Preventing Drug Abuse

Legal and illegal drugs

Vocabulary Drug – a chemical substance that is taken to cause changes in a person’s body or behavior Medicine – a legal drug that helps the body fight injury, illness, or disease Over-the-Counter-Drug (OTC) – a medicine that is sold legally in pharmacies and other stores without a doctor’s prescription

Vocabulary Prescription Drug – a drug that can only be obtained with a written order from a doctor and can only be purchased at a pharmacy Illegal Drug – a chemical substance that people of any age may not lawfully manufacture, possess, buy, or sell Drug Misuse – the improper use of medicines; either prescription or OTC drugs

Vocabulary Drug Abuse – the intentional improper or unsafe use of a drug Psychoactive Drug – a chemical that affects brain activity; also known as a “mood altering” drug Side Effect – an unwanted physical or mental effect caused by a drug

Vocabulary Drug Antagonism – a condition that occurs when one drug’s effect is canceled out or reduced by another's Drug Synergism – a condition that occurs when drugs interact to produce effects greater than those that each drug would produce alone

Warm Up TRUE or FALSE? Medicines from a drug store can’t harm you.

Warm Up TRUE - Medicines can be just as dangerous as “street drugs” if they are used inappropriately. What other myths do teens believe about drugs? Write down some statements you have heard from your peers. Which do you think are true? Which do you think are false?

Drugs can be Good! Thanks to medical and drug research, there are thousands of drugs that help people Antibiotics and vaccines have revolutionized the treatment of infections Medicines can lower blood pressure, treat diabetes, and reduce the body's rejection of new organs Medicines can cure, slow, or prevent disease, helping us to lead healthier and happier lives

How do Drugs Work? They are chemicals or substances that change the way our bodies work When you put them into your body drugs find their way into your bloodstream and are transported to parts of your body, such as your brain In the brain, drugs may either intensify or dull your senses, alter your sense of alertness, and sometimes decrease physical pain

Drugs can be Helpful or Harmful The effects of drugs can vary depending upon: the kind of drug taken how much is taken how often it is used how quickly it gets to the brain what other drugs, food, or substances are taken at the same time Effects can also vary based on the differences in body size, shape, and chemistry

Why do People Use Drugs? Pleasure Think better Be more popular / peer pressure Stay more active Become better athletes Curiosity Invincibility – “That will never happen to me.” Gain attention from parents Depressed Think that drugs will help them escape their problems

The truth is… Drugs don't solve problems — they simply hide feelings and problems When a drug wears off, the feelings and problems remain, or become worse Drugs can ruin every aspect of a person's life

Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drugs Medicine sold legally without a Drs. prescription Pain Relievers  Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen Cough and Cold Remedies Sleep Aids Pharmacies and other stores Any OTC drug can cause harm if the instructions on the label are not followed!

OTC Drugs

Prescription Drugs Drug that you can only get from a Dr. Must be purchased at a pharmacy More government control than OTC drugs Potential for harm A doctor determines the correct amount of medication given Only to be used by the person the prescription was prescribed for!

Prescription Drugs

Prescription Drug Label

Illegal Drugs A drug that people of any age may not lawfully: MANUFACTURE POSSESS BUY SELL Street Drugs Heroin, Marijuana, Cocaine, Methamphetamines, Ecstasy, PCP, etc.

Drug Misuse Any improper use of medicines Taking more than the prescribed amount Taking drugs with the wrong foods Taking drugs at the wrong time of day Not taking the drug for the correct period of time Often by mistake or because of a patient’s misunderstanding of the doctor’s orders

Drug Abuse When a drug is intentionally used improperly or unsafely Abusing prescription painkillers Abusing OTC medicines Using them to get “high” rather than to treat pain or a cough ANY use of illegal drugs Drug Abuse occurs when people intentionally use any kind of drugs for nonmedical purposes

Addiction Abuse of drugs can result in addiction Addiction is the compulsive use of a drug, despite any cost to health, family, or social standing It is a disease that changes the structure and chemistry of the brain

Side Effects Although the immediate effect of a medicine may feel good, unpleasant side effects may follow Side effect – unwanted physical or mental effect caused by a drug. Examples: nausea, headaches, dizziness, etc. Because each person is unique, side effects vary from person to person, which is why prescriptions should never be shared

Side Effects Medicines have been thoroughly tested to minimize side effects with appropriate use Drugs that are misused or abused often have side effects that can’t be predicted and may be severe or even life threatening

Tolerance & Dependence When a person uses a drug repeatedly, the body may develop a tolerance to the drug As the tolerance grows, the user needs increasingly larger amounts of the drug to achieve the original affect Tolerance may lead to drug dependence—the body develops a chemical need for the drug and cannot function normally without it

Withdrawal If a person who is dependent on a drug stops taking it, they will experience withdrawal symptoms These symptoms are the body’s reaction to not having the drug Symptoms range from mild to life threatening, depending on the drug used

Drug Interactions When a person takes more than one drug at a time, the drugs interact The result is different than if the drugs were taken alone

Antagonism When each drugs affect is cancelled out or reduced by the other one Neither drug has the predicted effect Example – continuing to smoke while taking blood pressure medication (to lower BP) eliminates the benefit of the medicine

Synergism When drugs interact to produce effects greater than those that each drug would produce alone Example – alcohol and sleep medications can lead to the loss of consciousness

Impurities The manufacture of illegal drugs is not regulated by law (obviously) There is no guarantee that they are pure Many have other chemicals in them that may be harmful or cause dangerous drug interactions The user simply cannot predict what effect the drug will have each time

Other Health Risks Hepatitis and HIV – from sharing needles Hepatitis – can lead to severe liver disease HIV – leads to AIDS (no cure) Risks to Fetus and Newborn Developmental problems Born with a drug dependency Through placenta and/or breast milk

Legal Risks In addition to the obvious health risks, drug users/abusers risk facing serious legal penalties, damaging their relationships with family and friends, and causing significant costs to society

Legal Risks Penalties for people who produce, possess, transport, or sell illegal drugs include long prison terms and heavy fines Criminal record Difficult for jobs, college, military May commit other crimes to support their addiction Robbery, shoplifting

Effects of Family and Friends Relationships become strained as the personality and behavior of the drug user change Withdraw from relationships and responsibility Become violent

Costs to Society The US government spends billions of dollars to stop illegal drug manufacture and sales Drug abuse prevention, education, treatment, and rehabilitation programs These programs provide hope for many users However, demand usually outweighs funding