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 Chapter 3 – Drug Education
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Introduction Learning Objectives:

Drug education is the planned provision of After completing this chapter

information, resources, and skills relevant to living you should be able to:
in a world where psychoactive substances are 1. Develop the knowledge, skills
widely available and commonly used for a variety and attitudes to appreciate the
of both medical and non-medical purposes, some benefits of healthy living.
of which may lead to harms such
as overdose, injury, infectious disease such 2. Enumerate the general
as HIV or hepatitis C, or addiction. classification of drugs and how
Drug education enables children, youth and it can be abused.
adults to develop the knowledge, skills and
attitudes to appreciate the benefits of healthy 3. Explain the evil effects of drug
living, promote responsibility towards the use of and substance abuse;
drugs and relate these to their own actions and
those of others, both now and in their future lives. 4. Identify the symptoms of drug
It also provides opportunities for people to reflect abuse
on their own and others' attitudes to various
psychoactive substances, their use and the people
who use them.

1. THE NATURE OF DRUG AND DRUG ABUSE

What is a drug?

A drug is a chemical substance that affects the functions of the body or mind when taken
into the body or applied through the skin.

What is drug abuse?

Drug Abuse is the overuse of a drug without due regard to accepted medical practices
resulting in the individual’s physical, mental, emotional or behavioral impairment.

What is Drug Dependence?

Drug Dependence is a behavior brought about by drug abuse. It can either be physical or
psychological.
What is a Drug Abuser?

A Drug Abuser is another term for a drug addict which refers to an individual who is
dependent on a certain drug or drugs.

What are the Signs of Drug Abuse?

1. Persons who were once calm and courteous become aggressive.

2. Persons who are neat and well-groomed, become careless in their grooming. They wear
dark glasses and become dirty looking.
3. They become highly excited and display fits of anger.
4. They lose interest in their work in school, office and other fields.
5. Presence of hypodermic needles, vials and drug in their possessions.

What are the Different Classification of Drugs?

Drugs which are abused can be classified in various ways. The general classification
of drugs are:

a. Alcohol/Liquor
b. Narcotics ( Opium-based drugs )
c. Cannabis Sativa ( Marijuana )
d. Depressants ( Sedatives )
e. Stimulants ( Synthetic )
f. Hallucinogens
g. Tranquilizers
h. Inhalants

a. Alcohol/Liquor

The term alcohol refers to alcoholic beverages, whose effects are related to their alcoholic
content and to the level of alcohol in the blood resulting from their misuse.
Alcohol which is extracted from chemical compound, ethyl and hydrocarbon, is a
dangerous chemical substance which triggers the central nervous system and may damage
vital human organs.
Like any other drug dependent, alcoholics prefer a brand of liquor that works fast, such
as gin, whisky, rhum and brandy, because of the percentage of alcohol mixture.
1) What are the Effects of Alcohol Use?
 Gives a feeling of relaxation and loss of inhibitions.
 A sense of excitement due to release of inhibition.
 Motor activity, motor skills and coordination are disrupted.
 Deep intoxication causes disturbance in bodily processes.
  Superficial blood vessels are dilated causing warm feeling.
 Deep intoxication can lead to coma and death.
 Consciousness begins to wane and cause mental dullness.
 Loss of self-control resulting in violent behavior.
2) How are Alcohol/Liquor Abused?

Alcohol depresses the action of the central nervous system, and is not a stimulant as is
frequently thought. Its action is the same as that of other general anesthetic.

Prolonged and excessive use of alcohol will result in damage to the brain with symptoms of
tremors, cirrhosis of the liver, damage to digestive system, and associative malnutrition. Small
amount of alcohol could affect coordination.

b. Narcotics

Narcotics or opiates are sedatives that relieve pain. In many people, but not all, they produce
a euphoric and relaxed feeling. The narcotics include morphine, codeine and heroin. These
drugs, especially heroin, generally cause intense physical and psychological dependence when
used in large doses continually.

The effects of drugs can vary. The same dose of a drug may produce quite different reactions
in different people and in the same person on different occasions (Bardo & Risner, 1985). Why?
Physiological processes, such as metabolism and absorption by tissues, vary from one person to
the next and within each individual over time. Partly because very young people and the elderly
have lower rates of metabolism than others do, they tend to experience relatively strong reactions
to drugs. Stress can also influence the effects of a drug. Being under stress causes physiological
changes that may increase a drug’s impact.

1) What are the Effects of Narcotics?

 Gives a short-lived feeling of euphoria.

 Narcotics tend to reduce the size of the pupils of the eyes causing reduced vision.
 Causes drowsiness and decreased physical activity.
 Large dosage causes nausea, vomiting and difficulty in breathing.
 Repeated use results in tolerance which finally leads to drug dependence.
 Larger doses may induce coma with slow, shallow respiration.
 Overdose causes convulsion, followed by the stopping of breathing that can lead to death.

2) How are Narcotics Abused?

Narcotics are usually abused by sniffing, smoking, or administered through the skin or skin-
popping and intravenously by means of injections. Cough syrups with narcotic content are
usually taken in large doses by addicts to get the desired narcotic effect.

3) What are Withdrawal Symptoms?

 Discontinuation of narcotics can produce increased excitability of the user’s bodily function
due to habitual use. With the deprivation of narcotic the usual withdrawal symptoms are:

1. Complaints, demands and begging pleas of the user are encountered.

 Eyes become watery, there is profuse perspiration and runny nose.
 The user falls into a restless sleep.
 As deprivation continues, the user becomes restless, irritable, and loses his appetite,
insomnia sets in, bodily tremors are observed and severe sneezing begin to occur
which continues for three (3) days.
 The patient is weakened physically and emotionally depressed due to nausea and
vomiting. Diarrhea and stomach cramps are common.
 Both blood pressure and heart rate are elevated. There is excessive sweating
accompanied by chills.
 Pains in the bones and muscles occur due to muscle spasms and kicking movements.
At this point, the user becomes suicidal. Most of these symptoms will disappear in
even (7) to ten (10) days at most.

c. What are Types and Effects of Different Drugs?

1) Stimulants are chemicals that produce physiological and psychological arousal, keeping
the user awake and marking the world seem to race by. This category of drugs includes
amphetamines, caffeine, and cocaine, which can be inhaled, injected, or smoked
(“crack”). Chronic use of stimulants can produce mental confusion, exhaustion, and
weight loss-and can lead to psychological dependence. Physical dependence on
amphetamines, cocaine, or caffeine can develop; the withdrawal symptoms often are
subtle, but are still very influential on behavior.

2) Depressants decrease arousal and increase relaxation. People use these drugs to reduce
anxiety and induce sleep. Depressants include various tranquilizer (such as Valium) and
barbiturates, which are commonly called “downers”. Excessive and chronic use of
depressants interferes with motor and emotional stability and produces psychological
dependence. Addiction can develop with long-term use of depressants and can occur
rapidly for barbiturates

3) Hallucinogens produce perceptual distortions, such as when the body or mind feels light.
The most commonly used drug of this type is marijuana, which people use for the
relaxation and intoxication it causes. Other hallucinogens, such as mescaline, LSD
(lysergic acid diethylamine), and PCP (phencyclidine), often produce a feeling of
exhilaration. Hallucinogens have a relatively low potential for causing physical
dependence, but chronic use of these drugs can lead to psychological dependence.