1. Legal & Illegal Drugs Objectives Warm-up
Define drug abuse & distinguish it from both appropriate use & misuse.
Describe how psychoactive drugs affect the brain.
Summarize the risks of drug abuse.
Myth: Medicines from drugstores can’t harm you.
Fact: Medicines can be just as dangerous as street drugs if they are used inappropriately.
Writing: What other myths do teens believe about drugs? Write down some statements you have heard from your peers. Which are true? False?

2. Legal & Illegal Drugs Facts About Drug Use
Medicines—legal drugs that help the body fight injury, illness, or disease
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drugs—medicine sold legally without a prescription
Prescription Drugs—drugs that can only be obtained with a written order from a physician & can only be purchased at a pharmacy
Illegal Drugs—chemical substance that people of any age may not manufacture, possess, buy, or sell

3. Legal & Illegal Drugs Facts About Drug Use
Proper Use
Using per label instructions to treat a couch
Misuse
Mistakenly taking more than is recommended to treat a cough
Facts About Drug Use
Drug Misuse—improper use of medicines
Drug Abuse—when a drug is intentionally used improperly or unsafely
Using any kind of drug for nonmedical purposes
Abuse
Deliberately taking more than is recommended or taking for purposes other than a couch

4. Legal & Illegal Drugs Drug Abuse & the Brain
Psychoactive Drug—mood-altering drug that affects brain activity
The Reward Pathway—area of the brain that releases dopamine, which makes us feel pleasure
The extra dopamine released during drug use can cause user to ignore the harmful effects of the drug and want to continue using it
Flooding the Reward Pathyway with dopamine may lead to intense craving for the drug when it is not available
After a time, drug abuse can dull brain’s reactions to natural levels of dopamine. The user no longer feels pleasure from normal activities

5. Illegal & Legal Drugs Drug Abuse & the Brain, cont. Addiction
Compulsive use of a drug regardless of cost to health, family, or social standing
Abuse of psycho active drugs leads to addiction
A disease that changes the structure & chemistry of the brain

6. Legal & Illegal Drugs Dangers of Drug Misuse & Abuse
Side Effects
Unwanted physical or mental effect caused by a drug
Examples
Nausea
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Can vary from person to person
Tolerance & Dependence
Tolerance—when a person uses a drug repeatedly, they need more to get desired effect
Dependence—body’s chemical need for a drug to function normally

7. Legal & Illegal Drugs Dangers of Drug Misuse & Abuse
Withdrawal
Drug interactions
Nausea
Vomiting
Headaches
Dizziness
Fever
Digestion problems
Paranoia
Panic
Tremors, seizures, death
Drug Antagonism—each drug’s effect is cancelled out or reduced by the other neither drug has desired effect
Drug Synergism—drugs interact to produce effects greater than those that each drug would produce alone

8. Legal & Illegal Drugs Dangers of Drug Misuse & Abuse
Impurities
No regulation of illegal drugs = no guarantee that they are pure
Could be “cut” or diluted with another substance
Can vary from batch to batch in concentration = can’t predict what effect drug will have each time
Other Health Risks
Hepatitis & HIV—blood borne pathogens that are transmitted through contaminated needles
Risks to Fetus & Newborn
Broad range of developmental problems
Baby born with drug dependency
Drugs can also pass through breast milk

9. Legal & Illegal Drugs Legal Risks Effects on Family & Friends
Criminal Record
Hard to get into schools, military, jobs
Prison Terms
Fines
May Commit Other Crimes
Shoplifting
Robbery
Assualt
Effects on Family & Friends
Strained relationships b/c behavior & personality of drug abuser
Interests & activities that helped bind relationships no longer exist
Family & Friends drift away

10. Legal & Illegal Drugs Costs to Society
US Government spends billions to stop illegal drug manufacturing & sales
Billions spent in prevention, education, treatment & Rehabilitation
Other Costs:
Cost of imprisoning thousands of people for drug-related crimes
Medical Costs for drug-related illnesses & injuries
Premature deaths from drug-related homicides & accidents
Lost work productivity because of drug dependency

11. Key Questions
How is an over-the-counter drug different from a prescription drug?
Define drug abuse. Give an example.
Briefly describe how psychoactive drugs affect the brain.
What is a side effect?
List three (3) health risks & two (2) other risks that drug abusers face.