DRUG ABUSE [CSEC HSB]

SYLLABUS REFERENCE 

CSEC HSB

• [D22] discuss the use & misuse of drugs; 
• [D23] explain the social effects of drug misuse on the individual, family, and community;
• [B2.11] discuss the effects of smoking. 

CSEC BIOLOGY 

• [B7.8] discuss the physiological, social and economic effects of drug abuse. 

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS 

Drug 

• Any chemical that alters the way the body works by affecting metabolism. 
• Some drugs can alter a person's psychological state and change their behavior. 

Drug Abuse 

• Taking drugs in excess or for non-medical reasons, so that they cause mental and/or physical harm. 
• It often causes social problems because it affects relationships and can lead to crime. 

Drug Dependence (aka 'Addiction) 

This occurs when a person wants to take a drug repeatedly, because they rely on its effects. They develop such a desperate craving for the drug that it takes over their life. 

It has two main forms:

Reasons People Give For Taking Drugs 

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF ILLEGAL DRUGS 

Family Life 

• Having a family member that is addicted to drugs severely disrupts family life. 
• The unpredictable mood changes, restlessness and money problems of the addict puts a strain on the other members of the family and disrupts the peace of the home. 
• The family home can start to feel like a war zone. 
• Parents and siblings etc. can often feel helpless in the face of their addicted child or relative. 

Crime  

Drugs are generally expensive, so addicts frequently turn to crime to support their habit. 

Drug dealers are criminals, and often members of a larger criminal organisation. 

• They often target vulnerable people, and manipulate them to become addicted, so that they have have to buy drugs (guaranteed customer). 
• The competition among dealers leads to corruption, gang warfare, and murder, affecting the whole community. 

Economy 

• Millions of dollars are spent annually on medical care for conditions caused by substance abuse, such as drug overdose. 
• Rehabilitation is also costly, though it is worthwhile if it returns an addict to being a healthy, contributing member of society.
• Significant financial costs from policing & prosecuting crimes associated with drug misuse & abuse (robbery, gang warfare etc...) 
• Those that work with hangovers cannot work to full potential. This leads to decreased productivity, from the local business to the entire economy. 

A CLOSER LOOK AT VARIOUS DRUGS 

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

MARIJUANA 

This drug is derived from the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant. It's active ingredient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This is what makes people high. 

It works by changing brain messages that alter sensory perception and coordination. This then affects how users see, hear, and feel stimuli, while delaying reflexes. 

Marijuana's Effects on the Brain 

Short-Term Effects

There are parts of the brain that have high numbers of brain cell receptors to natural chemicals that resemble THC. Marijuana over-activates these parts of the brain, as THC acts on these receptors. 

It produces several of the following effects within an hour of smoking or ingesting marijuana:

• altered senses (for example, seeing brighter colours) 
• altered sense of time 
• changes in mood 
• impaired body movement 
• difficulty with thinking and problem-solving 
• impaired learning and memory 
• psychosis 
• hallucinations (when taken in high doses) 
• delusions (when taken in high doses) 

Long-Term Effects 

Marijuana has been shown to affect brain development, especially if persons started using the drug regularly as teenagers. 

While the brain is still developing, the drug can impair thinking, memory, and learning functions, while also affecting how the brain builds connections between the areas necessary for these functions. 

Other Health Effects of Marijuana 

Physical Effects 

• Breathing problems - the smoke irritates the lungs, so marijuana smokers have similar breathing issues as tobacco smokers. These include:
• daily cough and phlegm 
• more frequent lung illness 
• higher risk of lung infections 
• Lung illnesses - recently, serious lung illnesses and deaths have been connected to vaping THC oil, which is sometimes added to nicotine liquid in vaping devices. Public health experts are advising teens to stop using vaping products, especially if bought off the street. 
• Increased heart rate - heart rate is raised for up to 3 hours after smoking. This increases the chance of a heart attack, especially in older persons and those with heart problems. 
• Problems with child development during and after Pregnancy - 
• Exposure to marijuana while still in the womb is associated with increased risk of problems with attention, memory, and problem-solving 
• Marijuana use during pregnancy has been linked to low birth weight and a higher risk of preterm births 
• With regular use of marijuana, THC in the breast milk can reach levels that could affect the baby's developing brain 

Addiction 

9 - 30% of marijuana users will develop a dependent relationship with the drug, with a smaller percentage going on to full addiction. 

If a person starts using the drug before the age of 18, they are 4-7 times more likely to develop a dependency. 

Mental Effects 

Long-term marijuana use has been linked to mental illness in some people, such as:

• temporary hallucinations and psychosis 
• temporary paranoia and psychosis 
• worsening symptoms in persons with schizophrenia 

TOBACCO 

Although tobacco contains thousands of chemicals, the main addictive ingredient is nicotine. The addiction produces is very strong. In fact it is as addictive as heroin and cocaine, if not more. 

