SUBJECT
TOPIC: DRUG ABUSE
INTRODUCTION
Drug abuse is a
serious public health problem that has affected almost every community and
family.
Meaning Of Drug:
This is a chemical
substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or
to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being.
Meaning of Drug Abuse:
This is the use of
illegal drugs or the misuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for at
least a year with negative consequences. In other words, drug abuse is the
habitual use of drugs to alter one’s mood, emotion, or state of consciousness.
Methods of Drug Use:
This can also called
drug delivery. The most common methods of delivering drug include:
1.
Non-invasive oral
(mouth/ingestion)
2.
Nasal or Pneumonial
(inhalation)
3.
Smoking
4.
Injection
5.
Tattooing
Common Ways of Drugs Misuse:
By Addiction:
This is recurring
compulsion by an individual to engage in an activity that is difficult to
discontinue once the individual has commenced the activity. The term addiction
is often reserved for the abuse of substances that directly stimulate the
brain. It has been extended to activities such obsessive gambling, drinking,
smiting and eating.
Self-Injecting:
Some
athletes indulge in self-injecting of drugs in order to improve their
performances. This is called doping.
Over-Dose And
Over-Eating:
By own mistake, a
patient may ingest more tablets of prescribed drugs in order to quicken
recovery. This is mere ignorant. Excessive eating of certain food items like
kolanut during examination can lead to misuse.
Abduction:
Kidnapping and raping
action: some activities such as raping, kidnapping or abduction are done under
the influence of conscious drug abuse in other to succeed. Also, the victim may
be drugged purposely so that he/she would not raise alarm or resist the action.
Social Risk Factors in Drug Abuse:
1.
Social Isolation
2.
Broken Homes
3.
Peer influence
4.
Wealth Acquisition
(Materialistic value)
5.
Workplace Violence
6.
Social Anxiety
7.
Drug Court
8.
War on Drugs
9.
Drug Prohibition
Ways of Preventing Drug Abuse:
Drug abuse or drug
misuse can be prevented in the following ways:
1.
Appropriate but harsh
legislation against abusers.
3.
Using drugs only as
prescribed by doctors.
4.
Regular awareness
campaign against drug misuse.
Most
Commonly Used Addictive Drugs
Marijuana
Marijuana (cannabis) is
the most commonly used illicit substance. This drug impairs short-term memory
and learning, the ability to focus, and coordination. It also increases heart
rate, can harm the lungs, and may increase the risk of psychosis in vulnerable
people.
Research
suggests that when regular marijuana use begins in the teen years, addiction is
more likely: 1 in 6 users, compared to 1 in 9 among adults. In addition, recent
research suggests that heavy cannabis use that starts in the teen years is
associated with declines in IQ scores in adulthood.
Medical Marijuana
Although
many have called for the nationwide legalization of marijuana to treat medical
conditions, the scientific evidence to date is not sufficient for the marijuana
plant to gain U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, for two main
reasons.
First,
there have not been enough clinical trials showing that marijuana’s benefits
outweigh its health risks. The FDA requires carefully conducted studies in
large numbers of patients (hundreds to thousands) to accurately assess the
benefits and risks of a potential medication. Second, to be considered a
legitimate medicine, a substance must have well-defined and measureable
ingredients that are consistent from one unit to the next (such as a pill or
injection). This consistency allows doctors to determine the dose and
frequency. As the marijuana plant contains hundreds of chemical compounds that
may have different effects and that vary from plant to plant, its use as a medicine
is difficult to evaluate.
K2/Spice
“K2” or “Spice”
refers to a wide variety of herbal mixtures that produce experiences similar to
marijuana. Of the illicit drugs most used by high school seniors, Spice is
second only to marijuana. It is sometimes called “synthetic” marijuana, but
this is a misperception. Labels on Spice products often claim that they contain
“natural” psychoactive material taken from a variety of plants; however,
chemical analyses show that their active ingredients are synthetic (or
designer) cannabinoid compounds.
