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Substance Use

Drugs and Alcohol

• What is a drug?• A drug is any substance that changes the way the

body works or the way a person thinks, feels or behaves.

• Not all drugs are illegal.• Sometimes when we think of drugs we forget about

legal drugs such as household medicines, alcohol and cigarettes

• This description includes many materials we do not normally think of as drugs, such as tea, coffee, alcohol, solvents and tobacco

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When used in the correct way, drugs can help to prolong life and cure disease.

However, if drugs are misused they can cause psychological, emotional, physical and social problems – and can even result in death.

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• Some legal drugs (antibiotics, for example) can only be given out by a doctor.

• These are called ‘prescribed drugs’: your doctor gives you a letter called a prescription to take to your pharmacy.

• Non – prescribed drugs can be purchased in a shop: for example, headache tablets.

Unfortunately there are some people who choose to abuse their body by using drugs.

Drug abuse can involve legal or illegal drugs.It can be:• Physical – when it damages a person’s health.• Mental or Emotional – there is a change in the

person’s behaviour• Social – it harms a person’s relationships.

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Types of Drugs

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1.Hallucinogens

•These can cause subjective changes in perception, thought, emotion and consciousness.

• Examples include:– Cannabis

Magic mushroomsMethamphetamineLSDKetamineEcstasy

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2.Headshop Drugs

•Also often referred to as "Legal Highs" are substances which are usually sold via Head Shops

• (It is important to note that although these drugs may not be illegal it does not necessarily mean they are safe).Examples: PillsPowdersSmoke

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3.Opioids • Opioids are naturally occurring opium poppy derivatives, such as

morphine and codeine, and semi-synthetic opiates like heroin and methadone.

• They decrease pain reaction and sensation. • Opioids can produce intense euphoria in a person and a sense of

well-being. • Side effects include sedation, respiratory depression, severe

withdrawal, development of tolerance and dependence issues. Examples include:MethadoneCodeineHeroin

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4.Over the Counter Painkillers

Over-the-counter medicines used for mild to moderate pain relief, flu and other symptoms. Prolonged use can lead to dependence

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5.Sedatives

•Substance that depresses the central nervous system resulting in calmness, relaxation, reduction of anxiety, sleepiness, and slowed breathing.Examples include:

• CannabisKetamineEcstasyAlcohol

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6.Solvents

•When inhaled, solvents have a similar effect to alcohol.

• They make people feel uninhibited, euphoric and dizzy.• real risk of vomiting, choking and possibly

unconsciousness.• permanent 'sniffer's rash', conjunctivitis, liver, heart and

kidney damage and in extreme cases, brain damage• Examples includegas lighter refills, aerosols etc.

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How do drugs make you feel?

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How do drugs make you feel?• Fear• Giddiness• Happiness• Relaxation• Nausea• Tiredness• Panic• Confusion• Dopiness• Paranoia

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How easy is it to get addicted to drugs?

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Addiction depends on

•Type of Drugs

•Why??

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Signs of addiction• Feeling the need to use the drug

regularly• Having a constant supply of the drug• Failure to stop using• Behaviour that is not normal or out of

character (e.g. stealing)

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How does drug misuse affect the family??

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Effects on the family

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Effects on the family

• Arguments• Embarrassment• Domestic Abuse

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How does drug misuse affect society?

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Effects on society

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Effects on society

• Burglary• Muggings• Murders• Unemployment• Dependence on social welfare system• Higher taxes etc

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Effects and Dangers of Drugs

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Cannabis – what is it?• Cannabis is the short name for the plant Cannabis

sativa. • Cannabis contains a chemical called THC. • THC is a mind-altering drug. • People usually take it for the effects it has on their mood

and their feelings. • THC is also a depressant drug, that is, it slows the brain

down, particularly if taken in high doses. • It can give people hallucinations, make them feel

sedated or sleepy or it can act as a stimulant.

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Cannabis – short-term effects

• Sensory distortion• Panic• Anxiety• Poor coordination of movement• Lowered reaction time• After an initial “up,” the user feels sleepy or

depressed • Increased heartbeat (and risk of heart attack)

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Cannabis – Long term effects• Reduced resistance to common illnesses (colds, bronchitis, etc.)• Suppression of the immune system• Growth disorders• Increase of abnormally structured cells in the body• Reduction of male sex hormones• Rapid destruction of lung fibers and lesions (injuries) to the brain could

be permanent• Reduced sexual capacity• Study difficulties: reduced ability to learn and retain information• Apathy, drowsiness, lack of motivation• Personality and mood changes• Inability to understand things clearly

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Cannabis – other dangers

• Bronchitis• Brain abnormalities• Psychosis ( severe personality change )• Pregnant, regular users :– birth prematurely to undersized, underweight babies– birth defects, – mental abnormalities – increased risk of leukemia

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Heroin – what is it?• Heroin is a highly addictive, illegal drug. It is used by millions of addicts

around the world who are unable to overcome the urge to continue taking this drug every day of their lives—knowing that if they stop, they will face the horror of withdrawal.

• Heroin (like opium and morphine) is made from the resin of poppy plants. Milky, sap-like opium is first removed from the pod of the poppy flower. This opium is refined to make morphine, then further refined into different forms of heroin.

• It can be injected, sniffed or smoked

• Most heroin is injected, creating additional risks for the user, who faces the danger of AIDS or other infection on top of the pain of addiction..

