People may use drugs to rebel against authority

45. Alcohol Acceptance 6. Personal image is very important to Aria. She hangs out with the “cool” crowd at school. Lately, her friends have begun drinking beer at parties. This does not increase Aria’s chance of experimenting with alcohol because it doesn’t have anything to do with personal image. .................................F T • F People may use drugs to help them create a personal image of themselves

46. Alcohol Acceptance 7. Jim has a drink with his buddies once and a while. Usually, it makes him laugh and feel carefree. Sometimes, he experiences relaxation and sleepiness. One reason why people use alcohol is to change the way they feel or think. ....................................F T • T People may use drugs to change the way the body or the mind functions

47. Alcohol Acceptance 8. Ever since Darcy can remember, the people around her have been heavy drinkers. They brag about getting “hammered” and being able to “hold their liquor.” Darcy thinks it’s okay to drink a lot of alcohol. This accepting attitude does not increase her chances of having a drinking problem. .....................F T F People may use drugs because of group pressures

48. Alcohol is a Drug It is important to remember that alcohol is a drug and should never be mixed with any other drugs. Alcohol is a depressant drug that slows down the central nervous system. Alcohol affects the way your body and mind function by slowing down the messages that get sent to and from the brain. If you drink too much alcohol, your body slows down so much that you go to sleep or become unconscious. Drinking an extreme amount of alcohol may result in alcohol poisoning, which can cause death. Drinking heavily over a long period of time can have serious consequences, such as brain damage, ulcers, liver disease, malnutrition, heart damage and various forms of cancer.

49. How much alcohol is too much? One beer, one 120 mL glass of wine and one drink with 45 mL of hard liquor contain the same amount of alcohol. Each is considered one drink. A person who has had one drink may feel or act differently than another person who has also had one drink. Alcohol affects people in different ways. It is difficult to determine what effects alcohol will have on a person because it depends on many factors; these include how a person feels, the company he or she is with and the place and time of day. People tend to feel the effects of alcohol more so if they: • · Do not drink on a regular basis • · Have a lower metabolism • · Are smaller in size • · Are women • · Drink quickly

50. When does drinking become a problem? Anyone who drinks may develop a problem with alcohol. This can be the result of drinking too much at one time or patterns of drinking over a period of time. A drinking problem happens when a person’s use of alcohol results in negative consequences. Someone may have a problem with alcohol if his or her drinking causes: • · Difficulties with money • · Trouble with the law (drinking and driving, inappropriate behaviour in public) • · Physical suffering (loss of appetite, sleeplessness, nausea) • · Emotional suffering (feeling guilty, anxious, depressed) • · Pain to others (insults, hurtful words and actions) People who drink to cope with stress or cannot control the amount they drink are at a high risk of developing a problem with alcohol.