People use other illicit drugs. We can consider the different groups of drugs based on the type of effect they have on a person or how people use them. Depressants are drugs that act by slowing the action of the central nervous system. These include pain killers and tranquilizers, many […]
Student learning outcome 4 – Drug use and abuse
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For about 20 years, the US has been struggling with rising rates of use for particular types of drugs – opioids. These drugs interact with opioid receptors in the brain and include prescription pain medications and illegal drugs like heroin. In particular, one of the dangerous possible affects of opioid […]
People can abuse drugs when they overuse them, often to the point of various negative consequences. They may start to feel withdrawal symptoms when they stop using the drug – mental, emotional or physical effects that happen because your brain has adapted to having the drug. It is also possible […]
One common illicit drug is marijuana, which are dried parts of the plant Cannibis sativa or Cannibis indica. The main psycho-active ingredient in this plant is THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. Many people either smoke or use vaporizers when using this drug. People can also mix the plant into food (commonly called […]
Tobacco is a plant that has a long history of cultivation in North America. It was a very important crop for the Native Americans, and eventually became a cornerstone of economic development in the United States. The drug in tobacco that makes it addictive is nicotine. It is a mild […]
A legal recreational drug that some people enjoy is alcohol (or ethyl alcohol, ethanol). Most people over the age of 18 have tried alcohol at one time point in their lives, and a little over half say they’ve drank in the past month. Read more here – https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-facts-and-statistics. The legal […]
A drug is a substance that causes changes in the chemical and biological processes in the body. This is a very general term, and thus, drugs can fit into several categories, both beneficial and harmful to human health. Medicine is defined as a drug that is meant to prevent, diagnose, […]
Products like vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, fats, and others are often sold in pharmacies and specialized stores. These products are often labeled as dietary supplements – https://nccih.nih.gov/health/supplements . Do you need to take these for your health? Your doctor may have recommended that you take a particular supplement, like Vitamin […]
