Drug - Europe Teen Challenge Web viewThe drug experimenter has become the drug ... psychedelic (Mind-altering drugs ... A strong faith in God’s Word and in the power of Jesus Christ

Copyright © 2017 EUROPE TEEN CHALLENGE. All Rights Reserved.

Drug

Education

By Dr. DeVore Walterman

Introduction

Drugs, in one form or another, have been around for centuries – leaving their mark on virtually every society. As far back as 5000 B.C., the Sumarians were using opium and records show the Chinese were using marijuana in 2737 B.C. The Sumarians also began producing wine on the Mesopotamian Plain in 6000 B.C.

The current drug culture began in the United States in the 1960’s and then spread to Europe. Although drugs and their uses in the Western world have changed since then, they have never ceased to be a part of the culture.

What began casually is now an invasion that has gathered momentum and threatens our entire society. No longer is drug use limited to the poor and uneducated. We are in the chemical age where man uses plants and manufactured substitutes to solve problems, increase pleasure and decrease pain.

However, history is not just repeating itself. While we have been told mankind has always sought relief from pain and searched for things to produce pleasurable feelings, it is feared that now we have gone too far. The drug experimenter has become the drug abuser and finally, the drug addict.

Often, it is difficult for many to admit addiction. They have convinced themselves that someone else, not they, are the addicts. For example, the alcoholic does not feel justifiably -------------------?

Drugs are big business. So big, in fact, that recent figures indicate the sale of cocaine produces the highest single-product income in the United States – approximately $70 million profit yearly. Marijuana comes in second, producing an income of approximately $40 million per year. And the promoters of drug use care little about the health of the user. The big money to be made in the drug industry is what they want.

This drug information, then, is important in order to help the person who has become trapped by drugs. The student can learn the characteristics of the various substances, to


recognize the symptoms associated with each drug, to recognize both the physical and psychological effects on the user, and to understand the causes and reasons for drug use. However, besides just head knowledge, a person needs a compassionate concern for addicts and a skilled ability to take them from use of a life-controlling substance into a new lifestyle in Jesus Christ.

Categories of Drugs

Drugs are often placed in one of three categories: stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens. In addition to these three categories, we will also consider opiates, alcohol, tobacco, and other abused substances.

Opiates – Narcotics

The term “opiates” refers to opium and its derivatives – morphine, heroin and codeine.

The source of the opiates is the opium poppy plant found in such areas as the Golden Triangle (Burma, Laos Cambodia, Turkey, China, Greece, Egypt and India). The opium substance is secured from the poppy plant’s unripened pod. The seeds are then used for cooking, the leaves are used in salads, the stalks for firewood and the pods are used to feed cattle. The brown gummy base is refined into by-products which create opium-related drugs. With all opium derivatives, There is a tolerance build-up.

A. Categories of Opiates

1. Opium

2. Morphine

a. Pharmacology – Morphine is a major pain reliever, and as such has medicinal value. However, it addictive qualities far outweigh its medicinal use. It is a depressant with a sedative and has relaxing effects on the body. Morphine is the first derivative of opium and is usually identified as a white powder. It also comes in tablet, liquid and tube forms. Brick morphine is known as “999.”

b. In street terms, morphine is known as “M,” “Morpho,” “Sister Morphine,” “White Stuff,” “Morphi,” “Emsel,” “Miss Emma,” and “Unkie.”

3. Heroin

Heroin is the second derivative from opium. Opium is first processed into refined morphine, which is then processed into pure heroin. The pure heroin is brought into a country and “cut” to about 50 percent of its original purity and distributed to select syndicate dealers. Following further cutting, the 5 percent pure heroin


reaches the neighborhood dealer, who in turn “cuts” his supply in half and proceeds to sell the 2.5 percent “junk” to the addict.

The average addict uses one dose per trip and some addicts may shoot heroin as many as 12 times per day. Thus, obtaining the money to support such a costly habit makes heroin a leading cause for crime. When high the addict is usually sedate and not dangerous. However, the physical craving for the drug leads the addict to act irrationally and often dangerously.

4. Codeine -- Methylmorphine

Codeine is widely used to control severe coughing and for the relief of pain. It, too, is addictive, but not to the extent of morphine and heroin. It is also less potent in creating an euphoric state. Withdrawal symptoms are less severe than those experienced with heroin withdrawal.

5. White China

6. Angel Dust (also a hallucinogen)

B. Opium derivatives and synthetic narcotics

There are more than 125 other medications in which morphine is used as a base. Among the more common are merperdine, ipecas, paragoric, percodan, and hydromorphine (which is a semi-synthetic preparation). These derivatives are made from opium extracts.

The physical and psychological effects of synthetic opiates are similar to those of the direct derivatives of opium, although some are not as potent.

1. Hydromorphine (synthetic codeine)

2. Methadone (Dolophine) – is presently used in clinical treatment of the heroin addict in hopes of curbing the physical desire for further use of heroin. However, methadone is an addictive drug which created certain side effects, including pain in the bones.

3. Merperidine (Demerol)

4. Piminodine (Alvodine)

5. Hydromorphine (Dilaudid)

C. Reasons for opiate use

1. Following the use of other drugs, it is easy to move up the “ultimate high.”


2. There is a quick, euphoric feeling with opiates.

3. Opiates provide peer acceptance.

4. Opiates provide relief of pain.

D. Methods of opiate use

Opium and its derivatives can be used in a variety of ways. They can be smoked, chewed, sniffed, injected or ingested.

E. User symptoms

There are several symptoms that will identify the user of opium and opium derivatives. The user may:

- Exhibit a stupor or drowsiness- Be a loner- Have needle marks on his body- Have a runny nose and watery eyes- Have blood stains on his clothing- Display a loss of appetite- Carry an opium pipe, hypodermic needle or syringe, a cotton wad, a belt or other

items that can be used for a tourniquet, burned bottle caps or bent spoon to be used as a “cooker,” and envelopes or balloons that contain the drugs

II. Stimulants – Amphetamines

Some stimulants, such as caffeine and cocaine, can be found in nature. Most others are artificially synthesized. Amphetamines were synthesized in 1929 in California by a pharmacologist and were recommended for nasal congestion, hay fever, colds, and upper respiratory infections.

All amphetamines are stimulants and work on the central nervous system of the body. They may be found in liquid and/or crystalline powder form, as well as in capsules, tablets or pills.

Amphetamines are not classified as addictive. There medicinal uses include: treatment of obesity; treatment of narcolepsy, which is characterized by an overwhelming desire to sleep; treatment of Parkinson’s disease; treatment of minor mental depression; and treatment of hyperactivity.

