Over The Counter Drugs
(OTC)
What is an OTC drug??
• OTC drugs – drugs that can be purchased
without a prescription from a doctor
 Used to relieve signs and symptoms of an
illness, but will NOT cure the illness itself.
 More than 100,000 OTC drugs are
available.
 Misuse of these OTC products results in
170,000 hospitalizations each year at an
annual cost of $750 million.
Many types of OTC drugs
 Diet pills
 Hydroxycut, Dexatrim
 Cold Remedy
 Tylenol cold, Alka-Seltzer, Sudafed etc.
 Sleep Aids
 NyQuil, Tylenol PM
• Coughing
- Dimetapp, Robutussin
• Antacids
– Pepto Bismol, Rolaids, Tums, Pepcid AC
• Laxatives
- E-Lax, Correctol
• Analgesics (an-el-gee-zics)
– Tylenol, Motrin
 OTC drugs must be approved by the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA mandates that OTC drugs
have:
1. Labels with detailed information
2. Name of product
3. Amount in package
4. Active ingredient (main ingredient)
5. Inactive ingredients (all other ingredients)
The FDA mandates that OTC drugs
have:
6. Purpose of drug
 Example= suppress your cough, reduce
fever, etc.
7. Directions for safe use
 Example= Age guidelines for dosage, etc.
The FDA mandates that OTC drugs
have:
8. Cautions (may be listed as “Warnings”)
 For certain groups (pregnant, nursing,
heart conditions, high blood pressure, etc)
9. Side effects (may be listed as “When using
this product” OR “Stop using if you
experience…”
 Examples = headaches, diarrhea,
constipation, dizziness, etc.
The FDA mandates that OTC drugs
have:
10. Date after which product should not be
used (expiration date)
11. Name and address of manufacturer
The FDA also makes sure that OTC
drugs and Rx drugs:
1. Are safe and effective
-They do what they say they will do
2. What is stated on the label is actually what
is in the bottle
When using an OTC drug you, as an
informed consumer must do the
following:
1. Read the label!
2. Take the dosage indicated
 For your age group
 Amount – ml/teaspoons if liquid, number of
tablets
3. Use correctly, follow directions
 EX: take w/food, time of day etc.
4. Stop use if experience side effects
5. Check expiration dates
 Expired medicines may:
 Not work
 Change to a different/dangerous substance
6. Check with doctor or pharmacist if taking OTC while
using another OTC or Rx drug.
 (Combining drugs can be life threatening and
remember alcohol is a drug also!)
7. Do not use if tamper resistant seal is broken
As an informed consumer, you should
know:
 Supplements - are NOT approved by the FDA.
 The FDA does not review these products.
There is no way to know if what is on the
label is what the company actually puts in the
bottle- be careful!
Video Clips
 OTC
Misusehttps:/www.youtube.comwatchv=L2IsRoDII60&index=8&lis
t=PL2taxL4QjxpR3AxjUXqVwlhL5-x0RL9mN
 OTC
Abusehttps://www.youtube.com/watch=mfUUXMocTYc&list=PL2
taxL4QjxpR3AxjUXqVwlhL5-x0RL9mN&index=11
 Legal but
Dangeroushttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pazdVN-4V6Q
 Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9oj3E-NPtI
Supplements
What is it?
 Any product intended to supplement the
diet that contains 1 or more of the
following:
 Vitamin, mineral, protein or amino acid
Supplements
 Intended for ingestion in pill, capsule, tablet, or
liquid form.
 Not used as food or as only item of meal or diet
Dietary Supplements Health &
Education Act of 1994
 FDA can NOT test them!
 FDA can NOT set cleanliness or sanitation
standards
 Manufacturers do NOT have to give FDA any
information on the product before it is
marketed!
 Do NOT have to prove that it is safe or
effective!
Dietary Supplements Health &
Education Act of 1994
 Before the product can be removed from
market it must be proven that is harming people
‘Let the Buyer Beware’
 “Proprietary Blend” = ingredients do NOT
have to be given in order, and they do not
have to list the ingredients.
• If you see this on a product- do NOT buy
it!!
Vitamins
Vitamins
 Categorized as Supplements
 Not evaluated by FDA
 Can contain harmful amounts of substances
More is better, right?
 No!
 Do NOT need % over 100, on ANY vitamin.
 You get vitamins through the food that
you eat.
Types of Vitamins
 Fat soluble vitamins
 Water soluble vitamins
Fat soluble vitamins
 Vitamins (K, A, D, E) are stored in our bodys
fat cells
 Too much of fat soluble vitamin can be
toxic!
