Intro to Drugs

What is a drug?

• Any substance, other than food that when taken into the body alters the structure in some way.

Who controls the drug use in America?

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA): All legal drugs must be inspected and approved by the FDA before they can be made available to the public. It usually takes 5+ years for a drug to be approved.

•Over the Counter Drugs (OTC)•Prescription Drugs (Rx)

Designer Drugs• Illegal drugs that are NOT FDA

approved and is often made in garages or basements by people with little or no medical background.• Ecstasy• MPTP• Methamphetamine

Movie Clip

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqWaf9DMFOc&feature=related

• Worksheet Questions # 4-7

6 types of drugs

• Stimulants• Depressants• Hallucinogens• Narcotics • Marijuana• Inhalants

Stimulants

• Drugs that excite the Central Nervous System

• Examples:–Adderall, Ritalin,

and Cocaine

Stimulants Continued….• Medical Uses:– Can reduce ADHD symptoms and increase focus

and attention in people who have ADHD.• Health Risks:– Abuse of prescription stimulants can increase

heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.

– Stimulant medications can decrease sleep and appetite, and abuse can lead to malnutrition and its consequences

Depressants

• Slows the activity of vital organs

• Examples:–Valium, Mebaral, and

Librium

Depressants • Medical Use:–Used for treatment of anxiety and sleep

disorders• Health Risks:– Easy to become addicted to.–When going through withdrawals the brain

speeds up and can cause seizures.

Hallucinogens

• What are Hallucinogens?–Drugs that produce behavioral changes

that are often multiple and dramatic.• Examples:– LSD, mushrooms, and Ecstasy

• Health Risks–memory loss, difficulties with speech and

thinking, depression, and weight loss

Narcotics • What are Narcotics?–Drugs used medicinally to relieve pain.

• Examples:–Heroin, Morphine, Opium

• Health Risks:–Drowsiness, respiratory depression,

constricted pupils, restlessness and nausea

Marijuana • What is Marijuana?–It’s a mind altering

drug.• Other names:–Pot, grass, and Mary

Jane

Marijuana• Health Risks:– Short term:

problems with memory, loss of coordination, increased heart rate– Long term:

Marijuana has long term effects on the brain, heart, and lungs.

Inhalants• What is Inhalants?– Drugs in the forms of gases, aerosols, or solvents

that are breathed in and absorbed through the lungs.

• Examples: glues, gasoline, hairspray bottles, and marking pens

• Health Risks:– nausea, sneezing, coughing, nosebleeds, fatigue,

lack of coordination, loss of appetite, and brain damage

Aren’t Prescription Drugs Safer Than Illegal Drugs, such as Cocaine or Heroin?

Many people think that abusing prescription drugs is safer than abusing illicit drugs like heroin because the manufacturing of prescription drugs is regulated or because they are prescribed by doctors. That’s true, but it doesn’t mean that these drugs are safe for someone who was not prescribed the drug or when they are taken in ways other than as prescribed. Prescription drugs can have powerful effects in the brain and body, and they act on the same brain sites as illicit drugs. painkillers act on the same sites in the brain as heroin; prescription stimulants have effects in common with cocaine. And people sometimes take the medications in ways that can be very dangerous in both the short and long term (e.g., crushing pills and snorting or injecting the contents). Also, abusing prescription drugs is illegal—and that includes sharing prescriptions with friends.