Transcript Four Principles

Four Principles
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4.
Drugs, per se, are not good or bad.
Every drug has multiple effects.
Both the size and quality of a drug’s effect
depend on the amount the individual has
taken.
The effect of any psychoactive drug
depends on the individual's history and
expectations.
Drugs, per se, are not good or bad
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The way that an individual uses the drug
determines whether or not the drug is being
used in a “good” or a “bad” way.
For example, cocaine is used by hospital
emergency room doctors to stop bad nose
bleeds is “good.” Cocaine used by an
addict just to get high is “bad.”
Every drug has multiple effects
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Every psychoactive drug act on many
places in the brain. Virtually every drug
that acts on the brain also effects the rest of
the body.
For example, aspirin dilates blood vessels
in every part of the brain to help reduce
headache pain. Aspirin also dilates vessels
throughout the body.
Both the size and quality of a drug’s effect depend on the
amount the individual has taken.
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Size: increase in dose = increase in effects that
might be noticed in lower dosage
Quality: increase in effects doesn’t always mean
“more is BETTER” - it also can mean that
“more is WORSE”
For example, 2 aspirin usually takes away a
headache after about 20 minutes; 4 aspirin will
not take away a headache in 10 minutes; this
could bring your headache back OR be an
overdose for drug sensitive people.
The effect of any psychoactive drug depends on the
individual's history and expectations.
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History - a person’s genetic make-up and past
experience with a drug will affect the drug
experience AND
Expectations - [non-specific effect] these drugs
can alter consciousness and thought processes,
the expectation of what the drug is an can do will
affect the drug experience
For example, if you THINK you are smoking pot
and know what the experience IS and you are
really smoking oregano - you can get “high.”