1. Preventing Drug Abuse

2. Legal and illegal drugs

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

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

8. 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?

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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!

15. OTC Drugs

16. 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!

17. Prescription Drugs

18. Prescription Drug Label

19. 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.

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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