Drug Unit

1. Drug Unit Drug- any chemical substance that alters either the mind or the body. Why do people use drugs? • Peer pressure • To rebel • To relax • Escape from reality • Medical Reasons What are the 4 general patterns of drug users? • THE EXPERIMENTER- wanted to try it • REGULAR USER- take to have fun at social gatherings • PREOCCUPIED USER- psychologically depend on it • THE ADDICT- psychologically and physically depend on it

2. Trends with Teen Drug Use

3. Drug Use Ages 12+

4. Dangers of Substance Abuse • Side effects can range from minor to deadly (reactions to use of drug) • Synergistic effects- the interaction of 2 or more drugs/medicines that results in a greater effect than when the drugs are taken independently • Over dose- a strong or even fatal reaction to taking a large amount of a drug • Added risks for contracting diseases (sharing contaminated needles) • Added risks for unwanted sexual encounters, STDS, or pregnancies • Negatively affect performance in school, sports, and relationships • Impairs individual from reaching short and long term goals • Affects individual’s physical, mental, and social health • Trouble with the law • Can harm a developing fetus

5. Basic Terms related to Drugs • Substance Abuse- any unnecessary or improper use of a chemical substance for non medical purposes • Medicine Misuse- using medicine in ways other than intended • Illicit Drug Use- the use or sale of any substances that are illegal or otherwise not permitted • Gateway Drugs- drugs that often lead to other serious and dangerous drug use • Synthetic Drugs- chemical substances produced artificially in a laboratory • Tolerance- needing more of a substance to get the same effects

6. Drug Terms/Vocabulary • Physiological Dependence- the body’s physical need for a drug • Withdrawal- results when a person is physiologically dependent on drug and stops using the substance • Psychological Dependence- person believes they need the drug to function • Addiction- involves physiological and psychological dependence on a drug • Psychoactive Drugs- Chemicals that affect the CNS and interfere with the normal functioning of the brain • Euphoria- a feeling of intense welling being or elation that may be followed by a ‘crash’ or letdown

7. Six different categories of Drugs 1. Prescription drug- any type of drug prescribed by a doctor (cannot be used safely without the written approval of a licensed physician) • ANTIBIOTICS- fights infection • ANTI-INFLAMMATORY- helps rid injured area of bad blood and waste • PAIN RELIEVERS- helps in coping with pain after surgery 2. OTC or OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS- any type of drug sold in a store with a prescription from a doctor 3. RECREATIONAL DRUGS- any type of drug not illegal • Alcohol • Tobacco • Coffee 4. HERBAL PREPARATIONS- anything natural that is not illegal • Herbal Tea • Seaweed wrap

8. Categories of Drugs 5. ILLEGAL DRUGS (Street Drugs)- any type of drug man made or natural that is illegal to make, buy, grow or possess • cocaine • marijuana • Ecstasy 6. COMMERCIAL TYPE DRUGS- anything used to get ‘high’ with (are legal for intended use) • cleaning products- paint removers • glue • Ether Inhalants- are substances whose fumes are sniffed and inhaled to give a hallucinogenic effect Inhalants such as nitrites and nitrous oxide have medical uses, but many are not designed to be taken into the body

9. Drug Schedules- The Controlled Substance Act - Classifies medicines for use in the United States into categories/schedules according to their use and potential for Abuse Schedule 1: Illegal and Not Prescribed: High potential of abuse and addiction and NO type of medical use. (Example= ACID, Heroin, Ecstasy) Schedule 2:Written Prescription Required- High potential of abuse and addiction and a restricted medical use. (Example= Nitrous Oxide, Morphine) Schedule 3: Some potential of abuse and addiction with specific medical use. (Example= inhalers-asthma) Schedule 4: Lower potential of abuse and addiction, wider range of medical use. (Example= Aspirin) Schedule 5: Lowest potential of abuse and addiction, everyday medical use. (Example= Vitamin)

10. What are 5 ways of drug administration? • Orally- taken by mouth/swallowed • Injection- intravenous • Inhalation- lungs/inhaled • Absorption- skin • Suppositories- rectal walls Presentations will be done on the following: Depressants---Stimulants---Marijuana Hallucinogens---Club Drugs Narcotics---Inhalants---Anabolic Steroids

11. TREATMENT TERMINOLOGY Intervention- When someone who cares for the alcoholic/addict makes a healthy decision to introduce the process of recovery to the sick person. It is when one steps into the addict/alcoholics path and tries to veer their direction to a healthier one. If taken in he right direction, one may find that a new life has just begun. Recovery- A lifelong process of change to abstain from alcohol/drug usage. A character building process which increases the chance of staying clean and sober. Relapse- To fall back into the former state of drinking or using once treatment or recovery has begun. The act of going back to old behavior or regressing from sobriety. Sober Living- A semi-structured residential setting of alcoholics/addicts who have completed treatment and need continued support for up to a year. Sobriety- Abstinence from consumption of alcohol or drugs.

12. Treatment • Detoxification- first step in treatment- cleans body of the drug (drying out);removal of drugs from the body • Maintenance programs- medically supervised doses. (helps withdrawal) • Drug Free Programs- group therapy 1. Independent 2. Hospitals 3. Community Health Centers • Inpatient Programs- medical and psychological care during which a person stays at a medical or rehab facility • Outpatient treatment- onsite medical an psychological care for a person to be drug-free and/or alcohol free Prevention- answer to abuse- “DON’T START” Practice Abstinence- To refrain from the usage of chemicals for which a person may have become addicted.

