Alcohol / Tobacco and other Drugs

Page 2:

• Teenagers need to know:

  • The correct information about drugs, and that adults simply saying “DON’T DO DRUGS THEY ARE BAD” probably will not work.

  • The different types of drugs and how they will affect the body short term and long term

  • Which drugs are legal / illegal, and the legal consequences that come from it

  • How to safely participate in recreational alcohol / tobacco / drug use, and the risks associated with it

  • How to create a safety plan when smoking marijuana or drinking alcohol so they are safe and prevent unwanted / unsafe situations

  • The peer pressure that can happen with drugs, and the refusal skills needed to say no

  • Drugs are not all bad and some are crucial for people’s well being

  • The power that addiction can hold over people and how to avoid it in their lives.

Page 3:

• Categories of Substances:

  • Stimulants

  • Depressants

  • Opioids

  • Hallucinogens

  • Cannabis / Marijuana

  • Tobacco (cigarettes)

Page 4:

1. Stimulants:

   • Speed up the central nervous system.

   • Feeling of your body speeding up and getting a boost of energy.

   • Examples: Cocaine, caffeine, meth

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2. Depressants:

   • Process of slowing down the central nervous system.

   • Feeling of relaxing or your body slowing down and having slow reaction time.

   • Usually come in the form of pills.

   • Example: Alcohol, Xanax (sleeping pill)

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3. Opioids:

   • Powerful painkillers that come from the opium plant.

   • They target the brain to help with pain relief (lowers your pain receptors).

   • Often comes in pill form.

   • Examples: Heroin, morphine, opium

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4. Hallucinogens:

   • A psychoactive drug that disrupts brain activity and alters states of consciousness (heightens senses and causes hallucinations).

   • Come in pills, or sheets of paper, or mushrooms.

   • Examples: Mushrooms (magic), LSD (acid), MDMA (ecstasy)

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5. Marijuana / Cannabis:

   • Acts as a depressant, hallucinogen (to a lesser degree) and even stimulant as it affects people differently.

   • Best known for relaxing people and making them calm.

   • Known to help people with extreme social anxiety.

   • Can come in a joint or edible foods.

   • Examples: Joint (smoked), food (ingested), oil (put on skin), etc.

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6. Tobacco (cigarettes):

   • Acts as a stimulant, and contains nicotine which makes it addictive.

   • Contains many different chemicals and a lot are harmful to the body.

   • Reduces the level of oxygen in the bloodstream.

   • Examples: Cigarettes, cigars, or e-cigarettes.

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• Legal:

  • Legal (with age)

  • Illegal

  • Examples: Caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, LSD (acid), MDMA (ecstasy), ketamine, vape, magic mushrooms (in discussion), crystal meth

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• Effects on Physical Social and Mental Health:

  • Physical:

    • Overdose (can happen during the first time of trying), short term and long term effects

  • Social:

    • May lose relationships with loved ones who do not value drug use and who are drug free.

    • May lose jobs because of drug dependence / addiction.

  • Mental:

    • Alter the way you think and reason.

    • For example, alcohol lowers your nervous system speed making it harder to make good decisions.

Page 14:

• Fentanyl:

  • Powerful opioid that is much more powerful than heroin or morphine.

  • 20 to 40 times more powerful than heroin.

  • 100 times more powerful than morphine.

  • Marijuana and MDMA (ecstasy) can often be laced (combined) with fentanyl, and that can lead to accidental overdose.

Page 15:

• 4 Phases of Addiction:

  1. Tolerance - the body becomes accustomed to the drug, so the person needs to take more of the drug to feel the effects.

  2. Psychological Dependence - After time, the user feels they need to use this in order to feel good and / or function normally.

  3. Physiological Dependence - the user develops a chemical need for the drug. If they do not have it, they will suffer withdrawal symptoms.

  4. Addiction - A psychological or physiological dependence on a drug. An addict will continue to use the drug compulsively and regularly even if they know it will cause them harm.

Page 17:

• Individual and Family Consequences:

  • Individual:

    • Lowers inhibitions which can lead to unhealthy situations like unprotected sex or violence.

    • Increase in violence, crime, and possibility of death.

  • Family:

    • Medical costs, legal costs, may completely disassociate with the family.

    • May not pursue goals you and your family have decided on before the drug use.

Page 18:

• Reasons why people drink:

  • To celebrate

  • To be social

  • To let loose

  • Have a good time

  • Lower inhibitions

  • Feel less nervous and less anxious

  • Relax / unwind

  • Like the taste

  • Like the way getting buzzed makes them feel

  • Feeling of being invincible

Page 19:

• Types of Alcohol:

  • Beer (5%)

  • Wine (10-15%)

  • Spirits (30-40%)

  • 1 drink is equal to 1 beer, 1 glass (100 ml) of wine, or 1 shot of a spirit.