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Heroin – short-term effects

• Heroin addict• Hazy, drowsy• Pain relief• Nausea & Vomiting• Dramatic mood swings• Slowed breathing and heart rate• Constipation

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Heroin – Long term effects• Bad teeth• Inflammation of the gums• Constipation• Cold sweats• Itching• Weakening of the immune system• Coma• Respiratory (breathing) illnesses• Muscular weakness, partial paralysis• Menstrual disturbance in women• Loss of memory and intellectual performance• Introversion• Depression• Pustules on the face• Loss of appetite• Insomnia

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Heroin – other dangers

• Risk of overdose very high• Damage to veins if injected• Risk of HIV and hepatitis if needles shared• Risk of choking on vomit as cough reflex is

suppressed

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Cocaine – what is it?• Cocaine is one of the most dangerous drugs known to man.• The word cocaine refers to the drug in a powder form or crystal form.• The powder is usually mixed with substances such as corn starch,

talcum powder and/or sugar or other drugs such as amphetamines.• It is most often sniffed, with the powder absorbed into the bloodstream

through the nasal tissues. It can also be ingested or rubbed into the gums.

• Once a person begins taking the drug, it has proven almost impossible to become free of its grip physically and mentally.

• Physically it stimulates nerve endings within the brain that reate a euphoria to which users quickly develop a tolerance.

• Only higher dosages and more frequent use can bring about the same effect

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Cocaine – short-term effects• Loss of appetite• Increased heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature• Contracted blood vessels• Increased rate of breathing• Dilated pupils• Disturbed sleep patterns• Nausea• Hyperstimulation• Bizarre, erratic, sometimes violent behaviour• Hallucinations, hyperexciteability, irritability• Tactile hallucination that creates the illusion of bugs burrowing under the skin• Intense euphoria• Anxiety and paranoia• Depression• Intense drug craving• Panic and psychosis• Convulsions, seizures and sudden death from high doses (even one time)

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Cocaine – Long term effects• Permanent damage to blood vessels of heart and brain • High blood pressure, leading to heart attacks, strokes, and death• Liver, kidney and lung damage• Destruction of tissues in nose if sniffed• Respiratory failure if smoked• Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected• Malnutrition, weight loss• Severe tooth decay• Auditory and tactile hallucinations• Sexual problems, reproductive damage and infertility (for both men and women)• Disorientation, apathy, confused exhaustion• Irritability and mood disturbances• Increased frequency of risky behavior• Delirium or psychosis• Severe depression• Tolerance and addiction (even after just one use)

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Ecstasy – what is it?

• Ecstasy is a stimulant drug that also produces mild hallucinogenic effects.

• Ecstasy tablets come in a variety of colours and shapes and often have a logo or design

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DO YOU REALLY WANT TO PARTY?

Nikki was like many who went to rave parties. Hoping to escape her problems and have a good time, she planned to party through the night with several friends. One of them had a bottle of liquid Ecstasy in his car, so they all decided to take some. Soon the drug started to take over. Nikki danced and danced and danced, pushing herself well beyond her usual limits. As one of her friends later said in a police report, “Nikki wasn’t feeling anything.”

The next morning Nikki was dead. The cause: drug (Ecstasy) poisoning.

“But that won’t happen to me,” you think. Maybe not, but do you really want to take the chance?

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Ecstasy – short-term effects• Impaired judgment• False sense of affection• Confusion• Depression• Sleep problems• Severe anxiety• Paranoia• Drug cravings• Muscle tension• Faintness and chills or swelling• Involuntary teeth clenching• Blurred vision• Nausea

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Ecstasy – Long term effects• Long-lasting brain damage affecting thought and memory• Damage to portions of the brain that regulate critical functions such as

learning, sleep and emotion• It is as if the brain switchboard was torn apart, then rewired backwards• Degenerated nerve branches and nerve endings• Depression, anxiety, memory loss• Kidney failure• Hemorrhaging• Psychosis• Cardiovascular1 collapse• Convulsions• Death

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Ecstasy – other dangers• DANGER NO. 1: Today’s Ecstasy user is usually taking a mix of a wide variety of

drugs, and often toxic substances.

• DANGER NO. 2: One has to continually increase the amount of the drug one takes in order to feel the same effects.

• DANGER NO. 3: Users feel there is sometimes a need to use other drugs such as heroin or cocaine to help cope with the mental and physical pain that results after one “comes down” from Ecstasy; 92% of those who take Ecstasy also abuse other, even harder drugs.

• DANGER NO. 4: The false idea that a person only feels good with Ecstasy leads to a desire to take it more often than just at raves , discos etc.

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Why do you think some teenagers use drugs?

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What ways could you stop teenagers from using drugs? Any ideas?

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Most commonly used drugs

• Legal– Alcohol– Nicotine

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Most commonly used drugsIllegal• • Cannabis • • Cocaine • • Amphetamine • • Nitrites, poppers • • Cocaine • • Ecstasy • • LSD • • Magic mushrooms • • Solvents (aerosols, gases and glues) • • Minor tranquillisers (not prescribed) • • Heroin • • Crack cocaine

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Alcohol

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What happens when you drink alcohol?

• Measured by Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) & depends on

• Amount• How fast you drink• Your weight• Your gender• Your drinking habits• Whether you have eaten food

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Alcohol : Physical effects• Quicker heart rate and breathing rate• Slower reactions• Less able to carry out a simple task• Tiredness• Poor co-ordination• Reduced muscle strength• Sight poorer & speech slurred• Vomiting• Staggering / falling• Loss of consciousness• Loss of feeling• Death

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Alcohol : Psychological effects

• Decrease in judgement• Loss of inhibitions• Mild happiness, relaxation• Decreased alertness• Reduced ability to make good decisions• Increase in anxiety & depression• Decrease in patience / loss of temper• Little or no awareness• Non-responsive / coma

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Alcohol : other problems

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Alcohol & Teenagers- risky behaviours?

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Why do teenagers drink alcohol?