Tobacco's & Nicotine's Effect on the Brain 

Once the nicotine gets into the bloodstream, it immediately stimulates the adrenal glands to release the hormone adrenaline (aka epinephrine). This hormone then stimulates the central nervous system, while increasing blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate. 

The nicotine also activates the brain's reward circuits, and increases levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. 

Other Health Effects 

Apart from addiction to nicotine, which drives the person to keep smoking, most of the severe health effects come from the other chemicals in tobacco. 

• Toxins are released that can lead to lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema 
• Smoking increases the risk of heart disease, which can then lead to stroke and heart attack 
• Smoking has been linked to leukemia and other cancers, cataracts, and pneumonia 
• Pregnant women who smoke run an increased risk of miscarriage, stillborn or premature infants 
• Exposure to secondhand smoke has been linked to the following, in adults and/or children:
• coughing, phlegm, reduced lung function, pneumonia and bronchitis 
• (children in particular) ear infections, severe asthma, lung infections and death from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). 

Addiction 

Regular exposure to nicotine leads to brain changes associated with addiction. People trying to quit may have withdrawal symptoms such as:

• irritability 
• problems paying attention 
• trouble sleeping 
• increased appetite 
• powerful cravings for tobacco 
• depressed mood 

OPIOIDS 

These are powerful drugs derived from the poppy plant. Such drugs have been used for centuries to relieve pain. 

There are legal opioids (prescription pain relievers) and illegal opioids (heroin and illicit fentanyl). 

How Do Opioids Affect the Brain?

These drugs attach to and activate opioid receptors located in many areas of the brain, spinal cord, and other organs in the body. Many of these receptors are associated with feelings of pain and pleasure. 

Once attached to these receptors, they block pain signals send between the brain and the body. They also prompt the release of large quantities of dopamine into the brain's reward regions. This release can strongly reinforce drug use, making a person want to take the drug again and again, despite the negative consequences. 

Health Effects of Opioid Use 

Short Term
They relieve pain and make people feel relaxed. It also causes these harmful effects:

• extreme drowsiness 
• confusion 
• nausea 
• constipation 
• slowed breathing 

Long-Term 

Over time, constant use and misuse of opioids can lead to:

• insomnia 
• muscle pain 
• heart problems 
• pneumonia 
• addiction 
• overdose 

COCAINE

This is a powerfully addictive stimulant made from the leaves of the coca plant, native to South America. 

How Does Cocaine Affect the Brain?

It increases the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain, in circuits related to control of movement, habitual behaviours and reward. It does so by preventing the dopamine from being recycled and reabsorbed back into the cell. As a result, it builds up to large amounts in the synaptic cleft between neurons, stopping their regular communication. 

This flood of dopamine in the brain's reward circuit strongly reinforces drug-taking behaviours, because the reward circuit eventually adapts to the excess of dopamine. This leads to persons taking stronger doses more frequently to get the same high and relief from withdrawal. 

Cocaine's Effect on Health 

Short-Term Effects

Taking cocaine produces the following mental & psychological effects:

• Extreme happiness and energy 
• Mental alertness 
• Irritability 
• Paranoia (extreme and unreasonable distrust of others)

Some people find that cocaine helps them perform simple physical and mental tasks more quickly, although others experience the opposite effect. 

Large amounts of cocaine can lead to bizarre, unpredictable, and violent behaviour. 

Meanwhile, a cocaine 'high' produces the following physical effects:

• constricted blood vessels 
• dilated pupils 
• nausea
• raised body temperature and blood pressure 
• fast or irregular heartbeat 
• tremors and muscle twitches 
• restlessness

Long-Term Effects 

• Taking this drug decreases appetite, and can eventually cause malnourishment 
• It has been linked to movement disorders, including Parkinson's disease 
• In those that snort the drug:
• loss of smell 
• nosebleeds 
• frequent runny nose
• problems with swallowing 
• In those that smoke the drug (crack):
• cough
• asthma & respiratory distress 
• higher risk of infections such as pneumonia 
• In those that take the drug orally:
• severe bowel decay from reduced blood flow 
• In those that use needle injections:
• higher risk of contracting HIV, hepatitis C, and other bloodborne diseases
• skin and soft tissue infections 
• scarred or collapsed veins 

Addiction 

Repeated use of cocaine can cause long-term changes in the brain's reward & other circuits, which then can lead to addiction. 

Withdrawal symptoms include:

• depression 
• fatigue 
• increased appetite 
• unpleasant dreams & insomnia 
• slowed thinking 

There are several other illicit drugs that are in circulation and causing problems in various societies, as well as the misuse of prescription drugs. 

For further information on the above and other drugs, you can do further reading HERE 
(Same Source)