FRSC chapter 12- intro to drugs/drug dependence

A drug can be defined as a

a natural or synthetic substance that is used to produce physiological or psychological effects in humans or other higher order animals

rugs mean something different to

each person

today _ Americans drink alcohol regularly

90 million

_ of Americans are addicted or have severe problems in coping with their drinking habits

10 million

Drug use has grown from a problem generally associated with members of the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder to one that

cuts across all social and ethnic classes of society

more than _ of the evidence evaluated in crime laboratories is drug related

75 percent

The early laws in the 20th century were aimed primarily at controlling

opium and its derivatives, cocaine, and later marijuana

Dependence on drugs exists in numerous patterns and in all degrees of intensity, depending on

the nature of the drug, the route of administration, the dose, the frequency of administration, and the individual's rate of metabolism

_ are all major nondrug determinants of drug dependence

The personal characteristics of the user, the user's expectations about the drug experience, society's attitudes and possible responses, and the setting in which the drug is used

the nature and significance of drug dependence must be considered from two overlapping points of view:

the interaction of the drug with the individual and the drug's impact on society

It will be useful when discussing the nature of the drug experience to approach the problem from two distinctly different aspects of human behavior:

psychological dependence and physical dependence.

The common denominator that characterizes all types of repeated drug use is the creation of a

psychological dependence for continued use of the drug

Psychological needs for drugs arise from

numerous personal and social factors that stem from the individual's desire to create a sense of well-being and to escape from reality

In some cases, the individual may be seeking psychological relief from

personal problems or stressful situations, or they may be trying to sustain a physical and emotional state that permits an improved level of performance

the underlying psychological needs and the desire to fulfill them create a

conditioned pattern of drug use

The intensity of the psychological dependence associated with a drug's use is difficult to

define and largely depends on the nature of the drug used

For drugs such as _, _, _, _, and _, continued use is likely to result in a high degree of involvement

alcohol, heroin, amphetamines, barbiturates, and cocaine

other drugs, such as _ and _, appear to have a considerably lower potential for the development of psychological dependence

marijuana, codeine

certain drugs, when taken in sufficient doses and frequency, are capable of producing

physiological changes that encourage their continued use

The desire to avoid this _ ultimately causes physical dependence, or addiction

withdrawal sickness or abstinence syndrome

Drugs such as _, _, and _ create strong anxieties when their repeated use is discontinued; however, no medical evidence attributes these discomforts to physiological reactions that accompany withdrawal sickness

marijuana, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and cocaine

On the other hand, use of _, _, and _ can result in development of physical dependency

alcohol, heroin, barbiturates

Physical dependency develops only when the drug user adheres to a

a regular schedule of drug intake; that is, the interval between doses must be short enough so that the effects of the drug never wear off completely

The social impact of drug dependence is directly related to

the extent to which the user has become preoccupied with the drug

_, _, and _ may all suffer as the drug-seeking behavior increases in frequency and intensity and dominates the individual's life

Personal health, economic relationships, and family obligations

The extreme of drug dependence may lead to behavior that has serious implications for the

public's safety, health, and welfare