Chapter 23 Medicines and Drugs Lesson Four Psychoactive Drugs Pgs 603-610.

Chapter 23Medicines and

Drugs

Lesson FourPsychoactive Drugs

Pgs 603-610

Psychoactive Drugs Psychoactive drugs are

chemicals that affect the central nervous system and alter activity in the brain

Some psychoactive drugs are used for medicinal value under a doctor’s supervision

There are four main groups: stimulants, depressants, narcotics, and hallucinogens

Stimulants Stimulants are drugs that speed up the

central nervous system. Some stimulants have medical uses (such

as those that control hyperactivity) Cocaine, crack, amphetamines, and

methamphetamines are the most dangerous stimulants

Cocaine(Snow, Flake, Blow, Candy,

Rock)

Cocaine is a white powder extracted from the leaves of the coca plant (Benzoylmethyl Ecgonine)

Users experience a feeling of confidence and euphoria

Effects can last from 20 min to several hours

Cocaine Regular use can lead to

depression, fatigue, paranoia, and dependence

Can cause malnutrition and cardiac problems

When snorted, it can collapse the nasal septum

When injected, users can contract HIV or hepatitis B from infected needles

Overdosing can result in cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, seizures, and death

Crack Cocaine Crack is an even more

dangerous form of cocaine (cocaine + hydrochloride)

In its pure form, it reaches the brain in seconds after being smoked or injected

Provides a short, but intense euphoria

Once in the blood, the heart rate and blood pressure soars which can lead to cardiac or respiratory failure

Amphetamines (Benzedrine)(Speed, Bennies, Black

Beauties, Uppers)

Amphetamines are found in prescription medicines to reduce fatigue and suppress appetite

Some people use amphetamines illegally to stay awake, lose weight, or improve athletic performance

Regular use can result in twitching, irregular heartbeat, paranoia, and heart damage

Methamphetamine(Speed, Meth, Chalk, Ice,

Crystal, Crank) Meth is made from ephedrine, found in

common cold/allergy medicines Medically it is used to treat certain diseases

and obesity It is a white odorless powder easily dissolved

in alcohol or water It can provide a 12 hour euphoria. People feel

confident, courageous, tireless, and invincible Regular use can result in depression,

paranoia, damage to the CNS, increased heart rate, damage to brain cells, and death

Depressants(Flunitrazepan)

Depressants are sedatives that tend to slow down the central nervous system

Depressants relax muscles, relieve feelings of tension and worry, and cause drowsiness

Depressants include alcohol, barbiturates, tranquilizers, rohypnol, and GHB

Barbiturates (Barbituric Acid)

Barbiturates are drugs that induce sleepiness They may be prescribed for medical purposes They are used illegally to produce a feeling of

intoxication When combined with alcohol they can result

in death

Tranquilizers(Phenothiazines & Benzodiazapines)

Tranquilizers are depressants that reduce muscular activity, coordination, and attention span.

They are prescribed by doctors to relieve anxiety, muscle spasms, sleeplessness, and nervousness.

When overused, physiological and psychological dependence occurs

Withdrawal causes severe shaking, coma, or death

Rohypnol (Flunitrazepan)(Date-Rape Drug)

Rohypnol is a club drug and is ten times stronger than tranquilizers

It looks like an aspirin tablet and dissolves easily into soft drinks

Victims often wake up with no recollection of what happened in the previous hours

GHBGammahydroxy Butyric

Acid GHB is produced naturally & synthetically Also used in date-rape crimes It is a club drug available as a clear liquid,

white powder, or tablet and capsule form The drug leaves the bloodstream quite

quickly making it difficult for emergency room personnel to determine that an overdose occurred

Narcotics Narcotics are specific drugs obtainable

only by prescription and are used to relieve pain

Opium, morphine, oxycontin, codeine, and heroin are narcotics

Narcotics cause euphoria, drowsiness, constipation shallow breathing, convulsions, coma, and death

They are highly addictive

Opium From the opium poppy Ancient civilizations

used opium for medicine and rituals

Used for pain relief and euphoria

Contains the alkaloid used to make morphine, codeine, and heroin

Highly addictive Can cause constipation,

respiratory problems, seizure, and coma

Morphine(Opium Alkaloid)

Made from opium Used medically as a

severe pain reliever High potential for

addiction and tolerance

Health risks include fatigue, anxiety, muscular/bone aches and pains, tremors, heart attack, and stroke

Codeine(Opium Alkaloid)

Made from opium Prescribed for mild to

moderate pain relief Treats cough, sore

throat, and irritable bowel syndrome

High doses = euphoria Can cause physical

dependence Health risks include

constipation, nausea, chills, pain, & respiratory depression

Heroin Heroin is a processed form

of morphine that is injected, snorted, or smoked

Used in UK for acute and agonizing pain

Heroin depresses the CNS and slows breathing and pulse

Users experience euphoria, relaxation,

Abuse can cause infection of the heart lining and valves

Pneumonia, HIV, and hepatitis B can result from the use of infected needles

Withdrawal can be very painful

Hallucinogens Hallucinogens are

drugs that alter moods, thoughts, and sense perceptions including vision, hearing, smell, and touch.

Hallucinogens include PCP, LSD, and Ketamine

PCP(Phencyclidine)

PCP is considered one of the most dangerous drugs

Effects include distorted sense of time and space, increased muscle strength, and inability to feel pain

Results in aggressive and violent behaviors

Overdoses of PCP can cause death, but death usually occurs because of the destructive behavior of people using PCP (e.g. burning in a fire because they don’t feel pain)

LSD LSD is a strong

hallucinogen and can distort perceptions of sound and color

Inanimate objects seem lifelike

Risk of convulsions, coma, heart and lung failure, and death

Users experience emotions ranging from euphoria to extreme panic and depression

Ketamine Ketamine is an anesthetic used for

medical purposes (usually treats animals) Ketamine is misused as a club drug, and is

sold as a white powder to be snorted or injected. Sometimes it is combined with marijuana or tobacco

It causes hallucinations and may result in death by respiratory failure

Ecstasy and Other Dangerous Drugs

(Designer Drugs) Designer drugs are

synthetic substances meant to imitate the effects of hallucinogens and other dangerous drugs

Designer drugs vary in potency and strength and can be 100 times stronger than the drug that they are imitating

Ecstasy (MDMA) Ecstasy is a

combination stimulant and hallucinogen

Creates euphoria, emotional excitement, and enhances sense of touch

Causes confusion, depression, paranoia, psychosis, and long-term damage to brain cells

Results in tremors, paralysis, heart attack, and irreversible brain damage

Consequences of Drug Use Drugs play a role in unsafe situations and

negative consequences Drug use leads to poor judgment which

puts teens at risk for unintentional injuries, motor vehicle accidents, violence, STD’s, unplanned pregnancies, and suicide

The best way to avoid drugs is to avoid places where drugs are used