1 - Drugs of Abuse Flashcards
What is a drug?
Substance that alters a person physiology/psychology
What is drug abuse?
Using a harmful substance repeatedly despite knowing its negative effects
What is addiction?
- Chronic relapsing disorder
- Person continues using a drug despite knowing its negative effects
- Long lasting changes to the brain
- Makes a person ‘feel good’
- Withdrawal is worse than using the drug again - cycle
What is dependence?
- Person can only function when in presence of drug
- Characterised by withdrawal
- Physical: body so used to it, can only function with it. Tolerance and withdrawal
-Psychological: thoughts, emotions, activities centred around drug. Strong urge to use despite knowing consequences
What is tolerance?
- Need to up dosage of drug to reach desired affect
What are the categories of drugs?
Stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, dissociative anaesthetics, anabolic steroids, opioids, cannabinoids, empathogens
Sugar, Daddies, Have, Dick, Apathy –> Over, Counter, Erection
What are stimulants? Symptoms & examples!
- Increase speed of messages from brain to body
- Increase alertness, feel more awake & energetic
- Caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines
What are depressants? Symptoms & examples!
- Decrease speed of messages from brain to body
- Feel relaxed, lowered inhibition, reduce concentration & co-ordination
- Alcohol, benzodiazepines, GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate)
What are hallucinogens? Symptoms & examples!
- Change in perception, mood, cognitive process
- Alters thinking, time perception, emotions
- LSD, mushrooms (psilocybin), NBOMes
What are dissociative anaesthetics? Symptoms & examples!
- Separated/detached from body/environment
- Hallucinations, change in emotions & consciousness
- Ketamine, nitrous oxide, PCP (phencyclidine)
What are anabolic steroids? Symptoms & examples!
- Synthetic, mimic testosterone
- Increase muscle size, strength & performance
- Testosterone, oxyethylene, stanozolol
What are opioids? Symptoms & examples!
- Mimic or derive from natural substances in opium poppy plant
- Euphoria, pain relief, relaxation
- Codeine, fentanyl, heroin, morphine
What are cannabinoids? Symptoms & examples!
- Naturally occurring compounds in cannabis plant
- Feel relaxed, confusion, paranoia, hallucination
- Cannabis, medicinal cannabis, synthetic cannabis
What are empathogens? Symptoms & examples!
- Increase feeling of empathy & benevolence, serotonin & dopamine release
- Decrease levels of serotonin in brain, can lead to hyperthermia
- MDMA (ecstasy), ethylone, mephedrone
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 - Name classes, give examples in each class & the lawful consequence for possession.
Is there a correlation between harm & penalties for drugs?
Class A: ecstasy, LSD, heroin, cocaine, crack, magic mushrooms, injected amphetamines - 7 years &/or fine
Class B: powdered amphetamines, cannabis, methylphenidale, pholcodine - 5 years &/or fine
Class C: tranquilisers, GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), ketamine - 2 years &/or fine
No e.g. alcohol most harmful drug to users & others yet it is legal. Nicotine harmful to users (& others considering second hand smoking) and environment, yet it is legal.
