Chapter 1: Introduction to Drug Use & Abuse PSY 302: Substance Abuse

Psychoactive Drugs  Any substance that alters: Mood Awareness of the external environment Awareness of the internal environment  Examples: Marijuana, LSD, cocaine, heroin, alcohol, nicotine, codeine, caffeine, etc.

Three Categories of Psychoactive Drugs  Depressants Reduce physiological arousal and help individuals to relax  Stimulants Increase arousal Produce states of arousal  Hallucinogens Distort sensory experience

Depressants  Alcohol  Sedative-Hypnotic Drugs Barbiturates Benzodiazepines  Opioids Opium Morphine Heroin Methadone Many others we will discuss

Stimulants  Increase arousal and cause states of euphoria that are generally referred to as highs  Most commonly used: Caffeine Nicotine  The two most powerful that are abused: Amphetamines  Methamphetamine Cocaine

Hallucinogens  Marijuana  LSD  PCP  Inhalants  Prescription drugs

 Lawful drugs vs. illegal drugs Distinction is made between the two even in common language usage Legal vs. Illegal

 The Gateway Drugs Link between their occasional use and later drug abuse and addiction repeatedly found Characteristics: violence, early sexual activity, and school failure Drug use both cause and symptom of adolescent problem Legal vs. Illegal

The Gateway Drugs  Nicotine  Alcohol  Marijuana

Very controversial…  World Health Organization Their studies point to the fact that over 99% of hard-drug users began with the gateway drugs  US Dept of Health Dispute the gateway connection saying less than 1% of gateway users become regular users of harder drugs (such as cocaine and heroin)

Addiction  Repeated, compulsive, at times uncontrollable behavior that persists even in the face of adverse social, psychological, and/or physical consequences Preoccupation Compulsion Relapse

Addiction  Drinking coffee? Winter Smith’s goal is to go to every Starbucks

Drug Addiction  A chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences

Other Terminology  Dependence Often used interchangeably with addiction  Substance Abuse The use of a drug with serious consequences  Substance Misuse Contemporary term The Substance Use and Misuse Journal prefers this term Rationale is that Substances are used or misused; living organisms are and can be abused

Drug Use Continuum  For example: How would you define an alcoholic?

DSM 5 Substance Abuse Criteria  Substance abuse is defined as a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress as manifested by one (or more) of the following, occurring within a 12-month period: 1. Recurrent substance use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home Recurrent substance use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (such as driving an automobile or operating a machine when impaired by substance use) 2. Recurrent substance-related legal problems 3. Continued substance use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of the substance

Drugs & Crime Goldstein (1985)  Pharmacological  Economic-Compulsive  Lifestyle

Drugs and Crime  Studies have found that some individuals commit crimes after becoming addicted (economic)  Studies have also found that many abusers were committing crimes before beginning drug usage  During periods of addiction, crimes tended to increase considerably

Drugs and Crime  For the latter group, decrease in substance abuse was associated with a decrease, but not stopping, criminal activity  For a number of offenders, then, stopping drug use will not stop their criminal behavior, although crimes may decrease

Drugs Use & Violence  Alcohol involved in 2/3 of homicides in a Philadelphia study, about 40% of rape cases  About 75% of arrestees have traces of illegal drugs in their systems  In a study of CA inmates, over 40% reported using “heavy drugs” in the last 3 years

Policies  Reducing drunkenness through increased taxation and cultural discouragement  Forbidding alcohol in public places to the convicted (perhaps through an altered driver’s license)  Legalization of marijuana  Reduce volume of serious drugs (cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin)

Policies  Making treatment more readily available  Targeting higher level drug dealers  Long sentences for minor dealers takes up prison cells  Police tactics focussing on blatant drug dealing (reducing disorder)  More effective use of probation and parole  Use of methadone

Estimating Drug Use  National Survey of Drug Use & Health (NSDUH)  Monitoring the Future (MTF)  Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN)  Arrestee drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM)

Alcohol & The College Environment  College students particularly vulnerable to drugs More to alcohol than anything else Its always been a “right of college”  Social context encourages use and abuse On their own; first time away from family, etc.

Alcohol & The College Environment  Consequences of alcohol and drug use often serious Work below potential; drop out Lose or quit jobs Involved in uncommitted sexual relations Experience serious psychological difficulties

The Setting  Wechsler et al. (1994) Residential colleges seem particularly vulnerable  O’Malley et al. (2000) Prospective college students (still in high school) have lower rates than their peers This changes upon entering the college or university setting

Within the college setting... Nelson et al. (2001)  Student-Athletes High rates of binge drinking Both males (16% more) and females (19% more)

Gender  Significantly higher rates of daily use and binge drinking in males

Credits Some slides prepared with the help of the following websites:  cstl-hhs.semo.edu/cveneziano/Drugs%20and%20Crime.ppt  nt%20...