Drugs

1. Drugs Above the Influence

2. Addiction Inability to consistently abstain Impairment in behavior control Craving Diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships Dysfunctional emotional response Like other chronic diseases, addiction involves cycles of relapse and remission Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death.

3. Reasons for Substance Abuse Curiosity Low self-esteem Peer pressure Adult modeling Mood alteration Boredom Alienation

4. Class Activity: Where Do You Stand? Willingness Unwillingness Completely Agree Completely Disagree

5. What is a drug? • A drug is any chemical you take that affects the way your bodyworks • Heroin, alcohol, ecstasy, caffeine and nicotine are all forms of drugs • A drug must be able to pass through your body and into your brain, allowing brain cells to be changed by interfering with the brains chemical signals called neurotransmitters

6. Drug Misuse vs. Drug Abuse Drug Misuse Drug Abuse • Definition: the unintentional or inappropriate use of prescribed or non-prescribed medicine that results in the impaired physical, mental, emotional, or social well-being of the user • Take more than the recommended dosages • Reduce the standard time interval between doses • Definition: chronic, excessive use of a drug • May refer to a person’s intent • Example: • Drinking alcohol for the purpose of getting drunk • Uses an illegal drug for any reason

7. How to spot a drug user: • You may notice changes in the way a person looks or acts: • Lost interest in their hobbies • Change friends • Become moody, cranky, and negative • Ask to be left alone • Trouble concentrating • Get in fights • Lose or gain weight • What are some other signs?

8. Categories of Drugs Over-the-Counter (OTC) Prescription Depressants Stimulants Narcotics Illegal Drugs Other?

9. Small Group Activity: Effects of Drug Use With your group, discuss the situation on your card. Then, decide whether the drug being used is in a helpful or harmful way and why.

10. Over-the-Counter • Non-prescription drugs, medicines that can be used for self-treatment • On the shelves at grocery, convenience, and drug stores and easily accessible. • Effective in relieving the symptoms of mild illnesses when used according to the directions • How can these be misused?

11. Depressants • Drugs that slow down, inhibit, or depress the nervous system. • Most common depressant drug: alcohol • Most depressant drugs are prescription drugs • Most common of misused and abused drugs • Four main effects on the body: • Sedatives: produce relaxation • Tranquilizers: reduce anxiety and act as muscle relaxants • Hypnotics: promote sleep • Anesthetics: create a loss of sensation

12. Stimulants • Drugs that stimulate, or speed up, the nervous system • Increase heart rate, blood pressure, and the amount of circulating blood sugar • Constrict the blood vessels and dilate bronchial tubes and pupils of the eyes • Some can produce temporary euphoria • Most common stimulant drug: caffeine • Coffee, tea, soda drinks, energy drinks, even chocolate. • Examples: • Caffeine • Amphetamines “uppers” • Ritilin • Adderall • Methamphetamine • Cocaine • Tobacco

13. Narcotics • Drugs that act on the nervous system • Excellent pain killers, but can be highly addictive • Examples: Morphine, codeine, and heroin • Heroin is one of the most dangerous drugs abused

14. They Lied! Drug Prevention Video • http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=IrcOVpAKsUg

15. Illegal Substances: Marijuana • Dominant illicit drug • Gateway Drug • In average doses, it acts much like alcohol • Distortion of time • Increased heart rate • Increased appetite and thirst • Dilation of the blood vessels in the eyes • Muscular weakness

16. Short –Term & Long-Term Effects • On the Brain • Problems with memory and learning • Distorted perception • Difficulty in thinking and problem solving • Loss of coordination • Increased heart rate • On the Heart: • Risk of heart attack quadruples in the first hour after smoking marijuana • On the Lungs: • Similar as smoking tobacco • Persistent cough and phlegm production • Frequent acute chest illness • Heightened risk of lung infection • Greater tendency to obstructed airways • Increases the likelihood of developing cancer • On Learning and Social Behavior: • Depression • Anxiety • Personality disturbances • Ability to learn and remember information

17. Illegal Substances: Heroin • Heroin comes from the dried milk of the opium poppy, which is also used to create the class of painkillers called narcotics — medicines like codeine and morphine. Heroin can range from a white to dark brown powder to a sticky, tar-like substance. • How It's Used: Heroin is injected, smoked, or inhaled (if it is pure).

18. Effects and Dangers • Heroin gives you a burst of euphoric (high) feelings, especially if injected • The high is followed by: • Drowsiness • Nausea • Stomach cramps and vomiting • Users feel the need to take more heroin ASAP just to feel good again. • With long-term use, heroin ravages the body. • Chronic constipation • Dry skin • Scarred veins • Breathing problems • Users who inject heroin often have collapsed veins and put themselves at risk of getting deadly infections • HIV/AIDS • Hepatitis B or C • Bacterial Endocarditis

19. Addictiveness Heroin is extremely addictive and easy to overdose on (which can cause death). Withdrawal is intense and symptoms include insomnia, vomiting, and muscle pain.