A. Categories of stimulants

1. Amphetamines


There are in excess of 70 known amphetamines, which are divided into three types: amphetamine sulfates, dextro amphetamine sulfates and methamphetamines.

a. The amphetamine user is referred to as a “bambino” or a “pill head.”

b. The user can often be identified by the following symptoms:

- Hyperactive- Heavy perspiration- Constricted pupils- Given to illusions- Talkative- Signs of milk intoxication- Nervous or paranoid- Erratic behavior and often aggressive

c. In street terms, amphetamines are also called: “ups,” “dexies,” “pep pills,” “A’s,” “bennies,” “drivers,” “cross roads,” “foodballs,” “thrill pills,” “co-pilots.”

2. Cocaine

Cocaine is derived from the coca plant, which is found primarily in South America. At least 90 percent of the coca leaves in the world come from the moist, non-arable mountain land in Peru and Bolivia. Raw leaves are soaked in various chemicals and oil. The result is a muddy-brown paste, which is purified into a so-called coca base – a dirty, white, almost odorless substance. The coca base is shipped to laboratories in Columbia for refining into cocaine.

After a kilo of 90 percent pure cocaine has been transported to another country, it is worth three times its worth when it left Columbia. Now the 90 percent pure cocaine is cut with lactose to add weight and volume. It is also cut with amphetamines, to give a cheaper high, and with procaine, which increases coke’s numbing effect. Usually, the user buys cocaine which is only 12 percent pure. Now the original kilo has a market value 25 times its original value. One ounce of cocaine on the streets usually sells for about five times the price of an ounce of gold.

a. Pharmacology

Cocaine is really a narcotic. However, unlike opium and its derivatives, cocaine is a stimulant, not a depressant. In the past, it has been used as a local


anesthetic for surgery around the mouth, nose and throat but its usage has greatly diminished because of the development of other anesthetics.

b. Methods of use

Cocaine users smoke, snort or inject the drug and it can enter the body system at any point of absorption.

The original result from sniffing takes place immediately and lasts for 30 minutes but what begins as an euphoric stimulation is followed by depression.

So euphoric is the “rush,” or sensation acquired by cocaine use, some users will go without food and sex. Cocaine is not an aphrodisiac, or sex stimulant.

Cocaine becomes more dangerous when injected. It also becomes much more dangerous when chemically converted and smoked – a process called “free basing.”

Another process, called “speedballing,” is used to increase the “kick,” or experience -- this is done by mixing cocaine and heroin. This process is known as “boy-girl” because it produces a tug-of-war in the body in which the exhilaration of the coke is undercut by the downer effect of heroin.

Once the unique state achieved by snorting cocaine loses its desired effect, users will smoke marijuana to take the edge off the yearning for the more cocaine or they will take sedative pills.

c. In street terms, cocaine is known as “coke,” “C,” “blow,” “snow,” and “toot.”

3. Methamphetamines

a. Methamphetamines can be taken orally or intravenously and include the drugs methedrine, desoxyn, and ambar.

The normal dosage of methaphetamines, taken with a doctor’s prescription, is 15 to 30 milligrams per day. However, users develop a tolerance and have been known to use from 1,000 to 5,000 milligrams a day.

b. Methamphetamine users are called “pill heads,” “speed freaks,” and “speed demons.”

c. In street terms, methamphetamines are most often called “speed.” They are also called “crank,” “crystals,” and “meth.”

4. Caffeine


Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, coca, and colas.

5. Still—2 (Spanish)

6. Bustaids (Spanish)

III. Depressants – Barbiturates

Barbiturates (sedatives) are used for relief from pain and to induce sleep, while depressants (tranquilizers) are calming agents designed to bring about a quieting effect.

A. Sedatives

Sedatives can be used to control epilepsy, to control high blood pressure, to control mental disorders, before and after surgery to stop pain, to treat hyperthyroidism, to ease pain and remove anxiety. Because barbiturates have non-analgesic properties, they are used in treating both physical and mental illnesses. When used under medical supervision, they are relatively safe and effective.

1. Sedatives are classified by duration of action and effectiveness.

a. Long acting – Phenobarbitalb. Short acting – Amytal, Nembutal and Seconalc. Ultra-short acting – Phenothal

The short-acting type is the most abused of the barbiturates.

2. Barbiturates come in various forms: powder, which can be dissolved in water, capsules, tablets, and pills.

They are also in sustained release forms such as elixirs, syrups and drops. They can b e swallowed orally, taken rectally, intramuscularly or intravenously.

3. Users are called “pillheads,” or “barbs.”

4. Street names for barbiturates are: “downs,” “barbs,” “redbirds,” “yellow jackets,” “goofballs,” “blue heavens,” “pink ladies,” “tooties,” “rainbows,” and “devil’s capsules.”

B. Tranquilizers

Tranquilizers primarily have an effect on the central nervous system, but, unlike those depressants containing barbituric acid, they do not usually cause hypnosis.


Tranquilizers are derived synthetically from chemical compounds and have similar effects as other depressants, but are less effective.

Tranquilizers are the most commonly prescribed drugs. It is also possible to become not only emotionally dependent, but physically addicted to the drug.

1. Categories of tranquilizers

a. Librium, valium, thorazine, phenothiazines, pentobital, glutethamide, metropamate, chlordiazepoxide, chloral hydrate, pallidin (Spanish), mandrax, equanil, Miltown, Noludar and Placidyl.

b. Tranquilizers are divided into two categories – major and minor. The major tranquilizers, such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine) and thioridazine (Mellaril), are used to treat conditions such as anxiety, depression, muscle spasms, headache, and alcoholism. Sometimes, minor tranquilizers are given to patients with severe chronic problems to help them adjust to other drugs.

C. Alcohol

Alcohol is, in the early stages, a stimulant. However, when its true effect sets in, it has the same characteristics as a depressant. (See section on “Alcohol”)

D. Tobacco

Tobacco, like alcohol, acts as a stimulant in the early stages. However, its tranquilizing effects place it in the depressant category as well.

Tobacco comes from a plant that is grown in the warmer climates. The leaves are cut, dried and then processed into tobacco which can be smoked, sniffed or chewed.

There are 19 toxic poisons in tobacco – the most powerful of which are nicotine and nornicotine. The amount of nicotine is determined by the way the tobacco plant has been farmed, cured and aged. Raw nicotine is a deadly poison. Other poisons include gasses, tars and resins. Some of the poisons are found in liquid state, rather than crystalline. In crystalline form, the same poisons would be as deadly as cyanide.

