Live A Life Above The Influence!

Categories of Drugs 1) Inhalants 2) Stimulants 3) Depressants 4) Hallucinogens 5) Narcotics 6) Marijuana

INHALANT  Any substance that is inhaled  glue, gas, paint thinner, Pam, white out,...  Effects: nausea, dizziness, headaches, nosebleeds, lack of coordination and control  Dangers: unconsciousness, suffocation, brain damage, & sudden death

STIMULANTS  Drugs which increase (speed up) functions of the CNS  Examples: speed, uppers, amphetamines, caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, crack, crank, Ritalin, meth  Effects: alertness, increased heart rate & blood pressure, feel more energetic, loss of appetite, dilated pupils, dry mouth  Increased energy followed by HUGE let-down (“crash”)  Dangers: fatigue leading to exhaustion, chronic sleep problems, paranoia, depression, possible hallucinations, psychological dependence, overdose  Symptoms of Overdose: cardiac arrhythmias, convulsions, coma, death

Meth – Not Even Once  Montana Meth Project 

 Extracted from leaves of Coca plant of South America  White powder that is snorted through nose; can be mixed with a liquid & injected  Freebasing = smoking cocaine in a pipe

Cocaine  Crack = stronger form of cocaine that is smoked  Crack can cause addiction after only 1 or 2 uses  Street cocaine ranges in purity from 5-80% (you don’t know what you are getting!)  Effects are a very brief EUPHORIA (3-20 min.) followed by depression (“crash”)

Cocaine  Dangers: extremely addictive! Rise in BP, HR, breathing, & Body Temp. Dilated pupils, insomnia, loss of appetite, paranoia Heart Attack, Stroke, Seizures, Lung Damage, Severe Depression, Suicide, Death Pregnant women using cocaine currently causing epidemic levels of infants with birth defects.

DEPRESSANTS  Drugs which slow down the functions of the CNS  Examples: alcohol, downers, barbiturates, valium, ludes, tranquilizers  Effects: depressed breathing & heart rate, intoxication, drowsiness, produce a calming effect or sleep, uncoordinated movements

DEPRESSANTS  DANGERS: Possible overdose (especially in combo with alcohol) Highly addictive (physical dependence) Hypotension, Coma, Possible Death  Withdrawal symptoms can be extremely severe: anxiety, fever, hallucinations, tremors, delirium, shakes, convulsions, possible death

HALLUCINOGENS  Latin meaning “to dream”  Drugs which cause you to see, hear, & feel things that do not exist  Examples: LSD (acid), PCP (angel dust), MDMA, Ecstasy, Psilocybin Mushrooms, Peyote Cactus  Used by ancient Indians for religious ceremonies / “spirit visitations”

HALLUCINOGENS  Today made illegally from lab chemicals  Effects: altered mood & perceptions, trips, paranoia  Dangers: unpredictable behavior, emotional instability, violent behavior (PCP), flashback reactions (weeks or even years after use), bad trips  May go on a “bad trip” producing bizarre, unpredictable behavior  Using PCP is like playing “Hallucinogenic Russian Roulette.”

NARCOTICS / OPIATES  Greek for “to numb”  Opiates from opium poppy plant  Strong painkillers which cause sleepiness  Similar in effect to endorphins produced during exercise (“runner’s high”)  Legal Use: prescription for pain, cough suppressants (codeine)

Narcotics  Effects: euphoria, drowsiness, insensitivity to pain, nausea, vomiting  “shoot up & throw up,” watery eyes, runny nose, constricted pupils  Tolerance grows quickly causing fast addiction, quick dependence, intense withdrawal

Narcotics  Opium – smoked  Morphine – pain killer; used extensively by Civil War soldiers – became addicted quickly  Codeine – pain relief (Tylenol 3); cough suppressant

Narcotics  Heroine – even medical use of this drug is illegal! Users spend $100 day to maintain the habit “shoot up & throw up;” high lasts about 4 hrs. One of easiest drugs to get hooked on; 1 or 2 uses Withdrawal Symptoms – nausea, shaking, chills, abdominal pains (begin 4-6 hours after taking)

Heroine  Heroine can lead to death in several ways Mixed with alcohol, sleeping pills Needle infections (AIDS, hepatitis) Violence Overdose (unknown purity)  Methadone – lab-made drug used medically to treat heroine addicts; less intense withdrawal

Marijuana  Marijuana has characteristics of stimulants, depressants, & hallucinogens  Comes from CANNIBUS SATIVA plant  # 3 most abused drug in US  Gateway Drug – often leads to use of stronger drugs  BE SMART... NEVER START!

Marijuana  THC is main psychoactive ingredient; THC is fat soluble; remains in body up to 24 months  Effects: altered perceptions, red eyes, dry mouth, reduced concentration, reduced coordination, euphoria, laughing, hunger  Dangers: panic reaction, impaired short term memory, lungs affected similar to tobacco (but more intense), addiction (psychological)

Marijuana  Amotivational Syndrome – users become apethetic, lethargic, & withdraw from activities ABOVE THE INFLUENCEABOVE THE INFLUENCE  Symptoms of overdose – paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, possible psychosis (lose touch with reality)  Highly cultivated forms of marijuana now emerging with 300% greater toxicity than the weed of yesteryear

Marijuana  Hash – comes from same plant as marijuana Stronger (more THC)  Possible medical uses of marijuana Treat nausea accompanying cancer chemo Stimulate appetite in AIDS patients Treating glaucoma

Designer & Look-Alike Drugs  Synthetic substances meant to imitate the effects of narcotics & hallucinogens.  Ecstasy (MDMA)  Look-alike drugs made to physically resemble specific illegal drugs. User never knows exactly what he or she is getting.

Drug Abuse... A sure way to flush your dreams down the toilet!

Steroids  There’s no glory in cheating!  Steroids are synthetic derivatives of male hormone testosterone.

Steroids

Don’t be a victim to drugs!

Textbook Assignment Read Illegal Drug Chapter 22 Answer the following questions:  P # 1-36 – Even #’s only