Stimulants

 Drug use - correct use of prescription or over the counter drugs  Drug Misuse - use of a drug for a purpose for which it was not intended  Drug Abuse - excessive use of a drug  Illicit Drugs - drugs that are illegal to possess, produce, or sell

 Prescription Drugs - only obtained with a written prescription from a licensed physician  Over-the-Counter Drugs - can be purchased without a prescription  Receptor Cites - specialized cells to which drugs can attach themselves

 Cocaine - a white crystalline powder derived from the leaves of the South American coca shrub (not related to cocoa plants)  Cocaine has been described as one of the most powerful naturally occurring stimulants

 Cocaine can be taken in several different ways  Snorted - the powdered form of the drug is snorted through the nose.  Can damage the mucous membranes in the nose  Can destroy the sense of smell  Occasionally eats a hole through the septum  Smoking - also known as “freebasing”  People get killed and seriously burned creating the mixture because the mixes are explosive  Can cause lung and liver damage

 “Shooting up” - intravenous injection. Cocaine is injected into the body through veins for rapid results  Extreme euphoria within seconds and lasts for about min  User will then head into a “crash”  To prevent the crash, users will shoot up frequently  Can cause damage to veins, risk of contracting AIDS and hepatitis, skin infections, inflamed arteries, and infection of the lining of the heart

 When cocaine binds at the receptor cites in the CNS, it produces extreme pleasure (euphoria)  Euphoria quickly dissipates, leaving the user wanting more  Cocaine is both an anesthetic (reduces feeling of pain) and a CNS stimulant  In tiny doses, it can slow the heart rate

 In large doses there are much more dramatic effects:  Increased heart rate and blood pressure  Loss of appetite (result in dramatic weight loss)  Convulsions  Muscle twitching  Irregular heartbeat  Death due to overdose

 Other effects include:  Temporary relief of depression  Decreased fatigue  Talkativeness  Increased alertness  Heightened self-confidence  But as dosage increases; users become irritable, apprehensive, paranoid, and/or violent

 Do Now: *on google classroom*  Are amphetamines and methamphetamines naturally occurring drugs (from plants) or are they synthetically made (made by humans)?  Is it dangerous to make methamphetamine?  What common over-the-counter drugs are used to create methamphetamine?  How addictive is methamphetamine?

 Freebase - the most powerful distillate of cocaine  Cocaine powder is diluted, removing the hydrochloride salt and other “cutting agents” using ether; which is highly flammable  The end product, freebase, is smoked through a water pipe  Reaches the brain in seconds and is more dangerous than snorted cocaine

 Freebase produces a quick, intense high that disappears quickly, leaving the an intense craving for more  Crack - a distillate of powdered cocaine that comes in small hard “chips” or “rocks”  Cocaine powder cooked with amonia or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), water and heat to remove the hydrochloride  Produces a mixture that is 90% pure cocaine

 The mixture is then dried and broken into small pieces “rocks” and smoked  Crack cocaine is five times stronger than regular cocaine  Crack gets its name from the noise it makes when burned  It takes much less time to achieve the desired high because crack is so pure

 One puff from a pebble sized rock produces a high that lasts for 20 minutes  Usually has around 3-4 puffs per rock  Sold in small vials, folding papers or tinfoil for $  A crack addict could spend up to $1000 a day on their addiction

 Amphetamines - A large and varied group of synthetic agents that stimulate the CNS  Small doses improve alertness, lessen fatigue, and generally elevate mood  Repeated use leads to physical and psychological dependency  Insomnia; heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure increase; restlessness, anxiety, appetite suppression and vision problems are common

 High doses over long periods of time can produce hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized behavior  Certain types are used for medical purposes  Ritalin and Adderall are used to treat children with ADHD (Attention deficit/hyperactive disorder)  Recent years these drugs have been used to replace caffeine as college students misuse them to stay awake for all-night cramming sessions

 Methamphetamine - a potent, long lasting addictive drug that strongly activates the brain’s reward center by producing a sense of euphoria  Can cause brain damage that results in impaired motor skills and cognitive functions, as well as psychosis and increased risk for heart attack and stroke

 Snorted- effects can be felt in 3-5 minutes  Smoked- almost immediate and can last for over 8 hours  Injected- Intravenous (syringe through vein)  Orally ingested- effects can be felt in minutes  Users often experience tolerance immediately making it very addictive for first time use

 Long Term Effects  Severe dependence  Psychosis  Paranoia  Aggression  Weight loss  Stroke  Users often don’t sleep or eat for days, as they continually inject up to 1 gram every 2-3 hours

 “Cookers” create Methamphetamine using common over-the-counter drugs such as ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (found in cold allergy medicine)  Crystal “Ice” Meth- purer and more crystalline than regular meth produced in most U.S. cities. Imported from Asia; South Korea & Taiwan  Usually smoked and odorless. Like crack cocaine, its effects can last up to 12 hours  Major psychological dysfunction can last up to 2 ½ years after users stop Crystal Meth