Transcript Drugs of Abuse

Drugs of Abuse
Chapter 12
Coach McElroy
Health
Drug Abuse Defined
Definitions of drug abuse vary among medical
experts, the FDA, society and individuals based on
their own drug histories and attitudes.
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has come
up with a few definitions concerning drugs:
Drug Use is the taking of a drug, as medicine,
correctly – that is, for its proper medical purpose and
in the right amount, frequency, strength and manner.
Drug Abuse Defined
(Continued)
In contrast, Drug Abuse is the taking of a drug for a
non-medical purpose, and in a manner that can
damage a person’s health or ability to function. Can
include physician prescribed drugs.
Drug Misuse (for medical drugs only) is the taking of
a drug for its correct medical purpose, but not in the
right amount, frequency, strength or manner.
These definitions classify any use of drugs for nonmedical reasons as drug abuse!
Why Do People Abuse Drugs?
Three (3) main factors that lead people to abuse
drugs:
Nature of the Person – genetic make-up,
personality traits (curiosity), peer pressure, desire to
“escape” problems and self – esteem.
Nature of the Drug – ones that give feelings of
pleasure, euphoria, are most likely to be abused.
Consequence from Society – a family or society
that tolerates drug abuse encourages it. Harsh
punishment awaits a person who sells/possess it.
Addiction
Drugs produce euphoria by imitating the brain’s
natural way of producing feelings of pleasure. Acts
of exercising, eating and relaxing produce pleasure
naturally by releasing endorphins, pleasureproducing chemicals of the brain.
The lack of these chemicals produce an unpleasant
feeling, known as dysphoria.
Addiction
(Continued)
The taking of mind-altering drugs produces pleasure
directly in the brain, with no healthy activity
associated with it. At the same time, the brain of the
drug-taker produces fewer and fewer of its own
endorphins. Thus after each round of drug-taking,
when the pleasure from the drugs wear off, the
person is left with dysphoria. Thus a chain reaction
occurs.
When people take drugs to ease dysphoria, they can
develop drug addiction (dependence).
Ex: Euphoric-producing drugs, Nicotine & Caffeine
Two Types of Addiction
Physical Addiction – body chemistry actually
changes. Body must have the drug not for pleasure,
but just to be able to function normally.
When the body begins to clear the drug from the
body, the body chemistry has been altered and is
unable to function without the drug causing
symptoms of withdrawal to appear.
Symptoms of withdraw from various drugs:
Abnormalities in vision, digestion, muscle activity,
brain function, temperature regulation and others.
Two Types of Addiction
(Continued)
Withdrawal changes brainwave patterns, affects
mood and makes the person crave the drug even
more.
Physical addiction is also involved when the person
develops a tolerance to the drug – when the person
needs to take higher and higher doses.
Psychological addiction – is the mental
dependence on a drug, habit or behavior.
Two Types of Addiction
(Continued)
Individuals also use drugs to relieve emotional pain
for a while.
Psychological addictions can be as strong as
physical addiction for some people.
Trying to cure one’s psychological addiction can be
compared to that of trying to cure one’s appetite for
food. Curing the drug addiction is much more
difficult.
Drugs and Driving
Drug use/abuse affects our driving ability.
Drugs slows one’s reactions and the ability to judge
and perceive. These are known as mind-altering
drugs.
The impairment from the drug (alcohol or marijuana)
can last hours after they are taken.
Kicking the Habit
When people have a drug problem, they must take
one important step: ADMITTING IT. Now the hard
choice: suffer on and on or quit.
How to find out if you are addicted to a drug: Give it
up for a month. Record how you and your body
reacts w/out the drug.
Ways to get help for drug addiction: hospitalization,
drug-quitting groups (NA), psychological therapy and
drug therapy.
Kicking the Habit
(Continued)
Drug therapy is used to treat Heroin addicts by giving
them methadone which is cheaper, has milder effects
and last longer than heroin. This is done as
“maintenance” in an effort to allow the heroin addict
to recover socially by using a cheaper drug to hold of
withdraw.
Narcotic antagonists are used daily to block the
effects of the problem drugs. This is a once-a-day
commitment that protects the person from the urge
of doing the drug.
Marijuana
Derived from the leaves of the hemp plant,
Cannabis Sativa. Also a gateway drug
The main active chemical in marijuana, THC (delta-9tetrahydrocannabinol) produces the euphoria one
gets from smoking marijuana.
THC is quickly absorbed into the lungs and then
travels through blood to the liver, brain and kidneys.
It affects the sensitive brain center by altering
hearing, touch, taste, smell, sense of time and space
and feelings of the body. Alters sleep patterns.
Marijuana
(Continued)
For unknown reasons, smoking marijuana brings
about great enjoyment from eating, especially sweets
known as “having the munchies”.