Reasons to smoke:

Personality of the individual Peer pressure Opinions of respected persons Adopted values from home, school, community Personal knowledge


Media advertising and programming

IV. Hallucinogens – psychedelic (Mind-altering drugs)

Hallucinogens are those drugs which produce alternations in an individual’s subjective state, affecting both perception and consciousness. This leads to hallucinations, illusions and delusions, in addition to psychotic behavior.

A. Synthetic hallucinogens

1. LSD – 25

The proper name is d-Lysergic Acid Diethylamide 25. LSD is a semi-synthetic derivative of lysergic acid, an alkaloid originally isolated from grass and the rye plant fungus and known as ergot.

LSD is the most potent of the 10 known hallucinogenic drugs and a dose as low as one microgram for each kilogram of body weight is known to produce a full eight-hour trip. The average dose from the illegal market is 50 to 150 mg; the lethal dose is considered to be 200 mg.

LSD is odorless, colorless and tasteless. The effects from its use begin about one hour after ingestion and can last up to 14 hours.

In street terms, LSD is also known as “acid,” “sugar,” “Big D,” “cubes,” “trips,” “orange sunshine,” “white lightening,” “windowpane,” “blotter,” “acid green,” “barrels,” “royal blue,” and “wedding bells.”

2. DMT

Also called “the businessman’s high,” DMT has the same effects as LSD but they are not as potent and last for shorter duration.

3. STP – Dimethoxymehyamphetamine

Sometimes called DOM, STP is known in street terms as “the peace pill,” “serenity,” or “tranquility.”

4. MDA – Methlenedioxyamphetamine

5. MMDA – Methylendiozyamphetamine

6. PCP – Phencyclidine. This is normally used as an animal tranquilizer. On the street PCP is also known as “Angel Dust.”

B. Natural hallucinogenic drugs


1. Belladonna

2. Mescaline

Mescaline is a derivative of the bottoms of the Peyote cactus, which grows most readily in Mexico and southern Texas.

Mescaline is about 800 times weaker than LSD and is usually taken in large doses of 0.5 to 0.6 grams. The tolerance build up is also slower than that of LSD.

a. Mescaline is usually ingested by chewing or brewed in a “tea.” It is frequently ground or chopped and placed in capsules and it can also be found liquified in ampules.

The trip lasts approximately 12 hours and during the first three hours, the user may experience chills, vomiting, cramps, sweating and dilated pupils.

b. Street names include “mescal buttons,” “hikori,” and “Huatari.”

3. Psilocybin

Psilocybin is known to produce intoxication, hallucinations, false courage and a false sense of security. On the streets, it is also known as the “magic mushroom.”

4. Morning Glory Seeds

The effects are the same, to a lesser degree, as the other hallcinogens.

5. Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa)

Marijuana is taken from a plant known as Cannabis Sativa L. It is a hemp plant and the stalks have often been used to make hemp rope. The plant, which is capable of growing up to 16 feet tall, can grow in almost any soil; however, certain areas of the world, such as Morocco, Panama, Mexico, and Afghanistan, produce a higher quality and potency of the plant.

a. Pharmacology

Marijuana has been used experimentally to assist in removing the pressure created by glaucoma and to lessen the vomiting


and nausea which accompany chemotherapy. However, it has been felt this is not successful and many individuals react adversely and become distressed by the “high” marijuana produces.

There are 400 known separate chemicals found in marijuana, 57 of which are cannabinoids – psychoactive substances found only in the Cannabis Sativa plant. The three most potent are: cannabinol, cannabidol, and tetrahydrol-cannabinol (THC).

The content of THC is the difference between marijuana and hashish. The THC content of hash is seven to 10 times stronger and more effective than most marijuana, although both substances contain THC. Marijuana is taken from the flowering tops of the female plant while hash is a resin substance scraped from the plant.

b. Effects

Marijuana is sometimes referred to as a “galaxy of 30 different drugs.” It is also known as “the drug of deception” because it is unpredictable. While other drugs may change moods, marijuana is a “mood enlarger.”

c. How it is used

Marijuana is most often smoked, although it can be eaten in such things as brownies, cookies and candy. Hashish is either chewed, swallowed or smoked.

d. Identifying the user

Symptoms exhibited by a marijuana user include:

Red or droopy eyes, dilated or enlarged pupils Emotional instability Erratic behavior Yellow stains on fingers Spasms Deliriums, hallucinations Irrational behavior Sudden changes in attitude, friends, clothes, hygiene habits,

school grades, and personality Alternate laughing, crying Giddiness or excessive talkativeness Paranoia


e. Users are most likely to be referred to as “pot heads,” “grasshoppers,” or “trippers.”

f. On the street, marijuana is known as “Mary Jane,” “grass,” “pot,” “Acapulco gold,” “reefers,” “joints,” weed,” “hemp,” and “locoweed.”

IV. Inhalants

Inhalants are fluids that can be inhaled or “sniffed.” These substances have the ability to evaporate rapidly or to pass off readily in the form of a vapor. They produce a feeling of intoxication. The liquid ingredient causing this effect is carbon-hydrons and includes aerosol sprays and nitrous oxide, commonly called laughing gas.

Inhalants are a short-term, “cheap” high. For example, a glue-sniffing high may last five minutes.

Substances which are inhaled include:

Glue -- Lacquer and lacquer thinner Gasoline -- Alcohol Aerosol cans -- Chloroform Lighter fluid -- Hair spray Cleaning fluid -- Marking pencil fluid Ether -- Antihistamines Paint thinner -- Amyl Nitrite

V. Other Abused Substances

A. Caffeine

Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, cocoa and in soft drinks made from the kola nut. It is also found in some commercial preparations such as aspirin and “stay awake” tablets.

Caffeine is a mild stimulant and there is a possibility of developing a mild psychological dependency.

Aspirin, APC and APC-Codeine also contain caffeine and should be used with caution. Users should watch for dangerous side effects.

B. Tea


In addition to caffeine, tea contains a substance known as theophylline. Because of its effects on the coronary artery (dilation), it affects the heart. Persons with normal metabolisms can safely use tea with no threat of addiction. Some believe, however, that a psychological dependency can develop. The average cup of tea contains approximately one and one-half grains of caffeine.

C. Coffee

Coffee is the most widely used stimulant because of the effect it has on the cortex of the brain that provides a “lift.”

The Effects of Drugs

All drugs, even legal drugs, have certain side effects on certain people. This chapter deals with the expected effects from involvement with drugs. This will also aid the person trying to help a drug addict by identifying characteristics associated with particular drugs.

There are certain hazards associated with drug use and abuse no matter what the drug or whom is taking the drug. First, there is a constant risk of the user not knowing his own body chemistry and how it will react with the drug. Secondly, there is a lack of ability by the user to analyze the potency of the drug. Thirdly, there is uncertainty about the purity of the drug.

