CH. 24 Illegal Drugs Health Ed.

Drugs Refers to dangerous/ illegal substances Drugs are grouped according to their affects on the body

Problems of Drug Use 1- Physiological dependence- tolerance- body adjusts to the effects of the drug/larger doses are needed in order to achieve same effect withdrawal- symptoms occur when person stops using (vomiting, chills, ect)

Problems……… 2- Psychological dependence- Person believes a drug is needed in order to feel normal

Problems…….. 3- Addiction- person has become physiological/ and or psychological dependence Early consequences Behavioral/social Depending on the drug/ chronic health risk-possible death

Psychoactive Drugs Affect the central nervous system and alter the normal functioning of the brain 3 types: 1- Stimulants 2- Depressants 3- Hallucinogens

Everyone is Not “Trying It”!

Stimulants “Uppers” What is does? Increases heart rate, headaches, blurred vision, sleeplessness, moodiness, restlessness

Types of “Uppers” Amphetamines- stimulants that speed up the heart and breathing * They cause anxiety, sleeplessness, and loss of appetite*

Types of Stimulants Methamphetamines- amphetamines that have been used to treat narcolepsy, Parkinson's Disease, and obesity Also called:crank ice, speed What does it cause? Paranoia, violence

Effects are long lasting; food and water become unimportant; seizures can result in death

Types of Stimulants… Cocaine- powerful stimulant, is snorted or injected; results in immediate high (20 min) followed by extreme let down

Drug can interfere with the electrical impulses of the heart and result in death; tissue in nasal passages can be damaged causing holes in nasal septum Crack- form of cocaine that can be smoked, extremely addictive (10 sec)

Depressants Slow down central nervous system (sedatives) Depressants and alcohol have a synergistic effect; often resulting in depression Synergetic= 2 substances working together so that total effect is greater than either of the two alone

Types of Depressants Sedative- “hypnotics”- induce sleep, reduce anxiety: produce physiological and psychological dependence

Types of Depressants…. Barbiturates- used illegally to produce feeling similar to intoxication (can be used to treat insomnia)

Types of Depressants Tranquilizers- (ex: valium) can be used to treat schizophrenia Narcotics- pain relievers and opiates (examples include opiates :made from poppy flower, morphine, codeine)

Types of Depressants….. “Heroin” Made from Morphine No medical uses Depresses central nervous system Coma and death could result With drawl is very painful

Methadone- given to heroin addicts to block the cravings for heroin; it is synthetic (man made- in a lab)

Hallucinogens PCP- “angel dust” *considered to be the most dangerous drug* flashbacks occur often with this drug (pg. 487) LSD- “lysergic acid diethylamide” *drug responsible for initiating awareness of hallucinogens in American society; caused several deaths

Drug Activity You will be assigned a particular drug. Answer the following: 1- What is the drug? (background info) 2- What does this drug do? 3- How harmful is this drug? (short/long term effects)

4- How prevalent is this drug? 5- What are the legal implications of this drug?