Marijuana can linger in the body’s fat for ONE
MONTH before being removed in the urine. Drug
tests can detect traces of THC in urine for SIX
MONTHS after use.
Effects from marijuana vary from person to person
from mild euphoria to uncontrollable laughter to
hallucinations. Can become clumsy, sleepy, and
make no sense when talking.
Marijuana
(Continued)
Scientific research has PROVEN that marijuana use
causes the following:
Respiratory problems similar to the effects from
cigarette smoking
Short-term memory loss/shortened attention span
Rapid and irregular heartbeats
Can impair the body’s immune response
In men, can reduce both hormone levels and sperm
count
CAN DESTORY BRAIN CELLS
Long term use can lead to amotivational syndrome
Marijuana Plant and Buds Pictures
Marijuana Plant and Buds Pictures
Stimulants
These include: Cocaine (base, coke, crack, flake,
rock and snow) and Amphetamines (speed, ice,
Meth, chalk, uppers, black beauties, white crosses
and Ritalin)
Stimulates the nervous system and increase activity,
blocks fatigue and hunger and produces euphoria.
Amphetamines are used to treat diseases such as
obesity, constant sleeping and in children,
hyperactivity.
When used on children who are hyper, the
amphetamine stimulates the brain center to help the
child sit still and pay attention.
Stimulants
(Continued)
Amphetamines are used to help lose weight or
combat fatigue.
When amphetamines are used as medicine, the route
in which the drug is taken is by mouth (orally).
However, when it is abused, it’s route is by injection.
When injected, the euphoria from the amphetamine
is very intense, but short-lived, which makes this a
very addicting drug. Other effects last longer.
Withdraw symptoms from amphetamines include
dysphoria and psychological addiction.
Stimulants
(Continued)
Crack/Cocaine: physical and psychological
dependencies.
Can be injected, snorted or smoked
Extracted from coca leaves
Primarily found in Peru and Bolivia
Two chemical forms of cocaine: hydrochloride salt
and “Freebase”.
Hydrochloride salt (Powdered cocaine) can be taken
intranasally or can be mixed with water and taken
intravenously. Freebase is a form of cocaine that is
smoked.
Stimulants Pictures
Cocaine
(Rock)
Coca
bush
Cocaine
(Powder)
Methamphetamine
(Pills)
Methamphetamine
(crack) 
Methamphetamine
(Ice)
Stimulants Pictures
(Continued)
Methamphetamine (bags)
Cocaine ad from the 1800’s
Homemade Methamphetamine
Lab 
Stimulants Pictures
Crack pipe
 used to
freebase
Speed
(Crystal
form)
Crack in
bag and
vial 
 Speed in pill
form
(Continued)
Depressants
Includes your Barbiturates, Glutehimide and
Benzodiazepines (Valium)
Slows down the body. Some slow the heart, some
slow the brain and nervous system, or both.
Used to calm an upset person, to dull sensation, or
put a person to sleep.
Barbiturates depress central nervous system, slows
heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and lowers
body temperature. Used for medical reasons.
Long-term effects: depression, forgetfulness and
reduced sex drive.
Narcotics
Includes Opium (morphine and codeine), Heroin
(black tar and smack) and Methadone
Hydrochloride.
Narcotics are drugs that are used to relieve pain and
are very addictive.
Opiates come from the seed pods of the opium
poppy.
Opium and codeine are less dangerous painkillers,
while morphine and heroin are very strong and
addictive.
Narcotics
(Continued)
Heroin is the most rapidly acting of the opiates and
the most abused.
Comes in a white or brownish powder or a black
sticky substance known on the street as “Black Tar”.
Usually injected, sniffed/snorted or smoked.
Intravenous injections provides the greatest intensity
and most rapid onset of euphoria.
It enters the brain very rapidly and feels a surge of
pleasurable sensation, a “rush”.
In the brain, heroin is turned into morphine!
Narcotics Pictures
Asian Poppy
Plant
Heroin (Powder)
and in balloons
Opium Poppy
Plant
Heroin (Black
Tar Form)
Narcotics Pictures
A person
injecting
Heroin
into their
vein
(Continued)
Heroin in powder form
Narcotics Pictures
(Continued)
Methadone is used to
treat recovering
Heroin addicts in an
effort to allow them to
get off this addicting
drug
Psychedelics
(hallucinogens)
Includes Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD, Acid),
Amphetamine variants (PMA, MDA), Mushrooms and
Phencyclidine hydrochloride (PCP, angel dust, TCP)
These drugs produce vivid visions, smells, sounds
and other sensory experiences that are out of touch
w/ reality.
Psychedelics
(hallucinogens)
PCP causes frightening hallucinations and violent
tendencies. Can cause the person to commit murder
or suicide, suffer seizures, comas or death.
PCP was first used as a animal tranquilizer.
