What Happens If I Smoke, Chew Tobacco, Drink or Do Drugs???

1
What Happens If I Smoke, Chew Tobacco, Drink or
Do Drugs???

• Self-Care
• Skill Seven

2
Overview

• There are many types of drugs.
• There are legal drugs or over-the-counter drugs.
• There are illegal drugs that you are not supposed
  to use, buy, or sell.

3
Prescription Drugs

• Prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs are
  meant to heal.
• They must be used correctly.
• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decides
  that these drugs are safe

4
Herbal Medications

• Herbal medicines are considered drugs.
• They are not regulated by the FDA.
• If the creators of an herbal supplement make a
  health claim about it, the label must say that
  the FDA has not evaluated its safety.
• However, because all plants contain chemicals,
  they should be used carefully.

5
Nicotine

• The nicotine found in tobacco is considered a
  drug.
• It is addictive, making the smoker crave a
  cigarette.
• Smoking, though, is hazardous and can cause
  numerous health problems to both smokers and
  nonsmokers.

6
Alcohol

• Alcohol is also considered a drug.
• Even though it is heavily promoted for
  relaxation, excessive use can cause health
  problems.
• It is a factor in more than half of all
  accidental deaths.
• People who become physically and psychologically
  dependent on it suffer from a disease called
  alcoholism.
• It is illegal to drink alcohol if you are under
  21 years of age.

7
Marijuana

• Marijuana is a drug that alters a person's mind.
• It is illegal.
• Some people feel relaxed, but some become very
  anxious when using it.
• For any user, it alters reaction time, thinking,
  and coordination.

8
Cocaine/Crack

• Cocaine/crack are also illegal drugs.
• They are a stimulant.
• They are highly addictive.
• The initial feeling a user experiences is
  excitement, but then the user feels anxious and
  depressed.
• Cocaine/crack can increase blood pressure to a
  dangerous level.

9
Hallucinogens

• Hallucinogens are drugs that cause hallucinations
  or sights and sounds that aren't really there.
• Users sometimes react violently to scary
  hallucinations.
• LSD and angel dust are examples of hallucinogens,
  and they are illegal.

10
Opiates

• Drugs made from opium are considered narcotics.
• The ones doctors prescribe for severe pain are
  legal, but should be used carefully by following
  the doctor's strict orders.
• Most, such as heroin, are illegal. They are very
  addictive and too much can be fatal.
• An additional risk to heroin users is AIDS as a
  result of shared needles by users.

11
Designer Drugs

• There is an additional group of drugs known as
  designer drugs.
• People make changes to certain drugs that already
  exist, thereby making them designer drugs.

12
Drug Users versus Drug Abusers

• Now you know there are many types of drugs.
• So what constitutes the difference between a drug
  user and a drug abuser?
• A drug user has a medical reason to take a drug,
  gets the drug legally, and follows directions to
  use it.
• A drug abuser is not relieving a medical ailment.
  
• The drug abuser uses drugs to fit in, escape
  problems, or for a temporary rush.
• Very often the drug abuser gets the drug
  illegally.

13
How does a person become a drug abuser?

• Many times a teenager will start with nicotine,
  alcohol, and marijuana.
• Because these are usually a user's first drugs,
  they are called gateway drugs.
• Many times teenagers begin to use these drugs
  because of peer pressure and they don't
  understand how addictive, or dependency forming,
  these drugs can be.
• If they can't break the habit and are using drugs
  for non-medical reasons, they are considered drug
  abusers.

14
Helping a Drug Abuser

• Drug abusers need help.
• They must admit they have a problem and get
  professional help.
• Getting off drugs is very problematic because of
  withdrawal symptoms.
• Recovering addicts could teach us a very
  important lesson.
• It is easier to never have started taking drugs
  in the first place.