SUBSTANCE ABUSE: Commonly Abused Drugs Ms. Mai Lawndale High School

4 Categories of Psychoactive Drugs Based on their effects on the mind and body, psychoactive drugs are classified into 4 major categories 1. Stimulants 2. Depressants 3. Narcotics 4. Hallucinogens

Some Other Drugs There are also 3 other types of drugs that have effects similar to the 4 major ones 5. Cannabis 6. Inhalants 7. Designer Drugs Lastly, we will also be discussing steroids, which is not a psychoactive drug, but is often abused

1. Stimulants Drugs (nickname) –Legal - nicotine and caffeine –Illegal amphetamine (speed, uppers) methamphetamine (ice, glass, crystal meth) cocaine (coke, snow, crack) Physical Effects – stimulate or speed up nerve activity (increased energy and heart rate, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping)

Stimulants continued… Psychological Effects – euphoria, increased alertness, depression, paranoia, hallucinations Effects of Overdose – extreme nervousness, hallucinations, paranoia, heart and lung failure, coma death Withdrawal Symptoms – lack of interest in normal activities, fatigue, irritability, depression, mental confusion

Amphetamines Makes users feel more energetic and alert, and euphoric (state of happiness) One side effect is a loss of appetite, so doctors used to prescribe this drug for short periods of time to help people lose weight In large amounts, amphetamines can make people feel paranoid

Methamphetamine Produces euphoria that lasts 12 to 24 hours (during this time, user cannot sleep and has no appetite) Was also used legally for weight loss Users become paranoid, aggressive, and violent Can cause permanent damage to the brain and body

Cocaine White powder made from leaves of the South American coca plant Sometimes used as anesthesia in nose and throat surgery Highly addictive and causes serious physical and psychological problems Cocaine ’ s effects are felt quickly, but do not last very long

Meth and Crack Video

2. Depressants Drugs (nicknames) –Legal – alcohol –Illegal barbiturates (downers) tranquilizers methaqualone (ludes, sopers) Physical Effects – depresses or slow down nerve activity (decreased heart rate and breathing, sleepiness, poor coordination, blurred vision, slow reaction)

Depressants continued… Psychological Effects – calmness, reduced anxiety, low alertness, mood changes, impaired reasoning Effects of Overdose – shallow breathing, cold skin, weak, weak heartbeat, coma, death Withdrawal Symptoms – restlessness, nausea, blurred vision, difficulty sleeping, trembling, convulsions

Barbiturates Strong depressants that are prescribed to relax people or help them sleep After addicted, people cannot fall asleep without the use of barbiturates Barbiturates cause mental confusion, so users take accidental overdose When combined with alcohol, it can cause the user to stop breathing

Tranquilizers People who suffer from anxiety may be treated medically with tranquilizers Also dangerous when combined with alcohol and causes hundreds of fatal drug overdoses every year

Methaqualone Produces sudden rush of euphoria Physical and psychological dependence develops very quickly Side effects include headaches, nosebleeds, dizziness, and diarrhea High risk of fatal overdose when combined with alcohol

3. Narcotics Drugs (nickname) –codeine (school boy) –opium (blue velvet, back stuff) –morphine (white stuff, morf) –heroin (horse, smack, junk) Physical Effects – strong painkiller that produces a relaxed state (pain relief, decreased heart rate and breathing, nausea, vomiting, constipation, slurred speech, poor coordination)

Narcotics continued… Psychological Effects – euphoria, relaxation, inability to concentrate, lack of interest and response, hunger Effects of Overdose – constricted pupils, slow breathing, coma, death Withdrawal Symptoms – flu-like symptoms, runny nose, chills, sweating, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, muscle twitching, irritability

Codeine Least potent narcotic prescribed for mild pain and used in some cough medicine Codeine can be abused because it produces a state of euphoria Codeine is not as addictive as other narcotics, but sill causes physical and psychological dependence

Opium Stronger narcotic that may be prescribed to relieve pain or control diarrhea Produces an initial rush of euphoria followed by a prolonged dreamy state Highly addictive and causes severe withdrawal symptoms

Morphine One of the strongest known painkillers Extremely addictive, so it is strictly limited for medical use (post-surgery or cancer patients) Abused for its euphoric effects with severed withdrawal symptoms

Heroin White powder made from morphine, but is more potent because it acts quicker Prohibited from medical use in US because it is extremely addictive Most widely abused narcotic in the US Heroin dulls the senses for hours, but addicts must take several doses each day to avoid withdrawal symptoms High risk of hepatitis and AIDS