20. Illegal Substances: Cocaine • Cocaine is a white crystalline powder made from the dried leaves of the coca plant. Crack, named for its crackle when heated, is made from cocaine. It looks like white or tan pellets. They are both dangerous stimulants. • How They're Used: Cocaine is inhaled through the nose or injected into the bloodstream. Crack is heated, then the vapors are smoked.

21. Effects and Dangers • Gives users a quick, intense feeling of power and energy. • Snorting highs last about 15-30 minutes • Smoking highs last between 5-10 minutes • Elevates heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure and body temperature • Risk of: • Hepatitis B or C • HIV/AIDS • Can cause nosebleeds and damage the tissue inside your nose. It can even cause a hole inside the lining of your nose. • First time users: can stop breathing or have fatal heart attacks. • Using one time can kill you.

22. Addictiveness These drugs are highly addictive, and as a result, the drug, not the user, calls the shots. Even after one use, cocaine and crack can create both physical and psychological cravings that make it very, very difficult for users to stop.

23. Illegal Substances: Ecstasy • This is a designer drug created by underground chemists. It comes in powder, tablet, or capsule form. Ecstasy is a popular club drug among teens because it is widely available at raves, dance clubs, and concerts. • How It's Used: Ecstasy is swallowed or sometimes snorted.

24. Effects and Dangers • This drug combines a hallucinogenic with a stimulant effect, making all emotions, both negative and positive, much more intense. • Users feel a tingly skin sensation and an increased heart rate. • Ecstasy can also cause dry mouth, cramps, blurred vision, chills, sweating, and nausea • Sometimes users clench their jaws while using. They may chew on something (like a pacifier) to relieve this symptom. • Many users also experience depression, paranoia, anxiety, and confusion. There is some concern that these effects on the brain and emotion can become permanent with chronic use of ecstasy. • Ecstasy also raises the temperature of the body. This increase can sometimes cause organ damage or even death

25. Addictiveness Although the physical addictiveness of Ecstasy is unknown, teens who use it can become psychologically dependent upon it to feel good, deal with life, or handle stress.

26. Class Activity: Catch It

27. Questions What are some ways that legal drugs can destroy someone’s life? What are some ways illegal drugs can destroy someone’s life? What are the similarities and differences between them?

28. Legal Issues with the Possession and Dealing of Drugs • The different kinds of illegal drugs are split into 3 classes: A, B & C. Each class carries a different level of punishment for possession and dealing • Class A: Ecstasy, LSD, Heroin, Cocaine/Crack • Possession: Up to 7 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both • Dealing (Sale): Up to life in prison or an unlimited fine or both • Class B: Amphetimines, Ritilin • Possession: Up to 5 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both • Dealing (Sale): Up to 14 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both • Class C: Cannabis, tranquilizers, some pain killers • Possession: Up to 2 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both • Dealing (Sale): Up to 14 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both

29. Charge 1: Possession Being caught with an illegal drug for your own use, whether it is (or has been) in your pocket, your bag, your house or car. You can also be charged with this offence if the police find the drug somewhere else (such as in a locker) and can prove that you controlled its whereabouts.

30. Continued • If you're under 17, the police can also tell your parent/s or caregiver, and inform the Social Services and the Probation Service. Depending on the circumstances of your case, and local prosecution policy, the police then have these options for punishment: • A formal warning (which is put on local police files. If you offend again this may influence the police to charge you, rather than caution you). • A formal caution (a central police record held for 5 years. If you offend again, his can be used against you). • Charge you with an offence leading to a Youth Court hearing. (This is more likely for repeat offenders, who may end up with a fine or a custodial sentence). • You can be cautioned more than once, but if you keep getting caught, you'll go to court.

31. Charge 2: Possession with Intent to Supply • Things get much heavier if you're caught supplying drugs to others, or even if the police suspect the drugs weren't just for you. If you had any intention of dealing, (which can include giving and sharing drugs) you may be charged with this more serious offence. Decisions over whether you're charged with intent to supply are based on the circumstances in which you were caught and the quantity of drugs you were caught with.

32. Continued • The police can take the same courses of action as in simple possession cases, but this time you're more likely to be charged. If your case goes to court the penalties are likely to be heavier. • Be aware that the charge of intent to supply is wide-ranging. It's not just heavy-duty smuggling cases that count. You can be done for carrying a couple of tabs for a mate, or a lump of dope split into smaller quantities.

33. Strategies to Stop Abusing Drugs • An accident • A death • Family support • Counseling (12 step program, therapy) • What are other strategies to STOP? • Can you think of ways to PREVENT? • Do scare tactics work to prevent drug use? • Is random student drug testing an effective prevention policy?

34. Project: Anti-Drug Poster • You will be working in a group of 3 people to make an Anti-Drug Poster and a 1 minute skit about strategies that help an individual stop abusing drugs and remain drug free.