Page 21:

• BAC Levels and behavior associated with it:

  • .05 - impaired judgement / lower inhibitions

  • .10 - .12 - Slurred speech, impaired balance and coordination, unstable emotions, possible nausea and vomiting

  • .40 - Cannot control your bladder, cannot walk without assistance, possible coma or even death

Page 22:

• Words associated with alcohol:

  • Buzz

  • Tipsy

  • Binge drinking

  • Drunk

  • Intoxicated

  • Blacked Out

  • Drunk driving

  • Designated driver

Page 23:

• Getting "Roofied" - Rohypnol:

  • Rohypnol, or a "roofie" is a depressant that can severely slow down the nervous system, often causing people to pass out quickly.

  • It is normally snuck into people’s drinks at parties, so people can be taken advantage of.

Page 24:

• Alcohol - Short Term Consequences:

  • Someone can put something into your drink. "Spike" your drink. These drugs can sedate you, and put you in a state where you can pass out.

  • You can get taken advantage of. People can steal from you, you can forget things easily, etc.

  • Behavior - You will not be able to control your own behavior, meaning there is a high chance of doing something you normally wouldn’t.

  • Unsafe situations - When you are not thinking straight, you may put yourself in an unsafe environment, which can have very negative effects.

Page 25: Alcohol - Long Term Consequences

• Addiction to alcohol is a real thing

• Weight gain is a consequence of regular drinking

• Drinking can get in the way of your goals or ambitions

• Drinking and driving is dangerous and can lead to accidents

• Alcohol consumption can cause brain and liver damage

Page 26: Drinking Safety Plan - How to be safe when drinking in public

• Always keep your drink with you and don't accept drinks from strangers

• Stay with your friends to avoid being taken advantage of

• Go and leave with the same group of people to avoid being left alone while intoxicated

• Know your limits to avoid doing something you regret or losing control of your behavior

• Make sure someone trusted knows where you are going in case something goes wrong

Page 27: Alcohol Poisoning - CORRECTION

• When you see your friend showing signs of alcohol poisoning, call 1669 and the friend's parents

• It doesn't matter if your friend says not to tell their parents, it's important to seek help

Page 28: Lesson 5 - Tobacco

• There are no safe smoking options

• Damage done to lungs from smoke is reversible and lungs can recover quickly after quitting

• Vaping is less harmful than cigarettes but still harmful to the body

• Vaping has fewer harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes

• Cigarettes contain 70 carcinogens (chemicals that cause cancer)

Page 29: Short Term Consequences of Smoking

• Nicotine addiction leads to changes in brain chemistry and withdrawal symptoms

• Sense of taste is dulled and appetite decreases

• Respiration and heart rate increase, making breathing during physical activity difficult

• Second-hand smoke can cause lung damage in people regularly exposed to it

Page 30: Long Term Diseases caused by Smoking

• Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, with a low survival rate

• COPD is a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe and requires constant oxygen use

• Smoking increases the risk of stroke by causing blockages in blood flow

Page 31: Simulating Addiction

• The tower activity simulates addiction, showing how hard it is to quit when addicted

• Addiction changes the brain and draws people back to the substance they are addicted to

Page 32: Reasons for Smoking Weed

• Smoking weed can make people feel relaxed, help with sleep, ease stress and anxiety

• It can be a social activity and provide new perspectives, allowing people to zone out

Page 33: Benefits of Marijuana

• Marijuana can help with mental disabilities like anxiety and depression

• It can also provide relief for physical problems such as chronic pain, cancer, muscle spasms, epilepsy, and arthritis

Page 34: Myth or Reality about Marijuana

• Marijuana can lead to addiction and heavy users experience withdrawal symptoms

• While some people may feel relaxed, research shows a link between violent behavior and frequent marijuana use

• Chronic marijuana use can have long-term effects on memory and neuron loss in the hippocampus

Page 35: Takeaways about Marijuana

• Marijuana affects people differently, so the response is unpredictable

• It has both positive and negative side effects that should be considered before use

• Marijuana is particularly dangerous for a teenager's brain as it is still developing

• Although not as addictive as tobacco and other drugs, it can still lead to addiction

• Marijuana can cause short and long-term memory loss

Page 36: Happy Hormones - Natural Ways to Feel Them

• Endorphins can be released by doing things you enjoy, meditation, eating chocolate, sunlight, laughter, and random acts of kindness

• Dopamine can be increased through good sleep, eating favorite foods, being in the sun, exercising, meditation, and listening to music