14 Substance misuse Flashcards
what is found in cannabis plant
various different alkaloids
most potent is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
what is responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis
thc
why is cannabibidol (CBD) not psychoactive
it doesn’t contain THC
which form of cannabis has the most THC
skunk, high potency strain (75%)
flowers of unfertilised plant grown by intensive indoor cultivation
what is cannabis resin
oil material scraped from the plant and pressed into blocks (2-10%)
what percentage of THC in dried leaves and flowers
0.5-2.5% THC
are psychoactive effects of cannabis instant, if so why
yes, active ingredient is very lipophilic and so cross cell membranes and BBB easily
what is the peak, half life and duration of effects of cannabis
peak= at 20min
half life= 20-30hrs
duration= 4hrs
what happens if you ingest cannabis
onset of effects is delayed but it lasts longer
what effects does cannabis have
- relaxation, sleepiness, euphoria
- increase in HR and dilation of blood vessels
- increase in appetite
- change in perception (time appears to pass slowly, stimuli is enhanced)
what can large doses of cannabis cause
hallucinations
paranoia
anxiety
depersonalisation
do people develop a tolerance to cannabis
not really with small and infrequent doses, no tendency to escalate doses
is withdrawal of cannabis severe
no, not even in heavy users
can dependence occur with cannabis
yes - addiction is a physiological co
is cannabis a gateway drug
yes - leads to easier access to other substances
where is most of the harm with cannabis
not with overdosing but with smoking and driving
does cannabis cause the same pre-cancer changes in lung tissue as cigarettes
yes - linked to tobacco related deaths
what effects does cannabis have on the heart
- HR increases by 20-100%
- heart disease risk increases by 4.2%
- risk of heart attack in first hour after smoking
what psychiatric impacts can cannabis have
- psychotic illness
- affective disorders
- cognitive deficits and decline
can cannabis cause a predisposition to mental illness
yes
what is ‘spice’
mixture of lab based cannabinoids, has intense effects as they are full agonists of receptor
what is MDMA similar to
amphetamine and mescaline
effects of ecstasy (MDMA)
- euphoria
- feelings of love and peace
- locomotor stimulation
- increased HR, body temp, and sweating
- heightened senses
- insomnia
neurotoxic effect of MDMA
selective destruction of nerve terminals, exacerbated by alcohol, protected by cannabinoids
what is mephedrone
khat leaves
what is the main psychoactive ingredient in mephedrone
cathinone
effects of mephedrone
- excitement
- loss of appetite
- euphoria
effects of oral ingestion or inhalation of mephedrone
- deaths and toxicity
- hyponatraemia
- cerebral oedema
- sympathomimetic toxicity
examples of psychelics and dissociative
- LSD
- PCP
- mescaline
- psilocybin (magic mushrooms)
does LSD cause dependence
no
does LSD cause withdrawals
no
is there risk of death from effects of LSD
no but harm is associated with accidents/reacting to hallucination
effects of LSD
- hallucinations
- adrenaline like effects
- exhaustion
- low mood
problems with investigating toxicity/long term effects of drugs
- lack of purity
- need binders to get into tablet form
- most ecstasy users use many drugs
- other confounding factors
what causes dissociative states
the ion channel associated with the NMDA subtype of the glutamate receptor is blocked
what is ketamine
a dissociative anaesthetic - patient is detached from environment but awake and unresponsive to pain
is ketamine used as an anaesthetic
yes
what is phencyclidine (PCP)
a glutamate receptor antagonist
what effects does PCP have
- sedation
- numbing
- amnesia
- hallucinations and vivid dreams
- seizures
- coma
- cardiac arrest
is PCP a class A drug
yes
what effect do synthetic depressants have
an inhibitory and relaxing effect, anti anxiety
examples of synthetic depressants
- benzodiapine
- etilozam
- pyrazolam
what is nitrous oxide
an odourless, colourless, non flammable gas
used with oxygen for dental procedures
effects of nitrous oxide
- euphoria
- calmness
- dizziness
- memory impairment
- neuropathy
what are nitazenes
strong synthetic opioids , often used as a bulking/cutting agent
what is the psychoactive substances act (2016)
its illegal to produce, supply, or import (but not possess unless in prison)
what do most drug related deaths involve
poly drug use