Water soluble vitamins
 Water soluble vitamins are flushed out of the body
through the excretory system (urine)
 You do not need an excess of these vitamins (such
as B and C) because most of the excess will be
excreted, NOT stored in the body for later use.
How to chose the BEST vitamins
 1) Look for the supplement Facts- check for
percentages of 100 or lower ( more is NOT
better).
 2) Look for the USP (United States
Pharmaceutical) statement.
“This product is formulated per official USP
standards to meet quality, potency and
disintegration or dissolution requirements.”
USP
 USP is an individual company that tests
purity and potency of voluntary companies.
This ensures that what is on the label is
what is actually in the bottle!
Nutrition
/Drug facts
•Approved by FDA
•What is on the label
is TRUE
•All ingredients are
tested and in true order
by quantity
•Safe and effective
vs.
Supplement
Facts
•NOT approved by FDA
•What is on label may NOT
be true
•Some ingredients may be
missing from label - or
placed in wrong order by
quantity
Energy Drinks
Stimulants SIMILAR to caffeine
 Ephedra
 Ephedrine
 Ma Huang
 All of these are ephedra, just named differently!
 These are ALL banned by the NCAA, IOC, NFL
 Banned by FDA since 2006
Substances SIMILAR to caffeine
 Ginseng
 Guarana
 Stimulant effect
 Stimulant
 Interacts with MANY drugs!
 Interactions with many
other drugs (Check with
pharmacist before
consuming if on any Rx
drug!)
 Alcohol
 Caffeine
 Insulin (diabetics are
warned against
consuming this
substance)
Substances SIMILAR to caffeine
 Taurine
 Thought to be a stimulant
 Studies now showing that it also has a depressant effect on
the brain – which may account for the “crash” often
experienced after consuming energy drinks!
 Dangerous – stimulant & depressant in body together can
cause heart arrhythmia (irregular heart beat =
hospitalization!)
Energy Drinks Video Clips
 5 Hour Energy Cited in 13 Deaths:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDNu6f-WlqQ
 Energy Drinks Dangerous Especially To Teens:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW4UAFoUz5o
 ESPN – Dakota Sailor:
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5730779
Marijuana
Directions!!!
 True/Myth game
 Each person will receive a statement but is not allowed
to read it!
 They are to walk around and read each others
statements silently. They are then to tell the person if
they think their statement is True or a Myth
 Students should continue to circulate until Mrs.
Gasawski has told you to stop
 Based on the feedback you were given from your
classmates, you are to sit in the allotted section of the
class depending on if you think your statement is True or
a Myth.
Marijuana has both a stimulant
effect and a depressant effect.
 TRUE
 Marijuana is a difficult drug to classify b/c
it causes heart rate and blood pressure to
increase (stimulant effect) but slows
down reflexes, thinking, etc (depressant
effect).
In some states marijuana has
been authorized for legal use
with certain medical conditions.
 True
 Doctors can give it (most often in pill
form) by prescription. Most often used to
treat nausea and vomiting that occur with
certain cancer treatments.
 Myths of Medical Marijuana:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiWpy
WsMVPg
Smoking pot is safer than smoking
cigarettes.
 False
Neither is good for you. Inhaling ANY smoke
into your lungs is unhealthy. In addition, one
marijuana joint contains four times more
carcinogens as one tobacco cigarette.
There are over 2,000 chemical
compounds in marijuana.
 True
Many people say that pot is harmless because
it’s natural. Remember: just because
something is natural, doesn’t make it safe
(tobacco, poison ivy, E.coli, etc.).
THC is the drug compound within
the marijuana plant.
 True
 THC- Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is the
active ingredient within marijuana.
THC is fat soluble – it is stored in
the fat cells of the body
 True
 THC can also be stored in the brain, lungs,
ovaries & testicles for up to 30 days
(which is why it is linked to cancer and
sterility problems).
In the 1960’s the THC in
marijuana was stronger than it is
now.
 False
 THC content is rising.
 1960’s –THC level = 1-5%
 Today- THC level = anywhere between
20% - 40%
Marijuana is not addictive.
 False
 Marijuana is addictive. More teens are in
treatment for marijuana dependence than
for all other illegal drugs combined.
 CNN “Weed” Documentary – watch (18:30-19:36), (21:0522:17), & (24:50-29:15):
http://vaccineliberationarmy.com/2014/04/29/weed-1sanjay-gupta-cnn-weed-2/
Marijuana is considered a
‘Gateway drug’.
 True
 Marijuana, along with tobacco and
alcohol, has been identified as a Gateway
Drug. This means that if any of them have
been used it is more likely that the user
will move on to use more dangerous and
addictive drugs.
Marijuana can be laced with
other drugs.
