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SPONGE Tobacco, Nicotine and Drugs - Day 3 5. What do you think is the worst drug that a person could use? 6. Why is this drug the worst? What does it do to you? Drug Abuse Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco Day 3 Legal Drugs • Most drugs are made to be medicines. – Vaccines are injected into a person to make them resistant to a disease before getting it. – Antibiotics are drugs produced by tiny living organisms that are used to fight germs. – Sulfa drugs are chemicals made to kill germs. Legal Drugs • More people abuse legal drugs than illegal ones – 4.7 million Americans abuse prescription and over-thecounter drugs every year. – 2.5 million used pain relievers like Oxycodone or morphine. – 1.5 million used tranquilizers and sedatives like Valium and Xanax. – 761,000 used stimulants like Ritalin. Illegal Drugs • Stimulants are drugs that speed up the body’s functions. – A person using a stimulant feels excited and jittery. – Stimulants can speed a person up until they die of a stroke or heart attack. – Stimulants are very addictive. – Weaker stimulants include drugs like caffeine Illegal Stimulants Include… • Amphetamines: Usually taken as a pill, it is referred to as “Speed.” They are very addictive and cause strokes and heart attacks. • Cocaine: Also very addictive, “Coke” was a huge problem drug in the 80’s. This powder is snorted or smoked for quick bursts of energy, followed by intense depression and emptiness. • Crack: Is a more pure and powerful type of cocaine that can be addictive after only one use. Depressants • The most often abused drugs are stimulants and depressants. • Depressants are drugs that slow down your body’s functions and reactions. • Someone that abuses depressants puts themselves at risk for a coma. These include: – Narcotics: Drugs meant to bring on sleep or a loss of feeling. – Heroin: A very powerful and strongly addictive drug. Addicted users who can’t get the drug are in constant pain. Marijuana • Known as “pot,” “grass” and many other names, Marijuana is a drug made from a plant that is either smoked or eaten. • Though not as dangerous as cocaine or heroin it does increase blood pressure, lower body temperature, slow reaction time and interfere with the proper working of muscles. Marijuana • Over time, marijuana damages the heart, lungs and brain. • Marijuana is a gateway drug. People who use this drug are much more likely to try more dangerous drugs. • Most potheads also lack motivation in everyday life. Hallucinogens • Hallucinogens are drugs that cause the user’s brain to form images of things that are not really there. • PCP: Phencyclidine or “angel dust” removes the body’s sense of pain, giving people a false sense of power. – PCP is very powerful and dangerous – its effects last for long time periods. It can cause blood vessels in the brain to burst, heart attacks and comas. Inhalants • Inhalants are substances whose fumes are inhaled to get a high by killing brain cells. • Though there are many side-effects of huffing the worst is the killing of brain cells, which will never grow back. Quitting • Arguably the most painful part of a drug abusers life will be quitting. • The drug addict will go through a series of painful physical and mental symptoms called withdrawal as the body gets used to not having the drug. • This is a time of shaking, vomiting, hallucinations and excruciating pain where most addicts will desperately try to get more drugs. How Can You Convince Your Friends to Quit? • Whether it be tobacco, alcohol or other drugs there are many ways to help your friends quit: – Refusing to do drugs with them. – Don’t abandon them; convince them to do something else with you besides drugs. For example, have them join a club you are in. How Can You Convince Your Friends to Quit? • Honestly tell them how drugs have negatively affected your friendship and ask them to stop. • Have an intervention with other friends and family • If they are trying to quit be with them to keep them clean in hard times.