Some hallucinogenic drugs are made in the tissues of
plants. (peyote cactus = mescaline and mushrooms
= psilocybin and psilocin).
Mescaline’s effects are milder when compared to a
LSD trip, but one that is accompanied by vomiting,
sweating and painful abdominal cramping.
Psychedelics
(hallucinogens) Pictures
PCP and
ways it is
taken 
Mescaline powder
from the peyote
cactus
 PCP in
powder form and
added to this
leafy substance
Psychedelics
(hallucinogens) Pictures
(continued)
This is
what PCP
can lead a
person to
do…Nasty
huh?
Inhalants
3 types inhaled to produce a high:
Solvents are liquids that vaporize at room
temperature. Includes fumes from gasoline, glue,
paint thinner, lighter fluid and cleaning fluids.
Propellants are substances added to products such
as paint, hair spray, deodorant, whipped cream and
oil to make them spray-able.
Chloroforms are intended for medical use. Nitrous
oxide (laughing gas), amyl nitrate (a heart pain
medicine) and butyl nitrate (sold legally as room
odorizer).
Inhalants
(Continued)
Labels on solvents and propellants warn against
inhaling their fumes because of the hazards the
present.
Single use of solvents or propellants offers risk of
permanent brain damage or death from heart failure
or suffocation.
Chloroforms can bring on headache, dizziness, a
quickened heart rate, nausea, nasal irritation or
coughing. High doses may cause heart attack or
stroke.
Inhalants Pictures
Some solvents that
are abused
 Ad Campaign to
discourage use of
Inhalants
Inhalants Pictures
Drug use among teenagers
Signs of Inhalant use/abuse
Designer/Club Drugs
Designer drugs are laboratory-made drugs that
closely resemble illegal drugs in chemical make-up.
Club drugs are a wide-variety of drugs used at allnight dance parties (“raves”), nightclubs and
concerts.
Designer/club drugs are extremely dangerous
because they can produce a wide range of unwanted
effects like hallucinations, paranoia, amnesia and
possible death.
Designer/Club Drugs
Club drugs can include the following:
Ecstasy (slang names: X, Adam, MDMA) can act as
a stimulant and a hallucinogen. Used by youths to
improve moods or get energy to dance.
Chronic ecstasy use appears to damage the brain’s
ability to think and regulate emotion, memory, sleep
and pain.
Ecstasy also causes the user to grind their teeth
while “Rollin”, therefore, the while suck on a sucker
or pacifier. Glow sticks also intensify the effects of X.
It is taken orally either as a tablet or a capsule.
Ecstasy Pictures
Ecstasy in tablet form with different colors and
designs
Designer/Club Drugs
(Continued)
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (slang names: Liquid
Ecstasy, G, Georgia Home Boy or Grievous Bodily
Harm).
May be made in homes by using recipes with
common ingredients.
At lower levels, GHB can relax the user, but, as the
dose increases, the sedative effect may result in
sleep, induced vomiting and eventual coma or death.
GHB can inhibit ones gag reflex from working
after just one capful of the drug.
Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) Pictures
GHB when sold as a muscle
enhancer
GHB in
powder
form 
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate
it is pure liquid
form
Designer/Club Drugs
(Continued)
Rohypnol (slang names: roofies, Roche, rope or just
date rape drug) the trade name is flunitrazepam
Rohypnol causes muscle relaxation and amnesia,
therefore, its classified as a depressant.
Other effects include lowered BP, drowsiness,
dizziness, confusion and stomach upset.
Rohypnol is odorless, colorless and tasteless
when mixed w/ water or other drinkable fluids.
When mixed w/ alcohol, it can incapacitate the victim
and prevent them from resisting sexual assault.
Rohypnol Picture
Rohypnol
in tablet
form

Designer/Club Drugs
(Continued)
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (slang names: Acid,
LSD)
LSD can cause unpredictable behavior depending on
the the amount taken, where the drug is used and on
the user’s personality.
Effects of LSD: numbness, weakness, nausea,
increased heart rate, sweating, lack of appetite,
“flashbacks” and sleeplessness.
LSD (Acid) Pictures
LSD on a blotter
sheet (LSD laced)
LSD in gel form
LSD in
liquid form
LSD (Acid) Pictures
LSD
Blotter
sheets have
pictures on
them to
appeal to
younger
audiences
LSD (Acid) Pictures
Comes in attractive
designs and colors
LSD as a “Hit of Acid”
as it is often referred to
as
Designer/Club Drugs
(Continued)
Ketamine (slang names: “Special K”, “K”, Vitamin K,
Kit Kat and Super Acid). Was and still is used as
anesthetic.
Use of small amount of Ketamine results in loss of
attention span, learning ability and memory.
At higher doses, Ketamine can cause delirium,
amnesia, high blood pressure and severe breathing
problems.