Fourthly, the surrounding conditions under which the drugs are taken are frequently poor. Fifthly, there is an inability by the user to know his own reactions while under the influence of the drug. Finally, there is always the possibility of dangerous and severe long-range physical, mental and emotional effects from the drugs.

With all drugs, the user builds up a tolerance to the drug and must increase the intake to get the same results. This merely compounds the adverse effects of the drug.

It is important to note that many drugs, used over a long period of time, destroy brain cells. Brain cells have a specific assigned function and once they are destroyed, that function is impaired because brain cells do not regenerate.

It also is important to note that while there is mounting evidence of serious temporary and often permanent mental and physical damage from the use of drugs, not every user will experience every one of these symptoms. In fact, some users will not experience many of them. However, there is always the dangerous potential.

I. Opiates – Narcotics


A. Opium primarily affects the central nervous system. As the user develops a tolerance build-up, there is a compounding of physical effects. Opium, its derivatives, and other synthetic narcotics cause basically the same symptoms, including:

Constricted pupils -- Constipation Lack of muscle coordination -- Itching Depression of the circulatory system -- Drowsiness Hindrance of the respiratory function -- Coma Mental deterioration -- Death from overdose

B. There are also certain psychological effects that come from the use of opium and other narcotics. These include:

The “drop-out” syndrome Lethargy, loss of interest Psychological conditioning of the mind that creates life-controlling

attitudes and styles Breakdown of inhibitions

C. Heroin

Heroin will cause a brief stimulation of the central nervous system, which is followed by a depression.

Babies have been born with a heroin addiction when the drug was taken by the mother during pregnancy because it was passed through the blood stream.

1. Physical effects of heroin include:

-- Watery eyes -- Malaria-- Loss of appetite -- Running nose-- Skin eruptions -- Loss of hair-- Brain damage -- Spinal Meningitis-- Alternation of blood chemistry -- Respiratory depression-- Collapsed veins -- Damage to liver Disturbance of the “pleasure -- Speech defects (the voice

center” the brain actually takes on a Stomach and bowel different pitch)

Functions disturbed -- Hepatitis (caused by dirty Draining of the natural injection needles)-- Embolism(undissolved

materials carried by the blood and impacted in some part of vascular system. This material can be fragmented body tissue


or clumps of bacteria.)

2. Withdrawal

It is possible to withdraw from heroin through the use of other drugs administered by a physician, but often the problems associated with the psychological addiction require psychiatric treatment.

Although it is more difficult, many heroin addicts prefer the “cold turkey” method of withdrawal. This means withdrawal without medical assistance and it takes approximately 72 hours for the heroin to drain from the addict’s system and approximately two weeks for the natural body fluids to be replaced.

Symptoms experienced in “cold turkey” withdrawal are:

- Restlessness and body twitching- Complete loss of appetite- Hot and cold flashes- Vomiting, which is often referred to as the “dry heaves” because

there is no food in the stomach- Inability to sleep- Cramps, muscle spasms, and contractions- Uncontrollable yawning- Runny eyes and nose- Gooseflesh- Pain in the spine - Constant fear and paranoia- Extreme nervousness

II. Amphetamines – Stimulants

Many of the physical and psychological effects from the use of amphetamines and stimulants are the same.

The over-activation of the central nervous system produces unpredictable results. Often the user becomes paranoid and begins collecting guns, knives and other weapons because of a strong feeling that others are plotting his death.

There is a “zoom lens” effect to the eyes which makes people and objects appear in larger proportions and this increases the paranoia.

“Look-alike” drugs have the same characteristics as other amphetamines, since they are mixed with amphetamines or barbiturate acid. They often look like candy (i.e., M & M’s) and this introduces children to real drugs.


Because amphetamines are among the 74 known medicines that affect the mind, they often mimic the symptoms of serious illnesses.

Amphetamines are not classified as physically addictive substances; however, a person can become psychologically dependent on the drugs in this category.

A. Physical effects of amphetamines:

- Increased heart beat (sometimes as many as 50 beats over normal)- Increased blood pressure- Decreased appetite- Rapid breathing, sweating, dry mouth, muscle twitching- Disturbance of the sleep cycle - Fever- Convulsions- Liver damage- Deadening of normal body warning system- Interference with brain functions, even to the point of premature senility- Burning of reserve energy- Fainting- Loss of coordination- Death by overdose

B. Psychological effects:

- Excitation- Temporary insanity- Increased activity with a feeling of added energy- Paranoia- Feeling of increased confidence- Psychotic behavior- Impairment of both judgement and intellect- Aggressive behavior- Irrational behavior- Apprehension, fear- Giggling and silliness- Hallucinations- Confused thinking- Temporary psychosis

C. Methamphetamines

1. Short-term physical effects:

- An immediate “rush” (similar to a sexual experience)- Loss of sleep (wakefulness that can last from three to six days)


- Shakiness and itching- Soreness of eyes from lack of fluid for lubrication- Soreness in law and holes in tongue, both due to excessive biting- Sore arms- Dilated pupils- Difficulty focusing the eyes in light- Constricted blood vessels- Blurred vision

2. Long-term physical effects include:

- Toxic psychosis – mental illness leading to insanity- Burning out of brain cells- Aging of organs (regular use can reduce life expectancy by five

Years)- Skin infections – abscesses, swollen lips, eyes- Chronic hepatitis- Destruction of arteries leading to the heart and other major organs

3. Psychological effects:

- Disorientation- Suicidal tendencies- Restlessness

D. Cocaine

Like other stimulants, cocaine influences the action of the body chemicals called the neurotransmitters – chemicals which affect the nerve cells. Cocaine interferes with the necessary nerve impulses to the brain. As the signals multiply, they also flood at least two areas of the brain itself: the cerebral cortex, which governs higher mental activities like memory and reason, and the hypothalamus, which controls the appetite, body temperature and sleep cycle, as well as emotions like fear and anger.

1. Physical effects:

- Increased body temperature- Skin becomes gray- Eyes become dull- Increased chances of heart attacks- Severe headaches, nausea, convulsions- Total respiratory and cardiovascular collapse- Constriction of myriad blood vessels in the membranes, reducing the

blood supply and drying up the nose- Perforation of the nasal septum



- Psychological dependency- Depression- Increased susceptibility to other drug use- Erosion of self-confidence- Mental disorders- Brain damage

III. Depressants – Barbiturates

Barbiturates (sedatives) affect all the major body systems, but especially the central nervous system, the skeletal muscles, the smooth muscles and the cardiac muscles.

A. The central nervous system is depressed and effects can range from mild sedation to a coma. The degree of depression usually depends on the amount of the dose, method of administration, and the user’s previous drug history and tolerance level.

