Substance Use and Abuse

One of the most common yet

preventable causes of substance use and abuse

among young people like you is ignorance or

lack of knowledge about their ill effects and

the damage they can do to your body. Many

young people start using drugs out of curiosity.

Others fail to realize or underestimate the

ill effects of drugs, particularly it’s addictive

effects. They begin with occasional use, thinking

they can control themselves, only to succumb to

addiction.

Drug education is therefore crucial in

preventing substance use and abuse.

Factors Influencing Substance Use and Abuse

1. Lack of parental supervision and support

2. Strong peer pressure and curiosity

3. Intense feelings of pleasure

4. Relief from stress, anxiety, and depression

5. Increased physical and cognitive performance

Drugs may be defined as:

1. A chemical substance that has an effect on the body or mind.

2. A substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, treatment, and prevention of disease in man and animals.

3. An article other than food which is intended to alter the structure and/or function of the body.

Drug Awareness

Drug Awareness

Prohibited Drugs

The prohibited drugs include opium and

its active components and derivatives

principally cocaine, alpha and beta cocaine;

hallucinogenic drugs, such as mescaline,

lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and other

substances producing similar effects.

Regulated Drugs

The regulated drugs include self-inducing

sedatives, such as secobarbital, phenobarbital,

pentobarbital, amobarbital and any other drug

which contains salt or a derivative of salt or

barbituric acid.

Substances

Stimulants

Stimulants are a class of drugs that consists of

illegal drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine

and MDMA (ecstasy), as well as legal drugs such

as nicotine, caffeine and prescription medications such

as Ritalin and Adderall. These drugs increase alertness,

energy and attention and boost mood.

Stimulants, sometimes called “uppers,”

temporarily increase alertness and energy. The

most commonly used street drugs that fall into

this category are cocaine and amphetamines.

Prescription stimulants come in tablets or

capsules. When abused, they are swallowed,

injected in liquid form or crushed and snorted.

As the name suggests, stimulants

increase alertness, attention, and energy, as

well as elevate blood pressure, heart rate, and

respiration. Stimulants historically were used

to treat asthma and other respiratory

problems, obesity, neurological disorders, and

a variety of other ailments.

But as their potential for abuse and

addiction became apparent, the medical use

of stimulants began to wane. Now, stimulants

are prescribed to treat only a few health

conditions, including ADHD, narcolepsy, and

occasionally depression—in those who have

not responded to other treatments.

Short-term effects

• Loss of appetite.

• Increased heart rate, blood pressure, body

temperature.

• Dilation of pupils.

• Disturbed sleep patterns.

• Nausea.

• Bizarre, erratic, sometimes violent behavior.

• Hallucinations, hyperexcitability, irritability.

• Panic and psychosis.

Depressants

A depressant, or central depressant, is

a drug that lowers neurotransmission levels, which

is to depress or reduce arousal or stimulation, in

various areas of the brain. Depressants are also

occasionally referred to as "downers" as they lower

the level of arousal when taken.

Depressants are widely used throughout the

world as prescription medicines and as illicit

substances. Alcohol is a very prominent depressant.

Depressants are drugs that calm nerves and relax

muscles. Depressants do exactly what the name

suggests — they depress a person's nervous system.

Doctors use them to treat things like

insomnia or anxiety.

Inhalants

Inhalants are a broad range of intoxicative

drugs whose gases or volatile vapors are breathed

in via the nose or mouth. They are taken by room

temperature volatilization or from a pressurized

container (e.g., nitrous oxide), and do not include

drugs that are sniffed after burning or heating.

Inhalants are volatile substances that produce

chemical vapors that can be inhaled to induce a

psychoactive, or mind-altering, effect. Although

other abused substances can be inhaled, the term

"inhalants" is used to describe a variety of

substances whose main common characteristic is

that they are rarely, if ever, taken by any route other

than inhalation.

Narcotics

Narcotics are also called opioid pain relievers.

They are used only for pain that is severe and is not

helped by other types of painkillers. When used

carefully and under a health care provider's direct

care, these drugs can be effective at reducing pain.

Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens are a class of drugs that cause

hallucinations—profound distortions in a person’s

perceptions of reality. Hallucinogens can be found

in some plants and mushrooms (or their extracts) or

can be man-made, and they are commonly divided

into two broad categories: classic hallucinogens

(such as LSD) and dissociative drugs (such as PCP).

When under the influence of either type

of drug, people often report rapid, intense

emotional swings and seeing images, hearing

sounds, and feeling sensations that seem real

but are not.