Chapter 14 Lesson 4: Speaking Out Against Drugs

Drugs are chemicals that cause a specific reaction in the body.  Legal drugs are used for medical purposes and carefully supervised by a doctor.  Illegal drugs, however, can cause dangerous side effects and contain poisonous substances.  And, because they are not monitored by doctors, users run the risk of damaging their bodies or dying.  On the Web site below, you will learn about some of the most common illegal drugs and why they are so dangerous.

Link to explore: NIDA for Teens:
http://teens.drugabuse.gov/mom/index.asp

Directions

• Start at the NIDA for Teens Web site.
• Click on the “Hallucinogens” and “Inhalants” sections.
• Take notes as you read.  When you are done reading, answer the questions below.
• Finally, using the information from the link, create a one-line slogan (for example: You Lose if You Choose to Use) that can be made into a bumper sticker, flyer, or poster that states your stand against drugs.

Questions

1. How can long-term inhalant use affect the functions of the brain?

2. What happens to the heart when butane gas is inhaled?

3. How does the brain respond to hallucinogens?

4. How does LSD cause its effects?

5. What is Ecstasy and what are its physical effects?

Answers

1. Long-term use of inhalants can slow or stop nerve cell activity in the parts of the brain that control complex problem-solving and planning ahead, movement and coordination, and memory.

2. Butane makes the heart extra sensitive to noradrenalin, a chemical that carries messages from the nervous system to the heart. This chemical causes the heart to beat faster in a stressful situation. If the heart becomes too sensitive to noradrenalin, a normal amount of it may cause the heart to temporarily lose its rhythm and stop pumping blood through the body.

3. Hallucinogens cause people to have imagined experiences that seem real. Since hallucinogens affect the way the five senses work, people who use these drugs may have a hard time concentrating, communicating, or telling the difference between reality and illusion.

4. LSD causes its effects mainly by activating one type of receptor for serotonin. Ecstasy is a synthetic stimulant that can cause muscle tension, clenching of teeth, nausea, blurred vision, fainting, and chills or sweating, as well as increase heart rate and blood pressure.

5. Ecstasy is a synthetic stimulant that can cause muscle tension, clenching of teeth, nausea, blurred vision, fainting, and chills or sweating, as well as increase heart rate and blood pressure.

Additional Resources for Teachers

Below are some additional resources on the wide range of illegal drugs that teens should know about.

1. NIDA:
   http://www.nida.nih.gov/
2. Free Vibe:
   http://www.freevibe.com/
3. American Council for Drug Education:
   http://www.acde.org/youth/Default.htm
4. Drug Free Arizona:
   http://www.drugfreeaz.com/audience/teens.html
5. DARE:
   http://www.dare.com/home/default.asp

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