13. Support Groups related to Drug Use • Families Anonymous- A 12-step, self-help recovery and fellowship of support groups for relatives and friends of those who have alcohol, drug or behavioral problems. They share their like experiences, strengths and hope with each other and with new members. • Narcotics Anonymous- A self-help organization of individuals who have a dependence on drugs and want to commit to a life of abstinence. One addict helping another to achieve the same goal goes a long way and could save someone’s life. • Cocaine Anonymous- is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from their addiction. • OTHERS • All Addictions Anonymous (alladdictionsanonymous.com) • CrystalMeth Anonymous (CMA) (crystalmeth.org) • Marijuana Anonymous World Services (marijuana-anonymous.org) • Methadone Anonymous Support (MethadoneSupport.org)Recoveries Anonymous (r-a.org)

14. STIMULANTS • CNS Stimulants- Drugs that increase certain functions of the central nervous system. Users become more alert, active and nervous. Amphetamines- (bennies, uppers, and speed) reduces appetite, combats fatigue and prevents drowsiness Methamphetamines-(crank, speed, ice) used medically to treat certain diseases such as Parkinson’s or obesity Is highly addictive Cocaine- (snow, coke, and nose candy) gives a sense of invincibility and is highly addictive • 1. White powder extracted from the coca bush that grows in mountainous region of South America • 2. Crack cocaine is a concentrated, purer form of cocaine that can be smoked (reaches brain in 7-10 seconds)

15. DEPRESSANTS • CNS Depressants (Sedatives)- Drugs that reduce the action of the heart, central nervous system, and skeletal muscles a. Barbiturates- (blue birds, downers, and goofballs) effects are similar to excessive use of alcohol b. Tranquilizers- quieting or calming effect c. Methaqualone- (ludes, quaaludes and 714’s) relieves anxiety ‘mello out’

16. MARIJUANA • Marijuana- (grass, ganja, Mary Jane, pot, weed) • Most widely abused illegal drug in this country • Can lead to amotivational syndrome: Loss of ambition & drive a. EFFECTS= distorts time and judgment, impairs learning ability and sports performance, causes hallucinations, and reduces blood sugar which causes hunger b. The leaves, buds, and flowers of plant are smoked, chewed, or eaten for their intoxicating effects c. Marijuana contains 421 different chemicals • THC • (delta-9-therahydrocannabinol) • The main mind altering ingredient • Stored in fatty tissue (can remain for weeks) • Hash (dark brown resin from tops of Cannabis plants) contains more THC

17. HALLUCINOGENS • Psychedelics\Hallucinogens – physical sensations of time and space are altered – fact and fantasy are confused. (have NO medical use) • a. L.S.D. – trips last 8 to 10 hours of confusion, anxiety, depression, and loss of reality from days to months. Can cause flashbacks. • b. P.C.P. – (angel dust) effects are unpredictable – drunkenness, depression, paranoia, violent rages, coma, and/or death. • c. Mescaline and Psilocybin- hallucinogenic drugs made in the tissues of plants

18. CLUB DRUGS • Club Drugs – Usually have severe side effects, brain damage, paralysis, & death ; are associated with dance clubs and all night parties Commonly abused club drugs are ecstasy, rohypnol, ghb, and ketamine. -Meant to imitate the effects of hallucinogens or other drugs Ecstasy or MDMA- illegal drug that is a stimulant and a hallucinogen. Not a safe drug. Affects on brain are still unclear. Can cause sharp rise in body temp, followed by failure of heart and organs, and even death. Rohypnol- depresses CNS- colorless, odorless, and tasteless- known as ‘date-rape-drug’- Can be deadly when mixed with alcohol and other drugs. GHB- depress CNS and can be used by sexual predators to sedate victims

19. NARCOTICS • Narcotics (Opiates) – strong painkillers that produce a relaxed, dreamy state. They are derived from the opium plant. They are highly addictive. a. Codeine- the least potent narcotic, is prescribed for mild pain relief 1. Cough medicine 2. Tylenol 3 b. Opium- stronger than codeine, may be prescribed to relieve pain and control diarrhea. 1. A milky fluid found in the seeds of the opium poppy c. Morphine- more potent than opium and is one of the strongest painkillers known. Because it is so addictive, its medical use is strictly limited by law. Common uses include major surgery and cancer patients. d. Heroin- is a white powder made from morphine. It is also more potent and faster acting than morphine. It is prohibited from medical use in the U.S. Most abused narcotic in US. e. Oxycodone- an especially strong, time released painkiller prescribed for severe pain.

20. Inhalants • Street Names: Rush, Poppers, ClimaxDescription-Inhalants are common household and workplace substances that are sniffed or huffed to give the user an immediate head rush or high. Found in consumer products such as aerosols plastic cement, fingernail polish remover, lighter fluid, hair spray, insecticides and cleaning solvents. Sniffing highly concentrated amounts of the chemicals in solvents or aerosol sprays can directly induce heart failure and death. High concentrations of inhalants also cause death from suffocation by displacing oxygen in the lungs and then in the central nervous system so that breathing stops. People who use inhalants get a quick, giddy head rush. They are cheap and or readily available making them an easy choice for those who use them. Users feel slightly stimulated and uninhibited, but within a minute or two, a major headache comes on (the first indication that this is a bad idea). Hallucinations and numb hands and feet are often part of the package. Suffocation and sudden death can occur even on the first time.

21. Anabolic Steroids • Anabolic steroids are man-made substances related to male sex hormones. Medical uses of anabolic steroids include some hormone problems in men, late puberty and muscle loss from some diseases. • Bodybuilders and athletes often use anabolic steroids to build muscles and improve athletic performance. But using them this way is not legal or safe. Abuse of anabolic steroids has been linked with many health problems. They range from unattractive to life threatening and include: • Acne and cysts • Breast growth and shrinking of testicles in men • Voice deepening and growth of body hair in women • Heart problems, including heart attack • Liver disease, including cancer • Aggressive behavior