 True
• Some marijuana is laced with acid (LSD),
PCP, heroin, or even chemicals like
formaldehyde.
People who regularly get high
claim they get “the munchies”.
 True
 This does occur because THC causes a
decrease in blood sugar.
There are no long-term effects
from marijuana use.
 False - There are many
short-term and long-term
effects of using marijuana.
 Short-term:
 Short-term memory loss
 Decreases ability to
learn (THC suppresses
brain cells)
 Warped sense of time
 Increased heart rate
 Anxiety/panic reactions
 Impaired
vision/perception
 Red, bloodshot eyes
 Long-term:
 Weakened immune
system
 Lung problems
(emphysema, lung
cancer, bronchitis, etc.)
 Possible depression
 Other cancers
(testicular, etc.)
Marijuana cause amotivational
syndrome.
 True
 Over time, THC builds on a user’s brain cell membranes,
making the user unable to motivate themselves to
achieve long-term goals.
Marijuana Video Clips
 I Smoked Weed & Nobody Died:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38UeIvQ3YDY
 Flat – Anti-Pot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh8GbPnoqCI
 Cocoon – Anti-Pot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5VLk6aS2EY
 Truth About Drugs – Marijuana Clip
Stages of Addiction
Stages of Addiction – Stage 1
 Stage 1
 Curiosity
 Learn to trust/mistrust drug
 VERY important!
Stages of Addiction – Stage 2
 Stage 2
 Thinking about drugs
 Uses when alone
 Still think they are in control
Stages of addiction – Stage 3
 Stage 3




Seeks out the high
Has confidence drug will not hurt them
Peer group uses –change
Tolerance
 Resulting from the prolonged or heavy use of a drug or drug
family, alcohol tolerance refers to a progressive state where, over
time, an individual drinker will need to consume progressively
more alcohol to achieve the same "buzz". A person's sensitivity to
alcohol's effects is lowered as a result of chronic use, however, it
must be noted that while a person's sensitivity to alcohol's effects
may be decreased, his/her BAC continues to rise.
Stages of addiction - stage 4
 Stage 4
 Can no longer get ‘high’ – take the drug to
avoid being sick
 “Why Are Drugs So Hard To Quit?”
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV6zKmt7S5E#
t=63
 “Choices Impacted By Drugs”:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pFi3qt
hHqA#t=22
“Club Drugs”
Just so you know…
“Club Drugs”
“Date rape drugs”
 Ecstasy
 GHB
 GHB
 Rohypnol
 Rohypnol
 Ketamine
 Ketamine
Ecstasy (MDMA)
 I am a synthetic (man-made) drug that is sold in pill form.
 I have stimulant (and sometimes hallucinogen) effects on
the body and can be laced with other drugs.
 I am sometimes called the “hug drug” or “Lover’s Speed”.
 I cause dehydration and trigger a thirst response in users.
 I cause a dangerous increase in body temperature.
 I cause muscle spasms (often in the jaw).
 I have been reported to cause depression and sometimes
suicide in users, especially when the effects wear off.
Video Clips
 http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/whatmolly-why-it-dangerous-n311291
 Truth About Drugs- Ecstasy
“Date Rape Drugs”
 GHB





I am a colorless liquid.
I have no odor.
I sometimes make beverages taste slightly salty.
I can cause carbonated beverages to go flat.
I also cause loss of memory, unconsciousness,
and inhibit movement.
“Date Rape Drugs”
 Rohypnol
 I am a pill that dissolves quickly in beverages.
 I am often referred to as “Roofies”
 I cause memory “blackouts” and often loss of
consciousness for those who take me.
 I inhibit movement and speech once ingested.
“Date Rape Drugs”
 Ketamine
I am in liquid, pill or powder form.
I am sometimes used as a veterinary tranquilizer.
I can cause users to hallucinate.
I can cause breathing problems and
unconsciousness.
 Wild Bill Stanton: “Watching Your Back”
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2udrpuNxcm
M




Safety Rules
 1. Do NOT take drinks (of any kind) from a stranger!
 2. Do NOT leave your drink unattended!
 3. Don’t drink from open containers (punch bowls),
especially at gatherings where you do not know many
people.
 4. Open all drinks (cans, bottles) yourself.
 5. Do NOT consume drinks that taste salty or soda
that is flat.
If you think you’ve been drugged
 1. Call 911, the sooner a victim gets help the
better the chance of living.
 2. Inform the ER doctor that you think you may
have been drugged!
 3. Ask for a urine test. Many blood tests will miss
some of the drugs (including GHB), but it will show
up in urine.
 4. If you think you have been raped, do NOT
shower! This will wash away valuable evidence
(DNA from hair, sperm, etc.)