Preventing Drug Abuse

Facts About Drug Use Drug use is a part of life in the United States Doctors write countless prescriptions every day Medicines: legal drugs that help the body fight injury, illness, or disease Classified as either over-the-counter and prescriptions

Classifications of Drugs Over-the-Counter Drugs Prescription Drugs Sold legally in pharmacies and other stores without a doctor’s prescription Examples: Pain relievers Cold and cough remedies Sleep aids Can cause harm if the instructions are not followed Can be obtained only with a written order from a doctor Can be purchased only at a pharmacy Require more government control than OTC drugs Doctor will determine the correct amount that the individual patient needs

Illegal Drug Use An illegal drug is a chemical substance that people of any age may not lawfully manufacture, possess, buy, or sell The improper use of medicines, either prescription or OTC, is called drug misuse Taking more than the prescribed amount Often due to misunderstandings When a drug is intentionally used improperly or unsafely, it is known is drug abuse

Cough Medicine Proper Use: using the cough medicine per the label instructions to treat a cough Misuse: mistakenly taking more than is recommended to treat a cough Abuse: deliberately taking more than is recommended or taking for purposes other than treating a cough

Dangers of Drug Misuse and Abuse Side Effects: An unwanted physical or mental effect caused by a drug Can include nausea, dizziness, drowsiness Tolerance: The need for more and more of a drug to receive the same effects Dependence: Tolerance can lead to drug dependence A chemical need for the drug and cannot function without it Withdrawal Occurs when the person stops taking the drug Nausea, vomiting, headaches, fever, etc.

Drug Interactions Antagonism Synergism Occurs when each drug’s effect is canceled out or reduced by another Synergism Occurs when drugs interact to produce effects greater than those that each drug would produce alone

Other Health Risks Hepatitis and HIV Risks to the Fetus and Newborn Sharing needles can lead to the contamination of blood from another user Viruses that cause Hepatitis B and C can lead to serious and sometimes fatal liver disease Risks to the Fetus and Newborn Drugs can cross the placenta and onto the baby This can cause birth defects and drug dependency

Legal Risks and Other Costs Penalties for people who produce, possess, or sell illegal drugs include: Long-term prison sentences Heavy fines Permanent criminal record infractions

Other Effects of Drug Abuse Effects on Family and Friends Effects on Society Family and friend relationships often become strained Behavior and personality of the user often changes A drug abuser may: Have unpredictable mood swings Become violent Withdraw from relationships and responsibilities Costs of imprisoning thousands of people for drug- related crimes Medical costs for drug-related illnesses and injuries Many cases of HIV/AIDS Premature deaths from drug- related homicides and motor- vehicle crashes Lost work productivity because of drug dependency

Factors Affecting Drug Abuse Risk factors make it more or less likely that a teen will abuse drugs They include family factors, social factors, and personal factors

Family Factors Poor family relationships Strained relationships lead to loss of guidance Teens feel more vulnerable to influence of peers who use drugs If family members abuse drugs, teens are more likely to as well

Social Factors Peer Group: Role Models: Competitive Pressure: Introduced to drugs by friends and peers Curiosity, pressure Role Models: Celebrities who abuse drugs act as negative role models for teens “Glamorization” of drugs Competitive Pressure: A strong desire to excel at athletics Painkillers to be able to play through an injury Steroids to bulk up More likely to sustain serious injuries that could end their careers

Personal Factors Teens often turn to drugs in order to avoid stressful situations or feelings Break-ups Academic or social problems Illness or death in the family Drug abuse often adds stress and problems rather than taking them away

Protective Factors Protective Factor: Family factors: Strong and positive family bonds, parental awareness, clear rules Social factors: Bonds with school and community institutions, associating with peers who are drug free Personal factors: Commitment to success, understanding that drug abuse is dangerous Protective Factor: A factor that reduces a person’s potential for harmful behavior Having strong protective factors will help an individual stay drug free

Commonly Abused Drugs Unit 7 – Ch. 19-22

Depressants A depressant is a psychoactive drug that slows brain and body reactions Most commonly abused depressants Barbiturates CNS depressants Opiates Alcohol Depressants slow body functions by decreasing heart and breathing rates and lowering blood pressure

Commonly Abused Depressants Barbiturates CNS Depressants Also known as sedative-hypnotics because: In small doses, they relax In large doses, they induce sleep Abusers quickly develop tolerance and dependence Abusers walk slowly, slur their words, and react more slowly to their environment Withdrawal can be fatal A sedative that slows the activity of the central nervous system (CNS) Used to be called tranquilizers Slow nerve activity, relax muscle tension, lower alertness, and cause drowsiness Doctors may prescribe these for: Anxiety Sleep disorders Muscle spasms

Opiates A opiate is any drug made from psychoactive compounds contained in the seed pods of poppy Can also be produced in a lab In small doses, they act to dull the senses, relieve pain, and induce sleep Examples include morphine and codeine Heroin is a widely abused and highly addictive opiate made from morphine in a laboratory Heroin abusers appear dazed and disoriented

Stimulants A stimulant is a drug that speeds up the activities of the CNS They increase heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, and alertness Doctors prescribe stimulants for sleep and behavior disorders such as ADHD Commonly abused stimulants include: Amphetamines Methamphetamines Cocaine Nicotine/Tobacco smoke

Amphetamines Methamphetamines Prescription drugs that are sometimes sold illegally as “speed” or “uppers” Produces feelings of well- being and high energy Effects wear off quickly and causes depression The “down” often leads to taking more and more doses A more powerful form of amphetamines Sometimes called “crank”, “crystal”, or “ice” Made from inexpensive OTC ingredients in meth labs After the “high”, the user may become confused, shaky, anxious, or violent Users become paranoid and psychotic due to brain damage

Cocaine A powerful but short- acting stimulant Can be sniffed through the nose, smoked into the lungs, or injected directly into the blood Highly addictive, resulting in a fast development of tolerance and dependence

Cocaine An overdose, caused by even small amounts, can be may result in seizures, heart failure, respiratory failure, and death Cocaine is turned into crack through a process of “free-basing” Crack is the strongest form of cocaine and is smoked; effects begin after only 8 seconds

Hallucinogens A drug that distorts perception, thought, and mood They overload the brain with sensory information, causing a disoriented sense of reality Can produce frightening and unpredictable mood swings Abusers cannot tell what is real and what is not Users may experience memory loss and personality changes

LSD Strongest hallucinogen that creates unpredictable effects Can either stimulate or depress the CNS Flashbacks, bad trips Psilocybin Known as shrooms; a chemical found in a certain type of mushroom Much like the effects of LSD but not as strong Similar looking but deadly mushroom is often mistaken for psilocybin PCP One of the most dangerous of all drugs; used as an anesthetic or painkiller for large animals Unintentional injuries, deaths, schizophrenia, mental illness are all common with PCP users Effects remain long after drug use ends