Poison
Control Centers report a variety of K2/Spice symptoms, including rapid heart
rate, vomiting, agitation, confusion, hallucinations, raised blood pressure and
reduced blood supply to the heart, and, in a few cases, heart attacks. Because
the chemicals used in Spice have a high addictive potential and no medical
benefit, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has made it illegal to sell,
buy, or possess the main chemicals in these drugs.
Prescription And Over-The-Counter Medications
Prescription medications and some over-the-counter
medications are increasingly being abused (used
in ways other than intended or without a prescription). This practice can lead
to addiction, and in some cases, overdose. Among the most disturbing aspects of
this emerging trend is its prevalence among teenagers and young adults, as well
as the common misperception that because these are used medically or prescribed
by physicians, they are safe even when not used as intended. Commonly abused
classes of prescription drugs include opioid painkillers, stimulants, and
depressants.
·
Opioids
are usually prescribed for pain relief.
Commonly
prescribed opioids include hydrocodone (e.g., Vicodin®), oxycodone
(e.g., OxyContin®), morphine, fentanyl, and codeine. In the United
States, more people now die from opioid painkiller overdoses than from heroin
and cocaine combined.
·
Stimulants:
Methylphenidate (Ritalin®, Concerta®, Focalin®,
and Metadate®) and amphetamines (Adderall®, Dexedrine®)
are stimulants commonly prescribed for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD).
·
Depressants
are usually prescribed to promote sleep or to reduce anxiety. As measured by
national surveys, depressants are often categorized as sedatives or
tranquilizers. Sedatives primarily include barbiturates (e.g., phenobarbitol)
but also include sleep medications such as Ambien® and Lunesta®.
Tranquilizers
primarily include benzodiazepines such as Valium® and Xanax®,
but also include muscle relaxants and other anti-anxiety medications.
·
“Syrup,”
“Purple Drank,” “Sizzurp,” or “Lean”
describes soda mixed with prescription-strength cough syrup containing codeine
and promethazine—these cough syrups are available by prescription only. Users
may also flavor the mixture with hard candies. Drinking this combination has
become increasingly popular among some celebrities and youth in several areas
of the country. Codeine is an opioid that can produce relaxation and euphoria
when consumed in sufficient quantities. Promethazine is an antihistamine that
also acts as a sedative.
·
Commonly abused
over-the-counter drugs include cold medicines containing dextromethorphan
(DMX), a cough suppressant. Products containing DMX can be sold as cough
syrups, gel capsules, and pills (that can look like candies). They are
frequently abused by young people, who refer to the practice as “robo-tripping”
or “skittling.” Pseudoephedrine, a decongestant found in many over-the-counter
cold medicines, is another over-the-counter medication that is used illicitly.
Although not typically abused in itself, it is one ingredient used to produce
methamphetamine.
How
do drugs work in the brain to produce pleasure?
Nearly all addictive
drugs directly or indirectly target the brain’s reward system by flooding the
circuit with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in regions of the
brain that regulate movement, emotion, cognition, motivation, and feelings of
pleasure. The overstimulation of this system, which rewards our natural
behaviors, produces the euphoric effects sought by people who use drugs and teaches
them to repeat the behavior.
Is
drug abuse a voluntary behavior?
The initial decision
to take drugs is mostly voluntary. However, when addiction takes over, a
person’s ability to exert self-control can become seriously impaired.
Brain-imaging studies from people addicted to drugs show physical changes in
areas of the brain that are critical for judgment, decision making, learning,
memory, and behavior control. Scientists believe that these changes alter the
way the brain works and may help explain the compulsive and destructive
behaviors of an addicted person.
Can
addiction be treated successfully?
Yes. Addiction is a
treatable, chronic disease that can be managed successfully. Research shows
that combining behavioral therapy with medications, where available, is the
best way to ensure success for most patients. Treatment approaches must be
tailored to address each patient’s drug use patterns and drug-related medical,
psychiatric, and social problems.
Does
relapse to drug use mean treatment has failed?
No. The chronic
nature of addiction means that relapsing to drug use is not only possible but
also likely. Relapse rates are similar to those for other well-characterized
chronic medical illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma, which
also have both physiological and behavioral components. Treatment of chronic
diseases involves changing deeply imbedded behaviors. For the addicted patient,
lapses back to drug use indicate that treatment needs to be reinstated or
adjusted, or that alternate treatment is needed.
