DRUG UNIT
(Day 5)
Heroin
Inhalants
LSD
Painkillers
Bell Ringer #5
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Create a scenario:
Write about a scene where a drug
user tries to sell someone drugs.
What does the person do and say to
try to convince someone to take
them? What would the other person
do to avoid this or decline the offer?
HEROIN
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Fine white powder (purest form)
Street heroin is usually “cut” and mixed
with other poisons
User on the street never knows the actual
strength of the drug they are getting thus
constantly at risk for overdose
Highly addictive and withdrawal is
extremely painful
Can be injected, smoked, or sniffed
First time use, causes a “high” sensation
Street Names
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Big H
H
Junk
Skag
Horse
Smack
Thunder
Hell Dust
Nose Drops
Destruction!
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Initial effect is a surge of sensation, a “rush”
Warm feeling of skin and a dry mouth
Can induce vomiting or severe itching
After initial effects wear off, drowsiness sets in
(usually for several hours)
Heart rate and breathing slow down
Body craves more
Withdrawal includes restlessness, aches and
pains of bones, diarrhea, vomiting, and severe
discomfort
Intense high lasts only a few minutes
Coma or death with just one use
Effects!!!
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SHORT TERM
Rush or High
Slow breathing
Clouded mental
functions
Nausea or vomiting
Hypothermia
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LONG TERM
Bad teeth
Itching
Respiration illnesses
Weakening of immune
system
Paralysis
Depression
Insomnia
Loss of memory or
intellectual
performance
Death
INHALANTS
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Vapors from toxic substances which are
inhaled to reach a quick high
Chemicals are rapidly absorbed through
the lungs into the bloodstream and quickly
reach the brain and other organs
Causes irreversible physical and mental
damage
Types – Liquids, sprays, gases, or nitrites
38 states in the U.S. have placed
restrictions on the sale and distribution of
products that are commonly used as
inhalants.
How Inhalants get introduced…
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Sniffing – inhaling chemicals directly from
open containers
Huffing – breathing the fumes from rags
soaked in chemicals
Bagging – inhaling chemicals from a paper
or plastic bag. Bagging in a closed area
greatly increases the risk of suffocation
Poppers and whippets – composed of
poisonous chemicals that can permanently
damage the body and brain. Commonly
sold (illegally) at concerts and clubs.
Street Names
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Air Blast
Highball
Shoot the breeze
Huff
Snappers
Laughing gas
Spray
Boppers
Moon gas
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Thrust
Whippets
Poppers
Whiteout
Buzz bomb
Bullet bolt
discorama
How they affect your body
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Damages the heart, kidneys, brain, liver and
bone marrow
They starve the body of oxygen and force the
heart to beat irregularly and more rapidly
Can experience nausea and nosebleeds, lose
sense of smell
Chronic use can lead to muscle wasting and
reduction of muscle tone
Damage to lungs and immune system
“Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome” – can
occur the 1st time or 100th time an inhalant is
used. Suffocation!
Effects!
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SHORT TERM
Slurred speech
Dizzy or dazed
appearance
Hostility
Hallucination
Unconsciousness
Headaches
Rashes around nose
or mouth
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LONG TERM
Muscle weakness
Depression
Hearing loss
Heart failure
(Others previously
mentioned in the slide
show)
Addiction!
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PSYCHOLOGICAL
Start using because
one thinks they need
to try it
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PHYSIOLOGICAL
Withdrawal symptoms
occur after use
Nausea, excessive
sweating, muscle
cramps, headaches,
chills, and shaking
This leads to more use
to relieve one of these
pains
STATISTICS
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In the U.S., 1.1 million youths aged 12-17
had used inhalants in the past year
(2006). Numbers projected to be higher
year after year.
22% of inhalant abusers who died had no
history of previous inhalant abuse
Other countries have as much as 80-90%
use of inhalants with adolescents living in
poverty.
LSD
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide
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One of the most potent mind altering
and mood changing chemicals
Hallucinogenic
Manufactured from Lysergic Acid,
which is found in the ergot fungus
that grows on rye and other grains.
Leads the user to a serious
disconnection from reality
“Trip” – usually lasts 12 hours or so.
Forms
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“Acid”
Small tablets (microdots)
Capsules or Gelatin squares (window
panes)
Sometimes added to absorbent
paper, divided into small squares
decorated with designs (loony toons)
Occasionally sold in liquid form
STREET NAMES
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Acid
Boomers
Doses
Dots
Loony toons
Superman
Tab
Lucy in the sky with diamonds
Physical and Mental Effects
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Dilated pupils
High or low body
temp.
Sweating or chills
Loss of appetite
Sleeplessness
Dry mouth
tremors
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Delusions and
hallucinations
Artificial sense of
euphoria
Distortion of time and
identity
Impaired depth
perception
Terrifying thoughts
and feelings
“Flashbacks”
Depression or
psychosis
FACTS
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First effects within 30-90 min. after
use
Effects are unpredictable
Produces visual and auditory
hallucinations
Judgments are impaired
Tolerance can be developed
“Bad Trips” – when things go wrong.
Can last the entire high
PAINKILLERS
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Prescription Painkiller abuse
Among teens, prescription drugs are the most
commonly abused drugs next to marijuana
Almost half of the teens are taking painkillers
One in ten high school seniors in the U.S. admits
to abusing prescription painkillers
Physiological dependence can be formed over
time
Dangers don’t always present themselves until
it’s too late
What are Painkillers?
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Powerful drugs that interfere with the
nervous system’s transmission of
signals we perceive as pain
Most of these drugs stimulate
portions of the brain associated with
pleasure
In addition to blocking pain, they
produce a “high”
TYPES
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Oxycodone – “hillbilly heroin”, is a
substitute for heroin. Brand name
OxyContin.
Hydrocodone – brand names Dicodid,
Hycomine, Lortab, etc.
Propoxyphene – Brand name Darvon
Hydromorphone – Brand name
Dilaudid
Meperidine – Brand name Demerol
Street Names
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Oxy 80’s
Oxycotton
Perks
Vikes
Pinks
Footballs
65’s
Demmies
Mental and Physical Effects
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Constipation
Nausea
Vomiting
Dizziness
Confusion
Addiction
Unconsciousness
Respiratory depression
Increased risk of heart attack
Coma
Death
Warning Signs of
Prescription PK’s Dependency
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Usage increase
Change in personality
Social withdrawal
Ongoing use
Time spent on
obtaining prescriptions
(visiting multiple
doctors, etc.)
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Change in daily habits
Neglects
responsibilities
Increased sensitivity
(normal sights and
sounds become overly
stimulating
(hallucinations)
Blackouts and
forgetfulness
Defensiveness
(lashing out)