The heavy user of barbiturates and tranquilizers many find himself going through withdrawal symptoms similar to those of a heroin addict once he attempts to quit.

Other physical symptoms include:

- Lack of muscle coordination- Epileptic-type seizures- Peptic ulcers- Vision impairment, damage to eye movements- Possible paralysis of the breathing center of the brain- Decreased respiratory activity- Affected enzyme processes which store energy in the protoplasm of the cells- Affected cerebral centers and interference with messages to the brain

There is a constant danger from overdose with the use of barbiturates. Accidental suicide is often caused by unintentional overdoses, especially by those taking prescribed amounts.

B. Psychological effects:

- Mental confusion- Decreased anxiety- Feeling of relaxation- Decreased ability for complex reasoning


- Alteration of personality trains- Somnolence- Lethargy- Irritability- Hostility- Paranoia- Suicidal tendencies- Mild and chronic intoxication

C. Alcohol

(See section on “Alcohol”)

D. Tobacco

1. Physical effects:

a. The combined substances of nicotine and carbon monoxide, when inhaled in tobacco smoke, have serious damaging effects on the nervous and circulatory system.

b. There is a 1,000 percent greater chance for lung cancer among regular tobacco smokers.

c. Coronary heart diseases are 141 percent higher among smokers. The poisons in cigarettes make heart action difficult.

d. Acroline poison has a violent action on the nerve center, producing degeneracy of brain cells.

e. There are also risks to unborn babies of mothers who smoke. These babies have a lower birth weight, which is often associated with below normal intelligence; have slower physical development in later years; they run a 30 percent greater risk of dying at or shortly after birth than babies of non-smokers, or they may be stillborn or premature.

f. Other physical effects of smoking include:

- Disease of the arteries- Structural chances in the airway linings.- Staggering, trembling- Damage to liver functions- Interference with kidneys- Slowing of mental processes- Shortness of breath


- Interference with the digestive system- Throat, larynx irritation- Emphysema is a 90 percent greater risk among smokers- Mouth, throat and esophagus cancers are seven times

greater among smokers.- Constricting of the blood vessels in the fingers and toes,

which lowers the body temperature.


- Psychological dependency- False serenity- Escape mechanism- Mental conditioning for other drug use- Misconception of acceptance

IV. Hallucinogens – Psychedelic (mind-altering drugs)

A. LSD-25

The physical and psychological effects from the use of LSD are similar to those of other synthetic hallucinogens, although the degree of severity does vary.

1. There are various physical effects that come from the use of LSD, which al begin with the sympathetic central nervous system and include:

Rise in blood pressure Alteration of brain mechanisms; brain damage that often leads to

insanity Dilation of the pupils Flushing Shivering Tremors of the hands and feet Cold, sweaty palms Periods of irregular perspiration Nausea, vomiting Loss of appetite Increased body temperature Damage to the chromosomes Anemia Incoherent speech Damage of the lungs Liver damage Death by suffocation or choking


2. The psychological effects that come from the use of LSD depend chiefly on the predisposition of the individual, as well as the setting in which the drug was used. The type and amount of the drug taken must also be considered. Effects include:

Alteration of the sensory input The five senses are intensified Paranoia Perceptions of time and distance become distorted A confused merging of the sensations. Colorful patterns of geometric

of symmetrical designs seem to move across the visual field, even when the eyes are closed. This phenomenon results from confusion of the normal auditory and visual functions. Stationary objects may appear to move and objects can develop into complex events, persons or symbolic fantasies.

Mood alterations which are sudden and extreme. Ecstasy and serenity may give way to suspicions and hostility. A state of euphoria can turn to fear and anxiety.

Distorted perceptions of reality which include hallucinations, illusions and delusions. Such psycho-pathological reactions can last from 24 to 28 hours.

Loss of memory and possible insanity Feelings of detachment

3. Some of the more dangerous effects of LSD include:

Suicidal tendencies Unpredictable behavior Brain damage Chromosome breakdown. While LSD usually neutralizes in the

system, there is a possibility of a successful attack on the membrane surrounding the 46 chromosomes which makes chromosome damage a 90 percent possibility.

There is a high potential for “flashbacks,” even when the addict has discontinued LSD use.

B. STP

Because STP is a mixture of the active ingredients in mescaline, plus amphetamines, it is 100 times more potent than mescaline. Any dose greater than 5 mg. can produce hallucinations and the effects can last for more than two days.

C. Marijuana

The effects from the use of marijuana, or hashish, come in three stages.


1. The first stage takes place within 15 minutes following usage. During this stage, the user experiences an euphoric state and may also act silly, relaxed or display erratic behavior.

2. The secondary stage lasts four to eight hours and is largely psychological. During this period, certain damaging physical effects begin to take place which result in the third stage.

Individuals are affected differently by marijuana. It may cause excitement, depression or both. The user may be extremely joyous one moment and experience panic and fear soon after. Time judgement is lost and minutes seem like hours.

Two-thirds of all physical effects from marijuana use take place during the first and second stages. Marijuana usually adversely affects the physical system within the first eight hours. The psychological effects take place within the next eight hours.

a. Physical effects

The central nervous system, which is usually stimulated at first, is shortly depressed. Secondly, the circulatory and respiratory systems are affected – the pulse rate and blood pressure increase, as does the breathing.

The third effect is shown in the eyes, which become blood-shot and droopy while the pupils either become enlarged or constricted. A lowered pressure on the eyeball impairs normal function.

Other short-term physical effects include:

Alteration of brain wave patterns Lowering of ability to concentrate Impairment of the memory process Impairment of motor coordination Slowed speech Irritation of the mucous membranes and sinuses of the nose Extreme nausea Lowered glucose or blood sugar, hypoglycemia Unusual perspiration Beginning stages of anemia Malnutrition Impairment of facial circulation reflexes Stimulation of sexual drive, followed by a deep suppression Sleeplessness


Intermittent headaches Salivary processes affected, resulting in a dry mouth Increased heart palpitations Urinary frequency Appetite chances

a. Psychological effects

Continued use in marijuana often results in amotivation – the “drop-out syndrome.” This is characterized by a lack of goals, apathy and lethargy.

There are several false senses associated with marijuana use – a false sense of ability to solve problems, a prevailing illusion of recently acquired insight and emotional maturity, and a false sense of well being. There is also an overwhelming, and often uncontrollable, sense of superior strength.

