Factors which determine how substance misuse can affect some one and harm minimisation The substance/drug The person’s mental and physical health What the person is doing at the time and who they are with

Please complete the diamond 9 activity on your tables ranking the factors which determine how alcohol affects a young person Most important factor Least important factor

The substance Different drugs carry different risks: Physical dependency Includes alcohol, heroin, tranquillisers. Have physical withdrawal symptoms like flu and shaking, and sweating Effect on mental and health issues Uppers/stimulants (amphetamines, cocaine, crack, ecstasy) give an energy boost - dangerous for people with heart problems and high blood pressure Downers/depressants (alcohol, heroin and tranquillisers ) slow body down – and causes drowsiness (dose can be fatal) Hallucinogenic (LSD, magic mushrooms, and cannabis ) - can make people disturbed especially if already anxious or depressed Also: How strong it is If it is mixed with something else How often it is taken How the drug is taken – injecting is most dangerous

The person Depends on person’s: Physical health – high blood pressure, heart problems, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, liver problems, and if a person is on prescribed medicines for another health issue Mental health – if a person already feels anxious or depressed it can make them feel Body weight – lighter people find that drugs affect them more Lack of knowledge – a person new to a drug maybe more anxious because they do not know what to expect from the drug and therefore may get into more problems Gender – women generally lighter, research suggests women are affected by alcohol more because men have an additional enzyme which breaks down alcohol.

The environment/situation (what and who) Taking drugs in isolated places like river banks, derelict buildings and railway lines – increases chance of an accident and means help is not nearby Taking drugs while driving, walking along main road, operating machinery, etc Taking ecstasy while in a hot and crowded club, and dancing for hours – body becomes overheated and can cause death through dehydration and heat exhaustion Taking drugs can impair a person’s judgment and may increase the likelihood of unprotected sex, or having sex (when if they were not under the influence they may choose not to).

Scenario Activity 1.What choices does the young person have? 2.What are the risks? (Where are they? What is their physical and mental health like? Which substance?) 3.What is likely to happen? 4.What would be the safest thing to do? 5.What would be the worst thing to do? 6.What might stop the young person doing the safest thing?

Work in pairs to identify 3 top tips to minimise risk, once he/she has decided to take a drug?

What have we learned? The way the body is affected by substances depends on many factors – the drug, the person, the place Recognise problems and risks associated with substance misuse and identify what might stop a person from doing the safest thing