Understanding drugs &

medicines
 Chapter 9.1 Key Terms
 Drug-
Drug any substance that causes a change in a
person’s physical or psychological state
 Medicine- any drug used to cure, prevent, or treat
illness or discomfort
 Side effect- an effect that is caused by a drug & that is
different from the drug’s intended effect
 Prescription- written order from a doctor for a
specific medicine
 Over the counter medicine- any medicine that
can be bought without a prescription
 3 qualities of a medicine
 Effectiveness
 Safety- when used as directed
 Minor side effects
 Drugs of Abuse
 Drugs that people take
for mind-altering effects
that have no medical
purpose
 Ex. – Cocaine, alcohol,
marijuana
 Types of medicines
 Antibiotic- kills bacteria to help cure infections
 Stimulant- increases alertness; helps people
with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) to focus their attention
 Anti-anxiety- helps people who are
excessively nervous or panicked to calm down
 Vaccine- Prevents infections in people exposed
to the infectious agent
 Sedative- causes sleepiness
 6 ways drugs enter the body
 Implanted pumps- surgically implanted pumps
that inject drugs into specific part of the body
 Inhalation- inhaled into the lungs
 Injection- needle
 Transdermal patches- patches placed on skin
 Ingestion- swallowed
 Topical application- lotions absorbed through
the skin
 Chapter 9.2 Key Terms
 Psychoactive- a drug or medicine that affects the
brain & changes how a person perceives, thinks, or
feels
 Generic medicine- medicine made by a company
other that the company that developed the original
medicine
 Active ingredient- chemical component that gives a
medicine its action
 Drug interaction- when a drug reacts with another
drug, food, or dietary supplement such that the effect
of one of the substances is greater or smaller
 Testing a drug
 Laboratory tests- chemical tests or tests on
cell cultures
 Tests on animals
 Human volunteers
 Clinical trials
 (FDA) Food & Drug Administration-
approval or rejection
 Information on a prescription
 Dose (how much of the
medicine should be
taken)
 When you should take
the medicine
 How often you should
take the medicine
 Length of time you
should take the
medicine
 Misuse v/s Abuse of Prescription
Medicines
 Misuse- using a  Abuse- taking medicine
prescription medication when it is not needed,
that does not have your taking too much
name on it medicine, or mixing
 May not have the same more than one kind of
illness medicine
 Strength of medicine
may be more or less than
you need
 Choosing an Over the counter
(OTC) medicine
 Decide what kind of OTC will work for you
 Decide whether you want generic or a brand-
name medicine
 Read the label
 Possible problems with medicines
 Allergic reactions
 Anaphylactic shock
 Side effects
 Aspirin, ibuprofen-
damage to the lining of
the stomach (ulcers)
 Drug Interactions
 Anaphylactic Shock symptoms
 Itching all over the body
 Swelling, especially in
the mouth or throat
 Wheezing or difficulty
in breathing
 A pounding heart
 Fainting &
unconsciousness
 Chapter 9.3 Key Terms
 Addiction- condition in which a person can no longer control
his or her drug use
 Drug Tolerance- condition in which a user needs more of a
drug to feel the same effect felt when first using the drug
 Physical Dependence- state in which the body relies on a
given drug in order to function
 Psychological Dependence- state of emotionally or mentally
needing a drug in order to function
 Withdrawal- uncomfortable physical & psychological
symptoms produced when a physically dependent drug user
stops using drugs
 Drugs & the brain
 Neurons- brain is
made up of billions of
nerve cells
 Synapses- connections
between neurons
 Drugs can change the
way neurons
communicate with
each other
 Brain Reward System
 Reinforces healthy
behaviors
 Releases the
neurotransmitter
dopamine that lets us
feel pleasure
 Behavioral warning signs of
addiction
 Loss of interest at school
 Change of appearance
 Change of friends
 Unexplained mood swings
 Absences from school
 Dramatic change in eating habits
 Excessive lying
 Unexplained need for money
 Stages of Drug Addiction
 Drug use- drug use activates the brain reward
system (pleasure system)
 Tolerance- needs more of the drug to produce
the same effect
 Dependence- experiences uncomfortable
withdrawal symptoms if he or she tries to stop
using the drug
 Addiction- lost control of his or her drug
taking habit
Illegal drugs
 Chapter 12.1 Key Terms
 Drug Abuse- intentional improper or unsafe
use of a drug
 Overdose- the taking of too much of a drug
which causes sickness, loss of consciousness,
permanent damage, or even death
 Reasons illegal drug use is very
dangerous
 Permanent effects on the brain & body
 Become addicted
 Factor in many suicides, motor vehicle
accidents, & crimes
 Sharing needles- risk of catching Hepatitis B
& HIV
 Overdose
 Risky sexual behavior (STDs)
 Teen addiction
 Teens have a higher risk
of addiction to drugs
than adults do
 Risk of addiction is
higher because young
brains are still
developing- can alter
brain development
Teen Substance Abuse
 Chapter 12.2 Key Terms
 Marijuana- dried flowers and leaves of the plant
Cannabis sativa that are smoked or mixed in food &
eaten for intoxicating effects
 Inhalant- drug inhaled as a vapor
 Club (Designer) drug- drug made to closely resemble
a common illegal drug in chemical structure & effect
 Anabolic Steroid- synthetic version of the male
hormone testosterone that is used to promote muscle
development
 3 things illegal drugs have in
common
 Affect the function of the brain
 Dangerous to your health
 Can result in drug dependence & addiction
4 commonly abused illegal drugs
 Marijuana
 Inhalants
 Club drugs
 Anabolic steroids
 Marijuana
Intoxicating effects Possible health
 Relaxation consequences
 Loss of short-term  Respiratory infection

