Drug basics

Drug basics

• Drug basics

• Major Drug Classifications

• The Most Commonly Abused Drugs

• Deadly Drug Interactions

• The Effects of Addiction and Long Term Abuse

A “Drug” is any substance that alters normal bodily function.

• A “Drug” is any substance that alters normal bodily function.

• Pharmacological drugs are used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or illness.

• Recreational Drugs typically affect the CNS, and are used to alter perception, consciousness, and/or social behavior.

Drugs have played an integral role in human history dating back thousands of years.

• Drugs have played an integral role in human history dating back thousands of years.

• Drugs are (any will always be) a key source of human kind’s best and worst attributes.

• Orally, as a liquid or solid, that is swallowed and absorbed through the stomach and/or small intestine.

• Sublingually, diffusing into the bloodstream through capillaries under the tongue.

• Inhaled, breathed into the lungs

• Injected, into muscle, adipose tissue, or blood vessel

• Rectally via a suppository, absorbed into the colon.

• Vaginally, via a suppository, treatment of vaginal infections

• Insufflation, snorted into the nose

Pharmacological drugs have an extremely wide range of targets and effects (including all organ systems and corresponding tissues.)

• Pharmacological drugs have an extremely wide range of targets and effects (including all organ systems and corresponding tissues.)

• Recreational Drugs can be classified according to their effects on the central nervous system. these classifications include:

• -Narcotics -Stimulants

• -Depressants -Hallucinogens

Narcotics include drugs used medicinally to relieve pain. Recreational narcotics are have no medical use. In both cases they have a high potential for abuse

• Narcotics include drugs used medicinally to relieve pain. Recreational narcotics are have no medical use. In both cases they have a high potential for abuse

• These drugs cause relaxation with an immediate “rush“ of euphoria.

• Side effects include: restlessness, nausea, shallow breathing, clammy skin, convulsions, watery eyes, runny nose, cramps, loss of appetite, irritability, tremors, panic, chills, sweating

Narcotics used to treat pain control are often abused. These include: vicoden, morphine, oxycodone, and many others.

• Narcotics used to treat pain control are often abused. These include: vicoden, morphine, oxycodone, and many others.

• The 2 most common illegal narcotics include heroin, and methamphetamine.

• Common names for these drugs include:

• -Heroin: Scag, black tar, smack, horse

• -Methamphetamine: Meth, crystal, crank, ice

Why is Methamphetamine use so rampant in the United States? What are states such as California and Oregon doing to prevent the spread of Meth Addiction?

• Why is Methamphetamine use so rampant in the United States? What are states such as California and Oregon doing to prevent the spread of Meth Addiction?

Stimulants are drugs used to increase alertness, relieve fatigue, users feel stronger and more decisive.

• Stimulants are drugs used to increase alertness, relieve fatigue, users feel stronger and more decisive.

• Stimulants almost always increase heart and respiratory rates, elevate blood pressure, dilate pupils and decrease appetite.

• Side effects include: Excessive activity, talkativeness, irritability, paranoia, agitation, elevated body temperature, hallucinations, convulsions, possible death.

The most commonly abused stimulants include: aderall, ritalin, caffeine, and crack/cocaine.

• The most commonly abused stimulants include: aderall, ritalin, caffeine, and crack/cocaine.

• Common names for crack/cocaine include:

• Aunt Nora 

• Heaven dust 

• eagle

• Nose powder 

• Pearl 

• Peruvian flake 

• White dragon

• sugar

• Cocoa puff

• rock

• white

• Rock star

• Toot

• Wild cat

• Booger sugar

• Devil’s dandruff

Medicinally, these drugs are prescribed to relieve anxiety, irritability, and/or tension. They include alcohol, the most abused of all drugs.

• Medicinally, these drugs are prescribed to relieve anxiety, irritability, and/or tension. They include alcohol, the most abused of all drugs.

• Immediate effects include Sensory alteration, anxiety reduction, calmness, muscle relaxation, sleep, and sometimes euphoria.