4. Hallucinogens Drugs (nickname) –LSD (acid) –mescaline (DOM, STP, TMA, MMDA) –PCP (angel dust) Physical Effects – distort users perceptions of their surroundings and their own bodies (dilated pupils, increased or decreased heart rate and body temperature, perspiration, muscle twitching, aggression, insensitive to pain)

Hallucinogens continued… Psychological Effects – euphoria, extreme fear, hallucinations, distorted senses, mental confusion, flashbacks Effects of Overdose – panic, mental confusion, severe mental illness, violent behavior, convulsion, coma, death Withdrawal Symptoms – none known

LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide is extremely powerful and causes vivid and strange visions called “ trips ” that can last hours During a “ trip, ” users may become terrified and believe they are in danger Weeks or months after a use, users may experience flashbacks

Mescaline Psychoactive substance found in peyote (type of cactus grown in southwestern US and northern Mexico) Used in religious ceremonies and spiritual practices of the Native American Church of North America When eaten, it produces nausea and vomiting, then visions Highly toxic in even small amounts

PCP Phencyclidine was originally developed for human surgical anesthesia, but now is restricted to anesthesia for animals PCP ’ s effects can last for 3-4 days Can make users feel tipsy, confused, aggressive and violent Users seem awake, but do not talk and have little sense of pain

LSD-acid Video

5. Cannabis (Indian hemp plant) Drugs (nickname) –Marijuana (pot, grass, dope, weed, mary jane) –hashish (hash) Physical Effects – increased heart rate and appetite, red eyes, dry mouth and throat, lung damage (similar effects as stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens)

Cannabis continued… Psychological Effects – mild euphoria, relaxed inhibition, difficulty concentrating, impaired memory Effects of Overdose – fatigue, paranoia, panic, mental confusion, distorted perceptions resembling mental illness Withdrawal Symptoms – irritability, restlessness, difficulty sleeping

Marijuana Most widely used illegal drug in the US because many users think it is harmless Made from dried and shredded leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant Usually smoked and its effects felt within minutes and may last for hours Similar health effects of tobacco, but worse because it contains more dangerous chemicals

Marijuana continued… Marijuana interferes with the mental development of teenagers and young adults (impairs memory and concentration with difficulty learning) THC is the active ingredient in marijuana and has been legal since 1986 for chemotherapy patients Some people have been working to convince the government to reclassify marijuana as Category 2 instead of 1 so that it can be used for medical purposes

Hashish Oily liquid taken from the cannabis plant that has more intense effects than marijuana because its more concentrated More expensive than marijuana, so it is less widely used in the US

Marijuana Video

6. Inhalants Drugs (nicknames) –amyl nitrite (locker room, rush, poppers) –nitrous oxide (laughing gas) –household products (glue, paint thinner, lighter fluid) Physical Effects – produce euphoria when inhaled (dizziness, headaches, slurred speech, slowed reaction time, poor coordination, similar to depressants)

Inhalants continued… Psychological Effects – giddiness, euphoria, mental confusion, impaired judgment, aggression, hallucinations Effects of Overdose – heart or lung failure, suffocation, unconscious, coma Withdrawal Symptoms – not known

Prescription Drugs At one time, amyl nitrite were commonly prescribed for heart patients to relieve chest pain, while nitrous oxide was used by dentists as a painkiller These drugs make people feel relaxed and giddy, but can cause dizziness, nausea, and severe headaches

Household Products Many household products give off fumes with psychoactive effects These inhalants attract teenagers because they are cheap and produce a rapid, intense high Long-term use of these products can cause permanent damage to your body

Inhalants Video

7. Designer Drug Designer drugs are new chemical combinations that are created to imitate the effects of controlled drugs The most common types of designer drugs imitate stimulants, narcotics, and hallucinogens For example, ecstasy imitates the effects of amphetamines and LSD Can cause more damage for they are more powerful and less predictable

Shrooms-Ecstasy Video

8. Steroids Steroids are laboratory-made drugs that function like the male hormone testosterone to increase muscle mass Steroids may be prescribed for young people who are not growing normally Steroids are not considered psychoactive drugs, but have stimulant-like effects for some users because it makes them feel good about building muscle

Steroids continued Physical Effects – increased muscle mass and calcium in bones Psychological Effects – stimulant-like high, increased energy and aggressiveness, possibly violent Long-term Risks – mental disorders, liver damage, infertility, acne, baldness, reduced sperm production for men, increased facial hair for women

Steroids Continued Withdrawal Symptoms – depression, mood changes Steroids do not make people stronger, but makes muscles bulkier because there is more muscle tissue to work with