How
many people die from drug use?
The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that there were more than 40,000
unintentional drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2011, a 118-percent
increase since 1999. More than 22,000 people die every year from prescription
drug abuse, more than heroin and cocaine combined.
Other Commonly Used Addictive Drugs
Alcohol
Alcohol
consumption can damage the brain and most body organs, including the heart,
liver, and pancreas. It also increases the risk of some cancers, weakens the
immune system, puts fetal development at risk, and causes deadly vehicle
accidents. Areas of the brain that are especially vulnerable to alcohol-related
damage are the cerebral cortex (largely responsible for our higher brain
functions, including problem-solving and decision making), the hippocampus
(important for memory and learning), and the cerebellum (important for movement
coordination).
Amphetamines/ Methamphetamine
Amphetamines,
including methamphetamine, are powerful stimulants that can produce feelings of
euphoria and alertness. Methamphetamine is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting
crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol and is taken
orally, intra-nasally (snorting the powder), by needle injection, or by
smoking. Methamphetamine’s effects are particularly long lasting and harmful to
the brain. Amphetamines can cause high body temperature and can lead to serious
heart problems and seizures.
Regular
methamphetamine use significantly changes how the brain functions. Noninvasive
human brain imaging studies have shown alterations in the activity of the
dopamine system that are associated with reduced motor skills and impaired
verbal learning, which may account for many of the emotional and cognitive
problems observed in regular methamphetamine users.
Anabolic Steroids
Anabolic
steroids refer to synthetic variants of the
male sex hormone testosterone. The proper term for these compounds is
anabolic-androgenic steroids (abbreviated AAS—“anabolic” referring to muscle
building and “androgenic” referring to increased male sexual characteristics.
Steroids can be prescribed for certain medical conditions; however, they are
often abused to increase muscle mass and to improve athletic performance or
physical appearance. Anabolic steroids are usually either taken orally or
injected into the muscles, although some are applied to the skin as a cream or
gel. Doses taken by abusers may be 10 to 100 times higher than doses prescribed
to treat medical conditions.
Anabolic
steroids work very differently from other addictive drugs, and they do not have
the same acute effects on the brain. However, long-term steroid use can affect
some of the same brain pathways and chemicals—including dopamine, serotonin,
and opioid systems—that are affected by other drugs. They thereby may have a
significant impact on mood and behavior.
Other
serious consequences of steroid abuse can include heart disease, liver
problems, stroke, infectious diseases, depression, and suicide. Less serious
side effects include severe acne and changes in sex characteristics, like
shrinking of the testicles in men and growth of facial hair in women.
Bath Salts
The
term “bath
salts” refers to an emerging family of drugs containing one
or more synthetic chemicals related to cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant
found naturally in the khat plant. Reports of severe intoxication and dangerous
health effects associated with the use of bath salts have made these drugs a
serious and growing public health and safety issue. Some users experience
paranoia, agitation, hallucinatory delirium, and psychotic and violent
behavior. Deaths have also been reported.
These
synthetic cathinone products—marketed as “bath salts” to evade detection by
authorities—should not be confused with products such as Epsom salts for
bathing. Bath salts typically take the form of a white or brown crystalline
powder and are sold in small plastic or foil packages labeled “not for human
consumption.”
Cocaine
Cocaine
is a short-acting stimulant, which can lead users to “binge”—take the drug many
times in a single session. Cocaine use can lead to severe medical consequences
related to the heart and the respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems.
Cocaine users can also experience severe paranoia, in which they lose touch
with reality.
The
powdered form of cocaine is either inhaled through the nose (snorted), where it
is absorbed through the nasal tissue, or dissolved in water and injected into
the bloodstream. Crack is a form of cocaine that has been processed to make a
rock crystal (also called “freebase cocaine”) that can be smoked. The crystal
is heated to produce vapors that are absorbed into the bloodstream through the
lungs. (The term “crack” refers to the crackling sound produced by the rock as
it is heated.)
