Drugs Flashcards
What is a drug?
any substance that produces significant physiological or psychological changes which occur within a reasonable time after dosing and which result from an easily ingested dose
Drugs are used to:
- sustain and prolong life
- ease and manage pain, symptoms
- release stress and pressure
- experiment recreationally
- end’s someone’s life
Common drugs
- alcohol
- tobacco/nicotine
- cocaine/ crack
- marijuana
- heroin
- ecstasy
- bath salts
Drugs used in the 1960’s
Hallucinogens, amphetamines, barbiturates
marijuana most widely abused illicit drug in the US
Drugs used in the 1970’s
heroin use and addiction becomes national problem in the US
Drugs used in the 1980’s/90’s
Cocaine/crack are drugs of choice
What is drug dependance?
An individual will demonstrate drug dependence when he/she becomes physically ill or psychologically disoriented when drug use is discontinued
What is the most abused drug in the Western world?
Alcohol
Physiological (Physical) Dependence
Occurs when someone takes a substance in increasing dosages because the body requires MORE of the substance for the same, not increased, effect
Psychological Dependence
Occurs when the desire for a substance overtakes he rest of a person’s life
Six (6) basic categories of drugs
- Narcotic drugs
- Stimulants
- Hallucinogens
- Depressants, Hypnotics, and tranquilizers
- Club Drugs
- Performance enhancing drugs
Narcotics
Substances that bring relief from pain and produce sleep
- also referred to as Analgesics
- Used as pain killers legally
- Used for euphoric purposes illegally
- Regular use will result in physiological dependence
- Sometimes used to describe any illicit substance
Opium
dried sap from a poppy plant
Morphine
largest single drug component in opium
Heroin: morphine + acetate groups
Codeine
second largest drug component in opium
- Not as effective/addictive as morphine
- Chemically structurally similar to morphine
OxyContin
synthetically produced but closely related to morphine and heroin
Heroin
- usually found in glassine envelopes
- not 100% pure (fillers include novocain, starch, levamisole, flour, etc)
- Will have stamp on outside for marketing purposes
- Cutting agents (levamisole, fentanyl)
Fentanyl
50-100% more potent than morphine
30-50% more potent than heroin