FOSTERING UNDERSTANDING DRUGS & ALCOHOL FOSTERING UNDERSTANDING

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING Unfortunately, the Catholic Church teachings are often countercultural What does your society say about Alcohol & Drug use???

DRUGS: STIMULANTS: Stimulants: a substance that raises the levels of physiological nervous activity of the body Nicotine Cocaine Crack cocaine Amphetamines(methamphetamine, ecstasy)

DRUGS: DEPRESSANTS Depressants: a substance that lowers or diminishes vital activities of the body Heroin Marijuana Barbiturates- oxycodone, morphine, codeine, valium

Recent Studies

ALCOHOL The most used and abused LEGAL drug It is also the oldest known drug A big business in our society Alcohol has become a major public health problem

DRINKING PATTERNS

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HOW ALCOHOL WILL AFFECT YOU: AGE GENDER PHYSICAL CONDITION AMOUNT OF FOOD EATEN OTHER DRUGS OR MEDICINE INGESTED

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL IT IS A CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANT LOW DOSES: can produce a relaxing effect, reduced tension, lower inhibitions, impaired concentration, slower reflexes, impaired reaction time, reduced coordination MEDIUM DOSES: can produce slurred speech, drowsiness and altered emotions

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL HIGH DOSES: can produce vomiting, breathing difficulties, unconsciousness, coma, DEATH

ALCOHOL DEATHS

ALCOHOL DEATHS Alcohol kills more teenagers than all other drugs combined. It is a factor in the three leading causes of death among 15- to 24-year-olds: accidents, homicides and suicides.

MARIJUANA The most used ILLEGAL DRUG! Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp, or cannabis, plant. It goes by many different names—pot, herb, weed, grass—and stronger forms include sinsemilla hashish, and hash oil. All forms of marijuana change how the brain works! Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals, including THC (delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol).

DEFINITIONS Tolerance – The power of enduring or resisting the action of a drug or substance. Addiction - the compulsive need for or use of a habit forming substance. Withdrawal - the syndrome of often painful physical and psychological symptoms that follows discontinuance of an addicting drug <a heroin addict going through withdrawal> Addiction The younger you are when you start using substances, the higher your chances of addiction to those substances. 15 y/o student who drinks has a 40% higher chance of alcohol addiction.

Marijuana is not addictive. MYTH OR FACT Marijuana is not addictive. MYTH OR FACT! Repeated marijuana use can lead to addiction—which means that people have difficulty controlling their drug use and often cannot stop even though they want to, and even though it undermines many aspects of their lives.

MYTH OR FACT It’s safe to drive while under the influence of Marijuana. MYTH OR FACT! Marijuana affects a number of skills required for safe driving—alertness, concentration, coordination, and reaction time—so it's not safe to drive high or to ride with someone who's been smoking

MYTH OR FACT Marijuana won’t effect my ability to perform in sports or other after school activities? MYTH OR FACT! Marijuana has many short term effects such as impairing memory, attention, judgment, coordination and balance. The long term effects would be impaired memory and learning skills, sleep impairment, and chronic cough/bronchitis, risk of mental disease, anxiety or depression.

MYTH OR FACT Marijuana use, occasional or habitual, will have no effect on my school work. MYTH OR FACT! Compared with their peers who don't smoke, students who smoke Marijuana tend to get lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school. Longtime Marijuana users report being less satisfied with their lives, experiencing memory and relationship problems, poorer mental and physical health, lower salaries, and less career success.

MYTH OR FACT Marijuana can help me relax from the stresses of school, work, and life. MYTH OR FACT! High doses of marijuana can cause psychosis or panic when you're high. Some people experience an acute psychotic reaction (disturbed perceptions and thoughts, paranoia) or panic attacks while under the influence of Marijuana.

There are no withdrawal symptoms from Marijuana use. MYTH OR FACT There are no withdrawal symptoms from Marijuana use. MYTH OR FACT! The symptoms are similar in type and severity to those of nicotine withdrawal— irritability, sleeping difficulties, anxiety, and craving. Withdrawal symptoms can make it hard for someone to stay off Marijuana.

MYTH OR FACT Since Marijuana is used as a medicine, it can’t be that bad for me. MYTH OR FACT! Several states have passed medical marijuana laws, but marijuana has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat any diseases. It still carries the negative consequences and risks that non-medical Marijuana

WHAT IS ADDICTION? When a drug user can not physically or emotionally stop using a drug even if they really want to! The urge to continue using is much stronger than the will to stop Drugs alter the chemistry of one’s brain It is a brain disease and young people’s brains are more susceptible to the addiction process.