Lesson 3

1. Lesson 3 Psychoactive Drugs

2. Effects of Psychoactive Drugs • Chemicals that affect the central nervous system and alter activity in the brain • Change the functioning of the CNS • 4 main groups of psychoactive drugs: stimulants, depressants, opiates and hallucinogens • Some serve a medical purpose but when abused functioning of all body systems are affected • Teen brain and body development can be damaged

3. Consequences of Psychoactive Drugs • Poor judgment and behavior • Become at risk for unintentional injuries, violence, STDs, unintended pregnancy and suicide

4. Club Drugs • Describes drugs found at concerts, dance clubs and drug parties (raves) • Can be disguised in foods, or slipped in a drink w/o a person knowing • Designer drugs- synthetic drugs that are made to imitate the effects of other drugs • Can be several hundred times stronger then the drugs they imitate

5. Ecstasy • Both stimulant and hallucinogenic effects • Hallucinogen- drugs that alter moods, thoughts, and sense of perceptions including vision, hearing, smell and touch • May cause short-term euphoria- a feeling of intense well-being or elation

6. Rohypnol • A.K.A roofies • They are depressants- drugs that tend to slow the central nervous system • they are colorless, odorless and tasteless • Often called the date-rape drug

7. GHB- gamma hydroxybutyric acid • Central Nervous System depressant • Available as a clear liquid, white powder, and tablets and capsules • Can be used as a date-rape drug

8. Ketamine • Anesthetic used to treat animals • Causes hallucinations and may result in respiratory failure • Consequences: kidney and cardiovascular system failure, death, memory loss, numbness, impaired motor function

9. Methamphetamine (meth) • Considered a stimulant- drugs that speed up the CNS • White, odorless, colorless powder that easily dissolves • May provide a short-term euphoria • Often causes depression, paranoia, and delusions • Can cause death

10. LSD (acid) • Lysergic acid diethylamide • Causes hallucinations and severely distorted perceptions of sound and color • Flashbacks can occur (states in which the user experiences the emotional effects of a drug long after its actual use) • May experience emotions ranging from extreme euphoria to panic, to terror, or deep depression

11. Other Stimulants • Cocaine • Crack • Amphetamines

12. Cocaine • Rapidly acting, powerful and highly addictive stimulant • White powder extracted from the leaves of the coca plant • Illegal • May experience a surge of self-confidence and euphoria • Feelings of confidence are followed by feelings of emotional let down • Regular use can lead to depression, fatigue, paranoia and physiological dependence

13. Crack • Dangerous form of cocaine (also called rock or freebase rock) • Reaches the brain in seconds after being smoked or injected • Once in blood, heart rate and blood pressure soar to dangerous levels • Cardiac and respiratory failure can result in death

14. Amphetamines • Highly addictive • Some use to stay alert, improve athletic performance or lose weight • Regular use can cause irregular heartbeat, paranoia, aggressive behavior, and heart failure

15. Other Depressants • Slow heart and respiration rates and lowers blood pressure • Barbiturates • Sedatives that are rarely used for medical purposes • Causes mood changes, excessive sleepiness and coma • Tranquilizers • Relieve anxiety, muscle spasms, sleeplessness and nervousness • When overused, can cause physiological and psychological dependence, coma and death

16. Hallucinogens • Can cause serious mental/emotional and physical consequences for users • Alter mood, and impair judgment, thoughts and sense of perception • May behave in way they usually wouldn’t and believe they are invincible • Can cause increase in heart and respiratory rates which can lead to heart and respiratory failure and can cause coma • Overload sensory controls in the brain causing confusion, intensified sensations and hallucinations

17. PCP (angel dust) • Most dangerous of all drugs • Effects vary for each user • Creates distorted sense of time, increased muscle strength, increased feelings of violence, and inability to feel pain • Overdoses can cause death • Most PCP deaths are caused by the destructive behavior or disorientation that the drug produces • Flashbacks can occur

18. DXM (tussin) • Cough suppressant sold as over-the-counter medicine • When used properly it is not dangerous • When misused, can cause hallucinations, paranoia, panic attacks, nausea, increased heart rate and blood pressure, seizures and addiction

19. Mushrooms or Peyote • Hallucinogens found in nature as a fungus or plant • When eaten, they cause hallucinations, nausea and flashbacks • Can lead to poisoning and death when dealers harvest toxic species

20. Opiates • Also called narcotics • Drugs such as those derived from the opium plant that are obtainable only by prescription and are used to relieve pain • When used accordingly following directions provided by a healthcare professional, they are an effective pain reliever • Abusing opiates dulls senses, causes drowsiness, constipation, slow and shallow breathing, convulsions and death • Pharmacists record all sales of opiates since it is very addictive

21. Codeine • Highly active ingredient in some prescription cough medicines • Can cause drowsiness • Can cause dizziness, labored breathing, low blood pressure, seizures and respiratory arrest

22. Morphine • Much stronger then codeine • Sometimes prescribed to treat severe pain for a short time • Side effects include fast or slow heartbeat, seizures, hallucinations, blurred vision, rashes and difficulty swallowing

23. Heroin • Processed form of morphine that is injected, snorted or smoked • Comes in different forms: white or brownish powder, and a black, sticky tar • Dealers may mix heroin w/ medicines or household substances to create other forms, such as “cheese” or “cheese heroin” • Slows breathing and pulse rate • Can cause infection of the heart lining and valves as well as liver disease

24. Oxycodone • When used properly under supervision of a doctor, it’s a prescription drug that helps relieve moderate to severe chronic pain • Side effect – suppression of the respiratory system which can cause death from respiratory failure

25. Homework • Pg. 610 # 1-5 • To be collected next class