• Larger doses cause slurred speech, impaired judgment, loss of motor coordination, respiratory depression, coma, withdrawal symptoms, behavioral problems, birth defects

• Some Side effects include: Shallow respiration, clammy skin, dilated pupils Weak and rapid pulse, coma, death

Some of the most commonly abused depressants include: Alcohol, Xanax, valium, Ambien, and Nembutal

• Some of the most commonly abused depressants include: Alcohol, Xanax, valium, Ambien, and Nembutal

These drugs have no medicinal purpose and cause multiple and dramatic behavioral changes persisting over long periods of time.

• These drugs have no medicinal purpose and cause multiple and dramatic behavioral changes persisting over long periods of time.

• Effects Include: a trance-like state, rapidly changing feelings, violent behavior, anxiety, distorted perception of time, hallucinations, illusions, dizziness, confusion, suspicion, anxiety, loss of control, delusion, mood swings

• Some Side effects include: convulsions, chills, irregular breathing, sweating, trembling, changes in sense of light, hearing, touch, smell, increase in blood pressure, coma, heart/lung failure, ruptured blood vessels in the brain, death.

Some of the most commonly abused hallucinogens include: ecstasy, marijuana, mushrooms, LSD, and PCP.

• Some of the most commonly abused hallucinogens include: ecstasy, marijuana, mushrooms, LSD, and PCP.

• Some common names for these drugs include: dots, electric kool aid, fantasy, loony toons, ying yang, acid, angel dust, X.

• Common names for Marijuana include: mary jane, boom, chronic, dope, ganja, gangster, grass, hash, herb, kif, pot, reefer, skunk, and weed.

Some mushrooms, if ingested, will cause permanent kidney failure within hours!

• Some mushrooms, if ingested, will cause permanent kidney failure within hours!

Mixing drugs can “confuse” your body, sending conflicting messages to your brain and heart.

• Mixing drugs can “confuse” your body, sending conflicting messages to your brain and heart.

• Likewise, abusing different drugs within the same classification can compound the effects and cause major damage, even death.

Marilyn Monroe and Heath Ledger died after taking sleeping pills combined with miscellaneous other prescription medication.

• Marilyn Monroe and Heath Ledger died after taking sleeping pills combined with miscellaneous other prescription medication.

River Phoenix died outside the Viper night club in Hollywood after mixing Vicodin with Cocaine.

• River Phoenix died outside the Viper night club in Hollywood after mixing Vicodin with Cocaine.

DJ AM had cocaine, Oxycontin, Hydrocodone, Xanax, and 6 other prescription drugs in his system when he died.

• DJ AM had cocaine, Oxycontin, Hydrocodone, Xanax, and 6 other prescription drugs in his system when he died.

Both prescription and illegal drugs can be equally harmful and habit forming.

• Both prescription and illegal drugs can be equally harmful and habit forming.

• Different drugs have different long-term effects depending on the level of abuse and classification of the drug(s) being abused.

With few exceptions, drugs are particularly hard on the liver and kidneys, while abusing others can cause long-term brain and heart damage.

• With few exceptions, drugs are particularly hard on the liver and kidneys, while abusing others can cause long-term brain and heart damage.

• Moreover, drug use has been clearly linked to various types of cancer in organs and tissues throughout the body.

Alcohol is not particularly harmful in moderation, however alcohol abuse over long periods of time can ruin the liver and severely tax one’s kidneys.

• Alcohol is not particularly harmful in moderation, however alcohol abuse over long periods of time can ruin the liver and severely tax one’s kidneys.

Addiction and self-destructive behavior can lead to a downward spiral which envelops all involved parties.

• Addiction and self-destructive behavior can lead to a downward spiral which envelops all involved parties.

• An Intervention followed by rehabilitation are often needed in cases where excessive drug use is killing the abuser.

Recreational drugs are classified as to how they affect this body system.

• Recreational drugs are classified as to how they affect this body system.

• Name 4 ways in which drugs can be administered into the body.

• These drugs are often prescribed as pain relievers and abused for their side effects.

• Aderall and cocaine fall into this drug classification.

• Slurred speech, impaired vision, and a loss of coordination are primary symptoms linked to these types of drugs.

• This extremely addictive illegal drug is pervasive in the U.S.A., as it can be manufactured in home laboratories.

• Alcohol abuse over an extended period of time damages these 2 organs most severely.

• Briefly describe one of the deadly drug interactions from the presentation.

• Which drug classification contains drugs that are virtually all legal.

• Which drug classification contains drugs that are virtually all illegal.