Illicity drugs

Question 1

List the three categories of drugs and types of substances under them

Answer 1

Sedatives:
• Alcohol
• Benzodiazepines
• Ketamine
• Heroine (morphine, methadone, codeine)

Stimulants:
• Amphetamines (crystal meth)
• Ecstasy
• Cocaine
• Nicotine

Hallucinogens:
• LSD
• Magic mushrooms
• Cannabis

Question 2

List the routes of drug intake

Answer 2

• Oral
• Smoking
• Snorting
• Inhalation
• Anal absorption
• Injecting

Question 3

List the general harms associated with drug use

Answer 3

• Intoxications = sedation, coma
• Overdose, death
• Organ damage
• Withdrawal syndromes
• Self neglect/ nutritional
• Infections
• Social issues
• Legal issues

Question 4

List the harms associated with injecting drugs

Answer 4

• Transmit blood-borne viruses like Hepatitis and HIV
• Drug dependence - more injecting with less risk planning
• Increase injecting with addiction
• Skin scarring
• Venous injury

Question 5

List the oral side effects of drug abuse

Answer 5

• Caries = Increased sugar intake from drugs like opiates
• Increases risk of infection due to immunosuppression
• Endocarditis
• Xerostomia = methadone
• Saliva hypofunctions
• Candidiasis
• Trauma
• Bruxism habit
• Self esteem: high rates of self violence which may cause dental trauma, poor dental hygiene, depression
• Pain: standard analgesics don’t work as well and pt may develop anxiety as a result of drug use

Question 6

List the three components of harm reduction

Answer 6

Needle and syringe programs

Opioid substitution treatment (OST)

Medically supervised injecting centre (MSIC)

Question 7

Describe needle and syringe programs

Answer 7

Aims to reduce blood- borne diseases by:
• Providing sterile injecting equipment
• Facilitating the safe disposal of used injecting equipment
• Improving access and referral to drug treatment programs, health care, and other services

Evidence that it is working:
• Cities with NSP have lower HIV
• May help reduce needle sharing
• Provides healthcare savings

Question 8

Describe opioid substitution treatment (OST)

Answer 8

• Opioid substitution therapy (OST) offers people who are opioid dependent an alternative prescribed medicine, most typically methadone or buprenorphine.
• OST is effective in enabling people to reduce or cease injecting drug use, greatly reducing their risk of HIV infection

Question 9

Describe medically supervised injecting centre (MSIC)

Answer 9

• Places where people can use drugs under the supervision of medical staff and health professionals
• Not a single overdose death from MSIC around the world

Question 10

Describe the clinical implications of discrimination on drug cessation

Answer 10

• Decreases access to cessation services
• Prevents treatment seeking
• Prevents people from seeking proper medical examinations = missed diagnosis for health problems
• Defensive behaviour, hostility, aggression