 Health: Unit #3

 Substance abuse: Any unnecessary or improper use of chemical substances for non-medical purposes o Includes: -Overuse, or multiple use of a drug -Use of an illegal drug -Use of a drug with alcohol o Leading cause of crime, suicide, and unintentional injuries

 Illegal drugs: Chemical substances that people of any age may not lawfully manufacture, possess, buy, or sell  Illicit drug use: The use or sale of any substance that is illegal or otherwise not permitted; a crime o Includes sale of prescription drugs to people who they are not intended for

 Peer pressure o The influence of your friends or social group  Family members o Can help teens resist drug use  Role models o Coaches, athletes, actors, and professionals who speak about the benefits of being drug-free  Media messages o TV, radio, web sites, movies, and music can influence how you feel about drug use  Perceptions of drug behavior o May lead teens to believe that drug use is higher than it is in reality  Misleading information o Can lead teens to think that certain drug use can be beneficial

PHYSICAL  Overdose: A strong, sometimes fatal reaction to taking a large amount of a drug o Injecting with a needle = increase risk of hepatitis B and HIV MENTAL  May impair ability to reason and think  Ecstasy alters the brain’s structure and function  Behave in ways that go against values SOCIAL  Lose friendships  Relationships with family members suffer  Legal consequences

 Tolerance o A need for more and more of the drug to achieve desired effect  Psychological dependence (mind) o Causes a person to believe that a drug is needed in order to feel good or to function normally  Physiological dependence (body) o User develops a chemical dependence to the drug (withdrawal symptoms occur when the drug starts to wears off)  Addiction o A psychological and physiological dependence on a drug (professional intervention to stop is necessary)

 Marijuana: A plant whose leaves, buds, and flowers are usually smoked for their intoxicating effects o All forms are mind-altering and can damage user’s health o Some forms combined with other drugs during processing (unpredictable) o Can lead to risky behavior and even death o Smoked (same risks as tobacco smokers) o Contains carcinogens (cancer causing chemicals) o Inhaling unfiltered smoke (respiratory problems) o Smoking (damage to immune system – more susceptible to infections) THC stands for Tetrahydrocannabinol

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 Inhalants: Substances whose fumes are sniffed or inhaled to give an effect o Depress the CNS (central nervous system) o Permanent loss of brain cells o To avoid accidentally inhaling fumes while doing household chores: Well- ventilated room Wear a mask o

 Anabolic-androgenic steroids: Synthetic substances similar to male sex hormones o Injection = increased risk for Hepatitis B and HIV o Violent behavior, extreme mood swings, depression, paranoia o Any non-medical use of steroids is illegal

 Male: o Shrinking testicles o Reduced sperm count o Baldness o Development of breasts  Female: o Facial hair o Baldness o Menstrual cycle changes o Deepened voice

 Psychoactive drugs: Chemicals that affect the central nervous system and alter activity in the brain  4 main groups: o Stimulants o Depressants o Opiates (Narcotics) o Hallucinogens

 Club drug: A drug found at concerts, dance clubs, and drug parties, called raves o Sometimes disguised in foods, or slipped into drinks and taken without a person’s knowledge  Designer drugs: Synthetic drugs that are made to imitate the effects of other drugs o Examples: Ecstasy (MDMA) Rohypnol (roofies) GHB (Gamma hydroxybutyric acid) Ketamine (special K) Methamphetamine (meth) LSD (acid)

 (ecstasy)  (bath salts)

 Stimulants: Drugs that speed up the central nervous system  Examples: o Nicotine o Caffeine o Cocaine o Methamphetamines o Crack o Amphetamines (adderall, ritalin)

 Depressants: Drugs that slow down the central nervous system o Slow heart rate, respiration rate, and lower blood pressure o Shallow breathing, weak or rapid pulse, coma, death o Examples: Barbiturates (sedatives Tranquilizers (relieve anxiety, muscle spasms, sleeplessness) Rohypnol “roofies” (date rape drug) Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid “GHB”

 Hallucinogens: Drugs that alter moods, thoughts and sense perceptions, including vision, hearing, smell, and touch Increase heart and respiratory rates  Overload sensory controls in brain (confusion, intensified sensations, hallucinations)  Altered mental states for several hours or several days  Extremely unpredictable  May harm themselves physically, or behave violently and harm others o Examples: Ecstasy (MDMA) Ketamine (anesthetic used to treat animals) Acid (LSD) Phencyclidine (PCP or angel dust) Dextromethorphan (DXM) Psilocybin (mushrooms) Mescaline (peyote)

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 Opiates (Narcotics): drugs derived from the opium plant that are obtainable only by prescription and are used to relieve pain  Abusing opiates: o Dulls the senses o Causes drowsiness o Slow and shallow breathing o Convulsions o Coma o Death  Examples: o Morphine (very strong; used to treat severe pain) o Codeine o Oxycodone (OxyContin) o Heroin (processed form of morphine)

School Efforts o Drug-free school zones: Areas within 1,000 to 1,500 feet of school and designated by signs, within which people caught selling drugs receive especially severe penalties Community Efforts o Drug Watches: Organized community efforts by neighborhood residents to patrol, monitor, report, and otherwise try to stop drug deals and drug abuse

 Rehabilitation: The process of medical and psychological treatment for physiological and psychological dependence on a drug o Most drug users need the help from family, friends, and counseling to end their addiction o Drug treatment centers offer a safe place to withdraw from drug use o Many centers provide medications to help with the physical and psychological effects of withdrawal