Transcript Chapter 23 Medicines and Drugs

Chapter 23
Medicines and Drugs
Lesson Four
Psychoactive Drugs
Pgs 603-610
Psychoactive Drugs
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Psychoactive drugs are
chemicals that affect the
central nervous system
and alter activity in the
brain
Some psychoactive drugs
are used for medicinal
value under a doctor’s
supervision
There are four main
groups: stimulants,
depressants, narcotics, and
hallucinogens
Stimulants
Stimulants are drugs that speed up the
central nervous system.
 Some stimulants have medical uses (such
as those that control hyperactivity)
 Cocaine, crack, amphetamines, and
methamphetamines are the most
dangerous stimulants
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Cocaine
(Snow, Flake, Blow, Candy, Rock)
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Cocaine is a white
powder extracted from
the leaves of the coca
plant (Benzoylmethyl
Ecgonine)
Users experience a
feeling of confidence
and euphoria
Effects can last from
20 min to several
hours
Cocaine
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Regular use can lead to
depression, fatigue,
paranoia, and dependence
Can cause malnutrition
and cardiac problems
When snorted, it can
collapse the nasal septum
When injected, users can
contract HIV or hepatitis B
from infected needles
Overdosing can result in
cardiac arrest, respiratory
failure, seizures, and
death
Crack Cocaine
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Crack is an even more
dangerous form of cocaine
(cocaine + hydrochloride)
In its pure form, it reaches
the brain in seconds after
being smoked or injected
Provides a short, but
intense euphoria
Once in the blood, the
heart rate and blood
pressure soars which can
lead to cardiac or
respiratory failure
Amphetamines (Benzedrine)
(Speed, Bennies, Black Beauties, Uppers)
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Amphetamines are found in prescription medicines
to reduce fatigue and suppress appetite
Some people use amphetamines illegally to stay
awake, lose weight, or improve athletic
performance
Regular use can result in twitching, irregular
heartbeat, paranoia, and heart damage
Methamphetamine
(Speed, Meth, Chalk, Ice, Crystal, Crank)
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Meth is made from ephedrine, found in
common cold/allergy medicines
Medically it is used to treat certain diseases
and obesity
It is a white odorless powder easily dissolved
in alcohol or water
It can provide a 12 hour euphoria. People feel
confident, courageous, tireless, and invincible
Regular use can result in depression,
paranoia, damage to the CNS, increased
heart rate, damage to brain cells, and death
Depressants
(Flunitrazepan)
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Depressants are
sedatives that tend to
slow down the central
nervous system
Depressants relax
muscles, relieve
feelings of tension and
worry, and cause
drowsiness
Depressants include
alcohol, barbiturates,
tranquilizers,
rohypnol, and GHB
Barbiturates (Barbituric Acid)
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Barbiturates are drugs that induce sleepiness
They may be prescribed for medical purposes
They are used illegally to produce a feeling of
intoxication
When combined with alcohol they can result
in death
Tranquilizers
(Phenothiazines & Benzodiazapines)
Tranquilizers are depressants that reduce
muscular activity, coordination, and
attention span.
 They are prescribed by doctors to relieve
anxiety, muscle spasms, sleeplessness,
and nervousness.
 When overused, physiological and
psychological dependence occurs
 Withdrawal causes severe shaking, coma,
or death
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Rohypnol (Flunitrazepan)
(Date-Rape Drug)
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Rohypnol is a club
drug and is ten times
stronger than
tranquilizers
It looks like an aspirin
tablet and dissolves
easily into soft drinks
Victims often wake up
with no recollection of
what happened in the
previous hours
GHB
Gammahydroxy Butyric Acid
GHB is produced naturally & synthetically
 Also used in date-rape crimes
 It is a club drug available as a clear liquid,
white powder, or tablet and capsule form
 The drug leaves the bloodstream quite
quickly making it difficult for emergency
room personnel to determine that an
overdose occurred
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Narcotics
Narcotics are specific drugs obtainable
only by prescription and are used to
relieve pain
 Opium, morphine, oxycontin, codeine, and
heroin are narcotics
 Narcotics cause euphoria, drowsiness,
constipation shallow breathing,
convulsions, coma, and death
 They are highly addictive
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Opium
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From the opium poppy
Ancient civilizations
used opium for medicine
and rituals
Used for pain relief and
euphoria
Contains the alkaloid
used to make morphine,
codeine, and heroin
Highly addictive
Can cause constipation,
respiratory problems,
seizure, and coma
Morphine
(Opium Alkaloid)
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Made from opium
Used medically as a
severe pain reliever
High potential for
addiction and
tolerance
Health risks include
fatigue, anxiety,
muscular/bone aches
and pains, tremors,
heart attack, and
stroke
Codeine
(Opium Alkaloid)
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Made from opium
Prescribed for mild to
moderate pain relief
Treats cough, sore
throat, and irritable
bowel syndrome
High doses = euphoria
Can cause physical
dependence
Health risks include
constipation, nausea,
chills, pain, & respiratory
depression
Heroin
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Heroin is a processed form
of morphine that is injected,
snorted, or smoked
Used in UK for acute and
agonizing pain
Heroin depresses the CNS
and slows breathing and
pulse
Users experience euphoria,
relaxation,
Abuse can cause infection of
the heart lining and valves
Pneumonia, HIV, and
hepatitis B can result from
the use of infected needles
Withdrawal can be very
painful
Hallucinogens
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Hallucinogens are
drugs that alter
moods, thoughts, and
sense perceptions
including vision,
hearing, smell, and
touch.
Hallucinogens include
PCP, LSD, and
Ketamine
PCP
(Phencyclidine)
PCP is considered one of the most
dangerous drugs
 Effects include distorted sense of time and
space, increased muscle strength, and
inability to feel pain
 Results in aggressive and violent
behaviors
 Overdoses of PCP can cause death, but
death usually occurs because of the
destructive behavior of people using PCP
(e.g. burning in a fire because they don’t
feel pain)
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LSD
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LSD is a strong
hallucinogen and can
distort perceptions of
sound and color
Inanimate objects seem
lifelike
Risk of convulsions, coma,
heart and lung failure, and
death
Users experience emotions
ranging from euphoria to
extreme panic and
depression
Ketamine
Ketamine is an anesthetic used for
medical purposes (usually treats animals)
 Ketamine is misused as a club drug, and is
sold as a white powder to be snorted or
injected. Sometimes it is combined with
marijuana or tobacco
 It causes hallucinations and may result in
death by respiratory failure
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Ecstasy and Other Dangerous Drugs
(Designer Drugs)
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Designer drugs are
synthetic substances
meant to imitate the
effects of
hallucinogens and
other dangerous drugs
Designer drugs vary in
potency and strength
and can be 100 times
stronger than the drug
that they are imitating
Ecstasy (MDMA)
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Ecstasy is a
combination stimulant
and hallucinogen
Creates euphoria,
emotional excitement,
and enhances sense of
touch
Causes confusion,
depression, paranoia,
psychosis, and longterm damage to brain
cells
Results in tremors,
paralysis, heart attack,
and irreversible brain
damage
Consequences of Drug Use
Drugs play a role in unsafe situations and
negative consequences
 Drug use leads to poor judgment which
puts teens at risk for unintentional
injuries, motor vehicle accidents, violence,
STD’s, unplanned pregnancies, and suicide
 The best way to avoid drugs is to avoid
places where drugs are used
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