Hallucinogens
The
effects of hallucinogens—perception-altering
drugs—are highly variable and unreliable, producing different effects in
different people at different times. This is mainly due to differences in the
amounts and chemistries of active compounds within the drugs. Because of their
unpredictable nature, the use of hallucinogens can be particularly dangerous.
Examples of hallucinogens include:
·
MDMA (Ecstasy, “Molly”)
(3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) produces both stimulant and mind-altering
effects. It can increase body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and
heart-wall stress. Ecstasy may also be toxic to nerve cells. It is taken
orally, usually as a capsule or tablet. Its effects last approximately 3 to 6
hours, although it is not uncommon for users to take a second dose of the drug
as the effects of the first dose begin to fade. Ecstasy is commonly taken in
combination with alcohol and other drugs. Molly—slang for “molecular”—refers to
the pure crystalline powder form of ecstasy. Users may seek out Molly to avoid
the adulterants or substitutes known to be commonly found in ecstasy, but those
who purchase what they think is pure ecstasy may actually be exposing
themselves to the same risks, since Molly often contains toxic additives. In
fact, Molly is often nothing more than repackaged ecstasy.
·
LSD
is one of the most potent hallucinogenic drugs. Its effects are unpredictable,
and users may see vivid colors and images, hear sounds, and feel sensations
that seem real but do not exist. Users also may have traumatic experiences and
emotions that can last for many hours. Some short-term effects can include
increased body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure; sweating; loss of
appetite; sleeplessness; dry mouth; and tremors.
·
PCP
(phencyclidine) was developed in the 1950s as an intravenous anesthetic. Its
legitimate use has since been discontinued due to serious adverse effects.
·
Psilocybin
is obtained from certain types of mushrooms that are found in tropical and
subtropical regions of South America, Mexico, and the United States. These
mushrooms typically contain less than 0.5 percent psilocybin plus trace amounts
of psilocin, another hallucinogenic substance.
Heroin
Heroin
is a powerful opioid drug that produces euphoria and feelings of relaxation. It
slows respiration and can increase the risk of serious infectious diseases,
especially when taken intravenously. Regular heroin use changes the functioning
of the brain, causing tolerance and dependence. Other opioid drugs include
morphine, OxyContin®, Vicodin®, and Percodan®,
which have legitimate medical uses; however, using them in ways other than
prescribed (or using them without a prescription) can result in the same
harmful consequences as heroin use.
Inhalants
Inhalants
are volatile substances found in many household products (such as oven
cleaners, gasoline, spray paints, and other aerosols) that induce mind-altering
effects. Inhalants are extremely toxic and can damage the heart, kidneys, lungs,
and brain. Even a healthy person can suffer heart failure and death within
minutes of a single session of the prolonged sniffing of an inhalant.
People
tend to abuse different inhalant products at different ages. New younger users
(ages 12–15) most commonly abuse glue, shoe polish, spray paints, gasoline, and
lighter fluid. First-time older users (ages 16–17) most commonly abuse nitrous
oxide, or “whippets.” Adults most commonly abuse a class of inhalants known as
nitrites (such as amyl nitrites, or “poppers”).
Ketamine, Rohypnol, and GHB
Ketamine,
Rohypnol®,
and GHB
have come to be known as “date rape” drugs because they can cause someone to
lose their memory of an assault. Rohypnol® and GHB can easily be
added to beverages and ingested unknowingly. Any of these drugs can also cause
someone to lose consciousness. Ketamine and GHB are predominantly central
nervous system (CNS) depressants, whereas Rohypnol® is a
benzodiazepine.
Nicotine
Nicotine
is an addictive stimulant found in cigarettes and other forms of tobacco.
Tobacco smoke increases a user’s risk of cancer, emphysema, bronchial
disorders, and cardiovascular disease. Smoking rates have decreased in the
United States in recent years, yet the mortality rate associated with tobacco
addiction is still staggering, with more than 480,000 premature deaths in the
United States each year—about 1 in every 5 deaths.5 Tobacco use killed
approximately 100 million people during the 20th century and, if current
smoking trends continue, the cumulative death toll for this century is
projected to reach 1 billion.
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