Drug Abuse
Drug Abuse
Commonly Abused Drugs Commonly abused drugs: (1) Alcohol; (2) hallucinogenic (vision producing) drugs, such as LSD and mescaline; (3) marijuana; (4) nicotine, which is found in tobacco; (5) opiates, including most narcotics; (6) sedatives, including barbiturates and other kinds of sleeping pills; (7) stimulants, such as cocaine and amphetamines and other “pep pills.” Inhalants, which are fumes inhaled from such substance as cleaning fluids, gasoline, and model airplane glue, are sometimes classified as abused drugs. Alcohol, like the sedatives, is a central nervous system depressant. The major psychoactive ingredient in wine, beer, and distilled liquor, alcohol is a natural substance formed by the reaction of fermenting sugar with yeast spores. The kind of alcohol in alcoholic beverages is ethyl alcohol—a colorless, inflammable liquid. Technically, ethyl alcohol can also be classified a food since it contains calories. In small doses alcohol has a tranquilizing effect on most people, although it appears to stimulate others. Alcohol first acts on those parts of the brain which affect self-control and other learned behaviors; lowered self-control often leads to the aggressive behavior associated with some people who drink. In larger doses, alcohol can dull sensation and impair muscular coordination, memory, and judgment. Taken in larger quantities over a long period of time, alcohol can damage the liver and heart and can cause permanent brain damage. About two-thirds of all adult Americans drink at least occasionally. Many younger people drink and evidence suggests that alcohol use among young people is spreading. In fact, about half of all junior high school age children have tried alcoholic beverages. Hallucinogens are drugs which affect perception, sensation, thinking, self awareness, and emotions. Changes in time and space perception, delusions (false beliefs), and hallucinations may be mild or overwhelming, depending on dose
Commonly Abused Drugs Commonly abused drugs: (1) Alcohol; (2) hallucinogenic (vision producing) drugs, such as LSD and mescaline; (3) marijuana; (4) nicotine, which is found in tobacco; (5) opiates, including most narcotics; (6) sedatives, including barbiturates and other kinds of sleeping pills; (7) stimulants, such as cocaine and amphetamines and other “pep pills.” Inhalants, which are fumes inhaled from such substance as cleaning fluids, gasoline, and model airplane glue, are sometimes classified as abused drugs. Alcohol, like the sedatives, is a central nervous system depressant. The major psychoactive ingredient in wine, beer, and distilled liquor, alcohol is a natural substance formed by the reaction of fermenting sugar with yeast spores. The kind of alcohol in alcoholic beverages is ethyl alcohol—a colorless, inflammable liquid. Technically, ethyl alcohol can also be classified a food since it contains calories. In small doses alcohol has a tranquilizing effect on most people, although it appears to stimulate others. Alcohol first acts on those parts of the brain which affect self-control and other learned behaviors; lowered self-control often leads to the aggressive behavior associated with some people who drink. In larger doses, alcohol can dull sensation and impair muscular coordination, memory, and judgment. Taken in larger quantities over a long period of time, alcohol can damage the liver and heart and can cause permanent brain damage. About two-thirds of all adult Americans drink at least occasionally. Many younger people drink and evidence suggests that alcohol use among young people is spreading. In fact, about half of all junior high school age children have tried alcoholic beverages. Hallucinogens are drugs which affect perception, sensation, thinking, self awareness, and emotions. Changes in time and space perception, delusions (false beliefs), and hallucinations may be mild or overwhelming, depending on dose
Bibliography: Company, New York, N.Y., 1969. 2 3. Westman, Wesley C. Dr., The Drug Epidemic, The Dial Press, New York, N.Y. 1975. 4. Woods, Geraldine, Drug Use and Drug Abuse, Franklin Watts Press, New York, N.Y., London, England, and Toronto, Canada, 1979. 2. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institute of Health (HIH), “Medline Plus”, 2007, 16, November 2007, www.nida.nih.gov Online Journals: 1. Roman, Espyo, Drug Abuse, Greenhaven Press, San Diego, CA., 2002. 2. Dekker, Marcel. Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, New York, N.Y., 2007.