Chapter 9 Drugs, Part 1

Objectives Compare and contrast psychological and physical dependence Name and classify the commonly abused drugs

Drug Any natural or synthetic substance that is used to produce physiological or psychological effects in humans or other higher order animals

Drugs can mean: Sustaining and prolonging life Provide an escape from life’s pressures A means of ending a life

Background & History In the 1960’s:marijuana became the most widely used illicit drug in the US alcohol consumption continued to rise Today, 90 million Americans drink regularly Today, 10 million have alcohol addiction In the 1970’s: heroin addiction emerged Today: cocaine abuse Approximately 23 million people use illicit drugs More than 75 % of the evidence being evaluated in crime laboratories is drug related 

Drug Dependence depends on: Nature of the drug Route of administration The dose Frequency of administration Individual rate of metabolism

Non-drug factors which influence dependence are: Personal characteristics Expectation of the drug experience Society’s attitudes Setting in which the drug is used

Psychological dependence Arises from personal and social factors that act as an escape from personal problems and stressful situations Produces a conditioned pattern of drug abuse Some drugs result in a high degree of involvement if continuation of the drug occurs Some drugs have a lower potential for the development of psychological dependence (marijuana, codeine)

 Physical dependence Characterized by withdrawal sickness or abstinence syndrome (body chills, vomiting, stomach cramps, convulsions, pain, hallucinations) Marijuana, LSD, cocaine do have the potential for creating physical dependence. As can Alcohol, heroin, barbiturates

Narcotic Drugs Substances that bring relief from pain and produce sleep Analgesics = relieve pain by exerting a depressing action on the central nervous system (CNS) Most derived from opium (poppy plant) Opium is brown in color with a morphine content between 4-21%

Heroin Derivative of opium Soluble in water and taken intravenously React morphine with acetic anhydride or acetyl chloride Soluble in water and taken intravenously Produces a high accompanied by drowsiness and a sense of well-being lasting 3-4 hours Diluents include Quinine, Starch, Lactose, Procaine (Novocain), Mannitol

More Narcotics Codeine is present in opium and prepared synthetically from morphine Opiates – drugs that have similar physiological effects as the opium narcotics but are not naturally derived from opium

Opiates OxyContin - synthetically related to morphine and heroin in chemical structure Methadone – synthetic opiate Prevents a high from morphine or heroin if taken in oral doses

Refer to Table 9-1 Page 236 Narcotic Drugs – page 237, paragraph 3

Hallucinogens drugs that can cause marked alterations in normal thought processes, perceptions and moods Marijuana

Marijuana Derived from Cannabis sativa L. Produces a sticky resin called hashish Sinsemilla is potent form of marijuana which is made from the unfertilized flowering tops of the female plant THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the chemical responsible for the hallucinogenic effect THC concentration is highest in resin, flowers, and leaves

Marijuana History First use of marijuana occurred medically in 2737 BC by Chinese Emperor Shen Nung (see uses on page 240 p.5) A part of the Hindu culture in 1000 BC About 500 AD it began to appear in Persian and Arabian lit First introduced in 1920 in the US by Mexican laborers crossing into Texas

Read report of the National Commission of Marijuana and Drug Abuse page 242-243

LSD lysergic acid diethylamide Synthesized from ergot, a type of fungus of certain grasses and grains Can produce effect for 12 hours Extreme mood changer User prone to flashbacks and psychotic reactions

PCP (phencyclidine) Sold as powder (angel dust) or capsule Causes a false sense of strength and invulnerability Also causes depression, violent behavior, suicide

MDMA or Ectasy Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Synthetic, mind-altering drug Exhibits many hallucinogenic and amphetamine-like effects Originally patented as a appetite suppressant Induces feelings of happiness and relaxation