The Responsible Use Of Drugs

A drug is substance [other than food] that changes the way the body or mind works. Drug use is a term used to describe drug-taking behavior. But what exactly is “drug-taking behavior”?Drug misuse is the incorrect use of a prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) drug. Drug abuse is the use of an illegal drug or the intentional misuse of a prescription or OTC drug.

The Responsible Use Of Drugs (cont.)

Drugs can enter your body in 4 different ways:

1. By mouth- the drug is swallowed, travels to the stomach and small intestine, from there the drug is absorbed into the bloodstream.

2. By injection- the drug is injected directly into a muscle, or into a blood vessel (in which case it can affect a person almost immediately.

The Responsible Use Of Drugs (cont.)

3. By inhalation- the drug is inhaled through the nose or the mouth, travels to the lungs where it then enters the bloodstream.

4. By absorption- the drugs enters the bloodstream through the skin or mucous membranes.

How Drugs Work Inside The Body

In many respects, your body cells are like a jigsaw puzzle. You cannot take just any piece of a puzzle and connect it to another piece. You cannot just take any drug and expect a certain action. A receptor site is the part of a cell where the chemical substance in a drug “fits”. In other words, specific drugs work on specific receptor sites.

How Drugs Work Inside The Body (cont.)

Sometimes drugs act on more than one receptor site. For example, you might take a drug to treat an upset stomach. However, the drug might interact with other receptor sites and cause you to become dizzy. Being dizzy is an example of a side effect. A side effect is an unwanted body change that is not related to the main purpose of the drug.

How Drugs Work Inside The Body (cont.)

The effects drugs have on the body are determined by many factors:

1. The way the drug enters the body.2. The dose, or amount of the drug that is

taken at one time. 3. The solubility, or the ability of the

substance to dissolve in the body. Water-soluble drugs move more quickly through the body than do fat-soluble drugs.

How Drugs Work Inside The Body (cont.)

The effects drugs have on the body may be determined by one of these factors:

4. Weight, age, and health status.

5. Emotional state.

6. Use of other drugs. The chemical reactions that take place between two or more drugs may produce unexpected, tragic results.

Prescription DrugsA prescription drug is a drug that can only be

obtained with a written order from a licensed medical professional. Who can write them? These days, a physician (MD), dentist (DDS), Physician Assistant (PA), or a Nurse Practitioner (NP).

A pharmacist is an allied health professional who dispenses medications prescribed by licensed medical professionals. It is illegal to obtain a prescription drug without a prescription.

Drug TypesA brand-name drug is a registered name or

trademark given to a drug by a pharmaceutical company.

A generic is a drug that contains the same active ingredient as a brand-name drug, but usually costs less.

An OTC drug is a drug that can be purchased without a prescription.

Guidelines For the Safe Use Of OTC Drugs

1. Take OTC drugs only with your parents permission.

2. Read the label on the OTC drug before taking it.

3. Take the dosage indicated rather than what you believe you should take.

4. Discontinue use of an OTC drug and notify your physician if you experience side effects.

Guidelines For the Safe Use Of OTC Drugs (cont.)

5. Do not use OTC drugs that have been stored past their expiration date.

6. Be very careful if you are consuming two or more OTC drugs simultaneously.

7. Do not engage in activities in which there are safety concerns if an OTC drug makes you drowsy.

8. Never purchase an OTC drug if its tamper-resistant seal has been broken!

Drug DependenceDrug dependence is the continued use of a drug

even though it harms the body, mind, and relationships. Chemical dependence and chemical addiction are other terms used for drug dependence.

Physical dependence is a condition in which a person develops a tolerance and a drug becomes necessary, or the person has withdrawal symptoms. Tolerance is a condition in which the body becomes used to a drug and larger amounts are needed to produce the same effect.

Drug Dependence (cont.)

Withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant reactions that occur when a drug is no longer taken.

Psychological dependence is a strong desire to continue using a drug for emotional reasons.