1. Reasons Why People Use Drugs
Fun
TEMPORARY escape from problems
Bored
Available
Experiment
Rebellion
Peer Pressure/Fit in
Illness/Injury

2. How Drugs Enter The Body
Orally (Swallowed)
Inhaled
Smoked
Applied to the skin
Injected
Mainline
Intra muscular
Skin popping

3. Central Nervous System (CNS)
Made up of the brain, the spinal cord and nerves

4. Drug Classifications Stimulants: Speed up CNS
Depressants: Slow down CNS
Narcotics: An opiate derived from the poppy plant.
Narcotics numb the senses.
Hallucinogens: Cause hallucinations (change the way people see/hear/feel). May cause bad trips or flashbacks.
Marijuana: Classified in its own group
Inhalants: Sniffing fumes of a substance to get a hallucinogenic like high.

5. Definitions
Drug:A chemical that changes the structure or function of the body and/or mind.
Drug use:Using a LEGAL drug as it was supposed to be used…following the directions
Over the counter (OTC): Do not need a doctors order
Prescription (Rx): Do need a doctors order
Drug misuse:Using a LEGAL drug but failing to follow the directions (too many, too often or for the wrong reasons).
Drug abuse: Heavily misusing a LEGAL drug or any ILLEGAL drug use.

6. Definitions Euphoria: Feeling of lightheadedness or being high.
Tolerance: You need to increase the amount or the strength of the drug to get the original affect of the drug
Synergism: 2+ drugs taken together to increase the high…this also increases the risk of overdose.

7. Definitions Dependence/Addiction: A NEED for the drug
Psychological: Need to have the drug for a sense of well being (the mind)
Physical: Need to have the drug to feel ok and not get sick (the body)
Withdrawal: Physical response that occurs when a PHYSICALLY dependent individual stops taking the drug.
Headaches, shaking, nausea, joint/muscle pain, sweating…may take days/weeks/months

8. GATEWAY DRUGS Many people begin to experiment with the gateway drugs.
Alcohol
Tobacco
Marijuana
Inhalants are considered pre-gateway drugs
#1 drug of choice for younger individuals (i.e. 8th graders
Using gateway drugs may lead to abuse of the drug or experimentation with other “harder” drugs.