Other psychological effects include:

Hallucinations Impairment of communication skills Limited attention span, thought fragmentation Loss of insight Anger, hostility and violence Anti-social behavior Loosening of inhibitions, leading to immoral involvement Anxiety, paranoia Altering the quality of perception Ability to concentrate on certain sensations Frivolous, unconcerned Susceptibility to suggestions Emotional instability Suicidal fantasies Emphasizing of a particular mood Severe depression Change in attitude Panic, confusion and disorientation Increased desire to escape further unpleasantness Breakdown of discipline Constant possibility of flashbacks Preoccupation Narcissism (the user becomes engrossed with an erotic feeling

aroused by one’s own body and personality)


3. The third stage is the permanent results from using marijuana on a regular basis over a long period of time. These are the most dangerous effects.

a. Retention factor

THC from marijuana usage has a unique ability to hide in the fatty tissues of the body, particularly the brain. Fast-flowing blood simply deposits the THC in the fatty tissues until a slow-moving blood stream allows time for the tissue to kick the unwanted foreign substance back into the blood stream.

Because the brain is two-thirds fat, each use of marijuana leaves a speck of THC residue on the brain that produces after-effects for months. Regular use means the residue has not had time to leave a person’s system before more residue is added, which causes an expansion of the THC in the brain.

One test revealed that three days after a person smokes marijuana, 50 percent remains in the body in active form. After 48 days, 10 percent still remains and after 4 months, 1 percent of the marijuana still remains in the body.

During this retention period, as the concentration decreases, a large fraction of the THC is converted to 11-hydroxy-THC, a substance several times more psychoactive than THC.

This accumulation causes Organic Brain Syndrome (OBS), impairing short-term memory and creating an emotional flatness.

As the marijuana settles in the sepal area of the brain, it affects emotional behavior, the pleasure center, instincts, the subconscious and memory storage processes.

Other damage to the brain occurs because marijuana use constricts blood vessel openings, which slows down the necessary oxygen to the brain and causes tiny blood vessels in the brain to burst.

b. Effects to organs

THC also seeps into fatty cells and fat-laden organs, including the liver, the spleen, the lungs and the sex organs.


In addition to the fact it retains THC, the brain is affected in that transfers of information to the memory bank of the brain are recorded inaccurately.

There is also severe atrophy of the deepest portion of the cerebral hemispheres, which is caused by the enlargement of the ventricles and rounding of the usually sharp and well-defined edges of the ventricles.

Marijuana disturbs the basal ganglion area of the brain where the pleasure center exists. This is where a person experiences feelings of rage and pleasure. Diseases such as schizophrenia arise from the same center. This disturbance accounts for irrational behavior exhibited by marijuana users. The disturbance in this area also accounts for the loss of motivation by users.

Lungs exposed to marijuana smoke show malignant change in the tissues. Chronic marijuana smoking can produce bronchitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, emphysema and pre-cancerous tissue.

There is a narrowing of airway passages that does not occur even in heavy tobacco smokers. This “airway resistance” means the marijuana user can’t get air in or out of his breathing passages.

c. Effects to the reproductive system

Marijuana causes a variety of disturbances and changes in the reproductive systems of both male and female users. It also depresses the pituitary and gonadal glands.

Smoked weekly, marijuana is proven to cause as much as a 5 percent decline in the male hormone production. It is known to increase three-fold the abnormal sperm (i.e., formless heads and broken hooks). Regular use also cuts down on the number and activity of sperm and it is feared that the changes in the distinctive form of the sperm have a direct bearing on fertility.

Because of these changes, there is a very real possibility of mental and physical birth defects in the children of marijuana users. Problems include: miscarriages, still births, or babies with seriously deformed brains, limbs, spines and livers.


Marijuana brings about a condition in men called “gynecomastia,” which is the development of pronounced, tender breasts.

In women, there is a statistically and consistently higher level of testosterone (male sex hormone) in marijuana users.

There is also a disturbance of the menstrual cycle in female marijuana users, as well as significantly lower prolactin (milk) levels.

The THC from marijuana can be passed on to the unborn child through the placenta and to a nursing child through the milk.

d. Effects to cells

THC lowers the rate of cell division by diminishing the cell’s ability to make DNA and RNA. Long-term use of marijuana deforms a significantly high proportion of the cells by altering the cell structure.

Lymphocytes, the white blood cells which produce antibodies to fight disease, are impaired by marijuana use. This causes chronic debilitation of the white blood cells and significantly affects the body’s ability to fight off infections.

Marijuana use also causes botched division in cells, slowed growth and abnormal sized nuclei in cells, disturbed protection of protein and damage to nerve and connective tissue cells, all of which contribute to the development of cancer.

e. Other physical effects

Marijuana interferes with the central nervous system, including the neuro-transmitters.

There is also damage to the recessive genes of marijuana users.

f. Long-term psychological effects:

- Loss of memory- Withdrawal. At first there is a strong desire to be accepted and

the surroundings of the pot smokers’ fellowship seems friendly and congenial. Gradually, however, this leads to alienation and loneliness.


- Illusions and delusions. The normal progression takes the user from hallucinations to illusions to delusions (the ability to project oneself into the illusion). There is an increased distance between reality and unreality.

- Compulsive erratic behavior- Depersonalization- Permanent insanity- Subject to hearing voices which control the user’s lifestyle

V. Inhalants

Physical effects caused by the use of inhalants include:

- A type of drunken dizziness caused by the hydrocarbon fumes- Unsteadiness in walking- Slurred speech- Loss of memory- Excitable and hyperactive- Disorientation- Poor performance- Permanent brain damage

VI. Other Abused Substances

Caffeine can act as a mild stimulant. In some cases, the coronary artery dilates and thus affects the heart. The cortex of the brain can also be affected.

Psychologically, there is a possibility of a dependency on caffeine-containing substances.

Causes Leading to Drug Use


There are a variety of reasons for the rapid spread of drug abuse. Perhaps the two most common are the easy availability of any drug, legal or illegal, that a person could desire and a world that is becoming more and more stressful.

Some personalities are more psychologically prone to drug abuse than others and the many myths about drugs have led to curiosity and widespread experimentation.

Education is somewhat to blame, especially in America where secular, humanistic, self-centered education has brought about hedonistic thinking on the part of students.

This generation is a “me” generation, unable to postpone gratification, and wanting instant pleasure and fulfillment.

Another factor is the removal of absolutes. Current philosophy that says everything is relative has led to a lowering of moral values.

This removal of a dependency on a super-natural God, as well as the spread of humanistic teaching, that says people’s worth is determined by what they can do in and of themselves, has led to a strong materialistic and self-reliant society.

The experimentation and curiosity is what has eventually led to drug abuse and drug addicts. Often, young people won’t believe what they have been told about drugs – they want to see for themselves.

The drugs may be used to escape problems at home or school, as a relief from anxiety or to relax. Peer pressure is another factor affecting people who want acceptance.

