Drugs

• What is a Drug?

A substance(s) that influences physical and/or psychological change in the body.

Benefits To Drugs

• OTC= Over The Counter: Colds, Fever, Headache, Body Pain.

• Cancer: these drugs affect the rapid growth of cancer cells and destroys them.

• Heart Transplants: Prevents rejection and hemorrhaging during surgery.

• Pain Relief: headaches, body aches, codeine, morphine, etc.

Why Do People Use Drugs Illegally?

• 1. Biological: Medicines for disease, genetics, levels of neurotransmitters.

• 2. Social: Peer pressure, role models.

• 3. Psychological: How needs are being met; cope with life; crisis management, and stress.

Addict vs. Normal Individual

• Addict: The drug is the center of an addicts life. The addict can’t function without the drug in their system.

• Individual: The “self” is the center of an individuals life. They are more concerned about their life goals then drugs.

Who is responsible for the safety of drug use?

• Individual Person- YOU!

• Drug Companies

• FDA

• Media

• Pharmacy

• Federal Government

• Laws and Police

Government Intervention3 major laws passed concerning drug use.

1. 1906: Food & Drug Act- Regulation of safety for human use.

2. 1914: Harrison Narcotics Act- Improved record keeping for sale & use of

depressant drugs. 3. 1986: Drug Free American Act- Banned

the sale, manufacturing, possession, and trafficking of controlled substances.

How Do Drugs Get Into The Body.

• Oral Ingestion ( most common method)

• Injection (Longest duration)

• Snorting (Quickest High)

• Inhalation

• Absorption – Transdermal (through the skin)– Buccal ( between the cheek and gum)

What happens in the body with the cycle of the “high”?

• Rush: The rush is the initial response to the drug.

• High: The user feels aggressively smarter than others and becomes argumentative, sometimes violent. Pleasure results from an explosive release of dopamine in the brain.

• Binge: A continuation of the high by using more drugs.

Drug cycle continued…

• Tweaking: This occurs at the end of the binge when nothing the user does will take away the feeling of emptiness and anxiety. Tweaking is very uncomfortable.

• Crash: The user energy has been completely depleted and he or she sleeps very deeply. (hours-days at a time)

• Normal: After the crash, the abuser returns to normal, a state that is slightly deteriorated from the normal state before use.