memory  Impaired learning &

 Loss of balance & memory

coordination  Panic attacks

 Increased appetite  Cancer

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 Marijuana
• Marijuana is the most
commonly used
illegal drug
•THC- active chemical in marijuana
•Contains many of the same carcinogens
found in cigarette smoke
•After effects wear off users feel:
-Tired, unmotivated, depressed
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 Inhalants
Effects Glue, paint thinner, propane,
 Dizziness nitrous oxide
 Nausea & vomiting

 Headache

Health consequences
 Heart attack

 Liver, kidney damage

 Brain damage

 Coma

 Death

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 Club (Designer) drugs
 Ecstacy
 GHB
 PCP (Angel Dust)
 Ecstacy
Most commonly abused club drug
Intoxication Effects
 Increased awareness of senses

 Mild hallucinations

 Increased energy

 Loss of judgment

Health Consequences
 Impaired learning & memory

 Hyperthermia (overheating)

 High blood pressure

 Heart attack

 Death
 Look alike drugs
 Abused substances that
are only slightly
different from other,
better-known drugs
 Date Rape Drugs
 GHB, Rohypnol
Intoxication effects
 Relaxation

 Nausea

 Loss of inhibitions

 Euphoria

Health consequences
 Dangerously slowed breathing

 Seizures

 Coma
 Anabolic Steroids
Male side effects
 Stunted Growth

 Aggression

 Severe acne

 Shrinking of testes

 Heart disease

Female side effects

 Increased facial hair

 Deeper voice

 Rapid weight gain

 12.3 Key Terms
 Stimulant- drug that temporarily increases a person’s
energy & alertness
 Depressant- drug that causes relaxation & sleepiness
 Opiates- group of highly addictive drugs derived
from the poppy plant that are used as pain relievers,
anesthetics, & sedatives
 Hallucinogens- drug that distorts perceptions,
causing the user to see or hear things that are not real
 Stimulants
Types
Types

Cocaine, crack cocaine,

amphetamines, and
methamphetamines
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 Stimulants
Intoxication
Intoxication effects
effects

Produce increased heart rate/

breathing rate/ energy/
alertness, elevated blood
pressure, loss of appetite, and
increased mental activity,
euphoria, hyperactivity,
restlessness, anxiety
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 Depressants

Used illegally
to produce
intoxication, to
counter the effects
of other drugs,...
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 Depressants
1)
1) Rohypnol,
Rohypnol, 2)
2) DXM
DXM
1) Date rape drug 2) Ingredient in
cough medicines

© 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Depressants
Intoxicating effects
 Euphoria

 Reduced anxiety

 Loss of inhibitions

 Drowsiness
 Opiates
Narcotics
Narcotics
Street use of
these drugs is
intended to
induce
pleasure…
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 Types of Opiates
Narcotics
Narcotics types
types
Opium, heroin,
morphine,
codeine

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Opiates Intoxicating effects
Narcotics
Narcotics
…euphoria, relaxation,
drowsiness, pain relief,
general feelings of well-
being
 Hallucinogens

Street use is intended to produce

“mind expansion,”
hallucinations, and psychedelic
experiences
 Hallucinogens

• LSD
•Mushrooms

© 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Hallucinogens
Intoxication Effects
 Sensory illusions

 Distortions of reality

 Dizziness

 Weakness

 Enhanced emotions

 Feelings of being
outside of the body
 Flashback
 Person may feel the effects of a
hallucinogen long after the drug has
worn off
 Days, weeks, or even months after
use
 Gateway drugs
•Drugs that often lead to
abuse of other drugs
•Common gateway drugs:
- Alcohol, tobacco,
marijuana, inhalants
Chapter 12.4 Key Terms
 Neonatal abstinence syndrome- drug withdrawal
that occurs in newborn infants whose mothers
were frequent drug users during pregnancy
 Recovering- process of learning to live without
drugs
 Intervention- confronting a drug user about his
or her drug abuse problem to stop him or her
from using drugs
 Relapse- return to using drugs while trying to
recover from drug addiction