Others are desiring a spiritual experience and still others want to change the establishment.

Some young people began experimenting to release their inhibitions. They hope the mind-expanding, hallucinogenic drugs will enlighten their sex lives and serve as aphrodisiacs.

History of Drugs


The discovery of drugs followed a diligent search for something to relieve physical illness and unpleasantness. Experiments were conducted on the chemical properties of the plants and people enjoyed their “magical” cures.

Later, as true scientific studies were made, it was discovered that many of the plants, accepted for medicinal values, did not contain any such properties and were, in fact, extremely dangerous and addicting.

For example, the discovery in Egypt that sugar and yeast in a watery environment would ferment resulted in beer being used as a base in over 100 medicines. The Egyptians equated it with the god Osiris.

A recorded history of drugs dates back to 6000 B.C. when the Sumarians produced wine on the Mesopotamian Plain. Pharoah Rameses III was offered 30,000 gallons a year to honor his deity. Consumption of alcohol eventually became so widespread that measures were taken in 3000 B.C. to limit it.

The Sumarians also discovered opium in 5000 B.C., which they called “joy” because of the satisfaction it produced. It was later used to induce sleep and end pain.

2737 B.C. – Chinese were using Cannabis Sativa (marijuana). Substances from the hemp plant were used for analgesic and medicinal purposes. At one point, it was used to make warriors fierce for battle or to build courage. The words we use for “assassin” or “assassination” come from this source.

1230 – The Inca emperors Capca and Rocca were responsible for the widespread use of cocaine. They used it to create boundless energy and erase fatigue.

1000 – The psylosibin, “magic mushroom,” was discovered.

800 – Cannabis Sativa (marijuana) was introduced into India. Later, it was no longer used as a medicine but as an intoxicant and for religious purposes.

200 A.D. – The Chinese documented the narcotic properties of marijuana.

350 – Caffeine, found in tea, was first mentioned in a Chinese dictionary.

989 – Coffee was first written about by the Arabian philosopher and physician, Avicenna. The plant was called Linneus. The present spelling came from William Perry of England.

Somewhere at this point in history, the Turko-Tartar people used Cannabis Sativa in funeral customs, as did the Scythians, the Bantus of the Congo, the people of Northern Europe and the tribesmen of North Africa.


1037 – Avicenna, the Arab physician-philosopher, died of opium intoxication.

1271 – Marco Polo gave the name “hashish” to the Cannabis Sativa plant after meeting with Hasan and his assassins when Polo passed by the Caspian Sea.

1492 – Columbus was introduced to a plant called “tobacos” on the north coast of Cuba. It appears tobacco juice and smoking tobacco were first used in South America.

1510 – Vaca, a European, was probably the first to use Peyote when crossing the Texas area in North America.

It was about this same time Sir Walter Raleigh introduced tobacco into the court of Queen Elizabeth. By the year 1640, there were 7,500 tobacco shops in London alone.

1519 – The Aztec Indians gave Cortez a drink called cocoa. It is said Montezuma mixed cocoa with red peppers and bitter herbs and drank the concoction as an aphrodistiac or sex stimulant.

1576 – Europeans first heard of the cactus plant called peyote (mescaline) from Francisco Hernandez, personal physician to the King of Spain.

1612 – The Dutch established a brewery in Manhattan, New York.

1689 – Coffee is introduced into the United States.

1714 – A missionary in China wrote about a plant that could relieve pain and cure ailments. The ginseng plant was discovered and used as a nervine, stimulant and aphrodisiac.

1800s – Chinese drug users migrated to the United States.

At this same point in history, Cannabis Sativa use spread to Africa and Europe. It was also used in South America in voodoo worship by the medicine men.

1839 – The “Opium War,” a conflict between England and China, was fought.

1850 – Cigarettes appeared during the Crimean War. Prior to this, pipes and snuffing where commonly used.

1874 – A chemical modification of the morphine base, heroin, was developed in England.

1875 – San Francisco passed the first anti-opium law.


1889 – The alkaloid content of cocaine was isolated and the new substance was used as a treatment for morphine addiction.

Until 1904, cocaine was the principle ingredient in Coca-Cola.

1898 – The Bazer Chemical Co. of Germany, impressed by the reports of heroin being an acceptable substitute for morphine, began commercially producing the drug, which was 10 times more potent than morphine or codeine. Heroin was advertised as a cure for morphine addiction but it was soon discovered the heroin caused addiction and was more difficult to cure.

1903 – Two German scientists introduced barbiturates when they discovered a drug called veronal. It was offered to depress the central nervous system, from slight sedation to deep anesthesia.

1909 – An international opium commission was formed.

1914 – The United States passed the Harrison Act.

1927 – California scientists synthesized amphetamines.

1930 – The Federal Bureau of Narcotics was established in the United States.

1938 – A Swiss scientist, Albert Hoffman, discovered a substance which became known as Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Tartrate (LSD-25). It was later discovered to be hallucinogenic.

1940s – The United Nations placed narcotics under the World Health Organization.

History shows, over a span of time in a variety of countries, that the use of drugs often leads to the abuse of drugs and then to drug dependency and addiction.

All chemical substances, whether injected or ingested, can change the body chemistry.

Alcohol


Alcohol is the largest untreated drug problem in the United States.

Alcohol, in the United States:

- Is responsible for one-third of al homicides and one-half of all traffic deaths- Affects one out of four families- Is responsible for 75 percent of domestic cases- Cuts product output by one-fourth because of drinking employees- Causes employers to lose $10 billion yearly due to absenteeism- Costs health and welfare services $2 billion yearly- Costs $3 billion in property damage yearly- Costs the United States government $5 in legal prosecution for every $1 collected- Contributes to at least two-thirds of all crime- Increases juvenile delinquency- Means one out of every 50 drivers on the road is drunk.

The reason for quoting statistics from the United States is to provide some sort of reference point. Any Western culture can expect the same statistics on a per capita basis.

I. ALCOHOL AND HOW IT IS MADE

Alcohol is not a stimulant, nor is it an aphrodisiac. While it may act like a stimulant when first consumed, it quickly takes on its true nature – that of a depressant. Alcohol is also a pain-reducing, sleep-producing narcotic.

A. In chemical terms, alcohol is the result of fermentation of sugar and yeast in a watery environment. Fermentation, which is a natural process, continues until the alcohol level reaches 15 percent, where the process stops and the alcohol becomes toxic and compounds the danger of alcohol consumption.

B. Distillation is a mechanical process where the alcohol content is increased beyond the content obtained through natural fermentation. Once a fermentation process is completed, the mixture is boiled until the alcohol is changed to a gas at 173 degrees Fahrenheit (78.3 C). The gas rises and is collected into a coiled pipe (a still) running through cold water, which condenses the alcohol-water vapor into the distilled alcohol. By repeated distillation, the concentration of alcohol may approach 100 percent, which is termed absolute or neutral spirits.

