Learn: Comprehensive Drug Use and Addiction: Biological, Social, and Legal Perspectives

Why is drug consumption considered an equal-opportunity affliction?

Drug use can affect people from many different backgrounds, social classes, ages, and genders.

What age group has the highest concentration of illicit drug users?

Young adults, especially people in their late teens and 20s.

What is the relationship between drugs, crime, and violence?

Alcohol and drug use are associated with a large amount of crime and violence.

What percentage of all crimes are related to alcohol and/or drug use?

About 80%.

What factors can affect how a user experiences a drug?

Biological, cultural, social, and contextual factors.

Who has a lower rate of drug use, men or women?

Women.

True or False: Most young drug users come from homes where drugs are liberally used.

False.

True or False: The United States incarcerates more people for drug offenses than any other country.

True.

What are illicit and licit drugs?

Illicit drugs are illegal drugs; licit drugs are legal drugs.

What is the difference between synthetic and naturally derived drugs?

Synthetic drugs are made in a laboratory; naturally derived drugs come from natural sources.

What were the two most commonly used illicit drugs in the past year?

Marijuana and prescription drug misuse.

Which drugs are more difficult for the body to process, synthetic or naturally derived?

Synthetic drugs.

Are drugs more potent now or were they more potent 30 years ago?

Drugs are generally more potent now.

What are the major trends in drug use?

Drugs are becoming more potent, drug use has increased among adults age 40 and older, adolescent drug use has declined, and overdose deaths increased sharply beginning around 2000.

Which neurotransmitter is associated with pleasure centers in the brain and most drug use?

Dopamine.

What is tolerance?

Tolerance is when a person needs more of a drug to get the same effect over time.

What is comorbidity?

Comorbidity means having two or more disorders or conditions at the same time.

What is dual diagnosis?

Dual diagnosis is when a person has both a substance use disorder and another mental health disorder.

What is self-medication?

Self-medication is using a drug to cope with negative emotional or psychological feelings.

What is amotivational syndrome?

A pattern associated with chronic substance use involving decreased motivation and interest in normal activities.

Approximately what percentage of a person's risk for becoming dependent upon a drug is based upon genetics?

About 50%.

What biological, psychological, and social factors are associated with substance use?

Biological factors include genetics and brain chemistry; psychological factors include anxiety and beliefs about drugs; social factors include peer influence and family problems.

What is the primary motivation among teens to use substances?

To forget their troubles.

What are protective social factors that prevent drug use in teens?

Strong parent-child bonds, parental involvement, clear limits, and practicing how to say no.

What are signs of drug use among teens?

Red or watery eyes, moodiness, changes in schoolwork, and changes in appearance.

What is the relationship between divorce and substance use in teens?

Teens whose parents divorce tend to have more drug use and related problems.

What are the 11 criteria for Substance Use Disorder?

1. Taking the substance in larger amounts or longer than intended. 2. Persistent desire or unsuccessful attempts to cut down. 3. Spending a lot of time obtaining, using, or recovering from the substance. 4. Craving. 5. Recurrent use causing failure to fulfill major responsibilities. 6. Continued use despite social or interpersonal problems. 7. Recurrent use in physically dangerous situations. 8. Giving up important activities. 9. Continuing use despite knowing it is causing problems. 10. Tolerance. 11. Withdrawal.

Which Substance Use Disorder criteria does Maria meet?

Maria meets all 11 criteria.

What severity of alcohol use disorder would Maria be classified as?

Severe alcohol use disorder because she meets 6 or more criteria.

What was the purpose of the Controlled Substance Act?

It established a system for classifying controlled substances based on their abuse potential and clinical usefulness.

Are alcohol and tobacco considered controlled substances?

No, they are not controlled substances under the Controlled Substance Act.

What agencies monitor alcohol?

The ATF and TTB monitor alcohol production, distribution, and sale.

What is the difference between supply reduction and demand reduction?

Supply reduction attempts to reduce the availability of illegal drugs; demand reduction attempts to reduce people's desire to use drugs.

What does interdiction mean?

Interdiction means stopping, removing, or destroying illegal drugs or their precursors.

What are examples of interdiction?

Traffic stops, border control, surveillance, crop eradication, and increased penalties for drug trafficking.

What was the CMEA and what were its effects?

The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 restricted access to pseudoephedrine, reducing domestic meth labs.

What are different demand reduction strategies?

Youth prevention, drug education, psychological treatment, and medication-assisted treatment.

What are drug and OWI treatment courts?

Specialty courts that divert eligible nonviolent offenders with substance use disorders into treatment.

Why are UAs preferred over blood analyses for forensic drug testing?

Urine analyses are less invasive, less expensive, and detect drugs longer than blood.

What are the requirements for UAs to be effective?

Frequent, random, and supervised.

What are problems with hair specimen tests?

They may not detect recent drug use, can be expensive, and results can be difficult to interpret.

How do drug patches work?

They continuously collect sweat to detect drugs excreted through perspiration.

What is SCRAM?

SCRAM stands for Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring.

What are pros of drug legalization?

Decreased violent crime, reduced prison populations, increased tax revenue.

What are cons of drug legalization?

Increased availability and use, possible increases in crime, more public drug use.

What is the difference between drug legalization and decriminalization?

Decriminalization removes penalties while legalization makes the activity legal.

What happened with drug decriminalization in Portland?

In 2020, possession of small amounts of drugs was decriminalized, allowing a $100 ticket instead of criminal penalties.

What is a dose-response curve?

It shows the relationship between the amount of a drug given and the effect it produces.

What is toxicity?

The ability of a drug to cause harmful effects on the body.

What is synergism?

When one drug enhances the effects of another drug.

What is situational or conditioned tolerance?

Tolerance that develops in a specific environment or situation.

What is behavioral compensation?

Skills or behaviors developed to function while under the influence of a drug.

What is reverse tolerance?

When a person experiences the same effect from a smaller dose.

What is cross tolerance?

Tolerance to one drug that also produces tolerance to another similar drug.

What is potency?

How much of a drug is needed to produce a particular effect.

What is a drug interaction?

When one drug changes the effects of another drug.

What is pharmacokinetics?

The study of how drugs are distributed and concentrated in the body.

What is a drug's half-life?

The time it takes the body to eliminate or metabolize half of a drug dose.

What factors affect a person's tolerance to a drug?

Genetics, frequency of use, dosage, type of drug, stomach contents, weight, health, and age.

What is the order of routes of administration from fastest to slowest?

Inhalation/smoking → intravenous (IV) → transrectal → intranasal/snorting → sublingual → oral.

Which organ systems metabolize drugs?

The liver and kidneys.