Through distillation, alcohol picks up a variety of chemical poisons, such as fusel oil, acids, esters, aldehydes, furfural, and tannins.

C. Brewing is a process that develops beverages with different flavors, colors, and alcohol contents by drawing off the liquor before the fermentation is completed.


II. TYPES OF ALCOHOL

A. Wine

Wine is fresh grape juice, which contains about 10 percent sugar. Kept in a warm place, it begins to ferment due to the action of the yeast cells on the grape sugar, which is then changed into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas. When the alcohol content reaches 13 percent, the yeast is killed and the fermentation stops.

1. Dry Wine

Dry wine is produced by carrying the fermentation to completion, an alcohol content of approximately 13 percent.

2. Sweet Wine

Sweet wine is produced by stopping fermentation before all the sugar is turned to alcohol, which results in an alcohol content of approximately 10 percent.

3. Red Wine

Red wine gets its name from the color produced by the red skins of grapes which are included in the pulp during fermentation. Alcohol content is 10 to 14 percent.

4. White Wine

White wine is made from white grapes or common grape juices. The alcohol content is also 10-14 percent.

5. Fortified Wine

Fortified wine is made by the addition of brandy before the fermentation of grape juice is completed to retain some of the grapes’ sugar. This increases the alcohol content to 14-30 percent.

Port and sherry are fortified wines with an alcohol content of up to 23 percent.

B. Brandy

Brandy is the distillation of grape or other fermented fruit juices. Alcohol content is approximately 50 percent by volume.


C. Champagne

Champagne is produced by bottling partially fermented grape juice. The fermentation continues inside the bottle, which gives off carbon dioxide bubbles and makes sparkling wine. Alcohol content is 10-14 percent.

D. Beer

Beer is made from some grain, usually barley. The grains contain starch, which is changed to sugar by separating. After drying, the sugar (diastase) and grain are ground into a powder called malt. The dried malt and a quantity of crushed grain are put into a vat of hot water to produce mash. Hops are added to give it a bitter flavor. After adding yeast, the fermentation processes in the vat produce a liquid containing from 4-15 percent alcohol. When the process is limited to 3-5 percent alcohol, the product is called beer; 6-8 percent alcohol is called ale.

E. Whiskey

Whiskey is made by fermenting starch-containing grains or vegetables until all the starch has been converted to sugar and the sugar has fermented to produce alcohol. That alcohol is distilled to produce whiskey, which may have an alcohol content of 15 to 50 percent.

F. Gin

Ethyl alcohol, water and flavoring, such as oil of juniper, berries, coriander seeds, or orange or lemon peels, make up gin. The mixture is sometimes referred to as distilled. Alcohol content is normally 50 percent.

G. Rum

Rum is the distillation of molasses fermented with yeast and contains an alcohol content of approximately 50 percent.

H. Vodka

The national Russian liquor is distilled from rye, potatoes, or other grains or vegetables. Vodka is colorless when it is produced.

I. Porter

Porter is a brewed liquid, darker in color than ale, but containing about the same amount of alcohol. Stout is similar.


J. Cordials and liquors

These are a mixture of ethyl alcohol or brandy with various flavors. Sugar is then added to make them syrup and sweet. Cordials and liquors vary in alcohol content from 10-40 percent.

K. Cocktails

Cocktails are mixtures of two or more alcoholic beverages – such as wine, liquor, brandy, run, gin, or whiskey – usually with a flavor. Alcohol content is determined by the maker, who also may add a dilutent, such as water, wine, fruit juice, or tomato juice. One cocktail generally contains about one-half fluid ounce of ethyl alcohol.

III. HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS THE USER

Although alcohol is considered a food because of the limited calories it supplies, alcohol is not digested but is absorbed into the blood, where it goes to the brain via the blood stream.

It can begin to affect the brain in one to 20 minutes if taken on an empty stomach. If taken with food, it takes longer for the alcohol to reach the brain. Alcohol reaches its highest concentration in the blood between one and two hours after it is absorbed.

A. Blood-alcohol level

One drop of alcohol per 1,000 drops of blood is a blood-alcohol level of 0.10 percent. At 0.01-0.05 percent, a person’s judgment can be impaired, restraint decreased, and errors increased.

As the person’s alcohol level increases, up to 0.15 percent, the individual becomes conspicuously intoxicated, has a staggering gait, slurred speech, uncontrolled emotions, impaired conduct and double vision.

At 0.3-0.5 percent blood-alcohol level, the user goes into a coma and at 0.5 percent blood-alcohol level, most people die.

The amount of alcohol in the blood streams depends on:

- The amount of alcohol consumed- The size of the drinker- The susceptibility of the drinker- Whether the alcoholic beverage was consumed with a meal

B. Elimination of alcohol


Most of the alcohol is eliminated from the body when the liver oxidizes it. The rest is eliminated through the skin, the lungs and the kidneys.

Since a minimum of one hour may be required for alcohol taken into the stomach to be completely diffused throughout the body another hour or two will be required before the body can oxidize or otherwise eliminate the alcohol from one beer, cocktail or highball.

C. There are a variety of physical effects that can occur from alcohol use. Some are common to depressants, others are unique to alcohol. These include:

-Cirrhosis of the liver-Tuberculosis-Interference with gastro-intestinal and pancreatic functions-Decreased motor skills-Cardiac abnormalities-Malnutrition-Peripheral nerve damage-A desire for use of other drugs-Decreased mental efficiency-Interference with the learning process-Brain damage-Ulcers-Lack of muscle coordination-Respiratory ailments-Eye damage

D. The psychological effects that result from repeated use of alcohol include:

- Severe depression- Irrational behavior- Loss of inhibitions- A feeling of relaxation, followed by disorganized thinking and incoherent

behavior

IV. ALCOHOL AND DRIVING

As few as two drinks can affect some people’s driving. Once a person has had two to four drinks:

- Judgment becomes impaired- Restraints and caution are relaxed- Confidence increases and the driver becomes careless- Coordination and timing are impaired- Differences in sound and light are less easily recognizable


- Reflexes are slowed. For example, it takes longer to lift the food from the accelerator to the brake

- Alertness to danger is diminished

Obviously, a person does not have to be drunk to be a dangerous driver. The alcohol in one or two drinks gives a person a sense of well being that may make him take chances he would not normally take.

It is dangerous to drive sooner than three hours after two cocktails or beers, four hours after three drinks, and six hours or longer after five drinks.

V. ALCOHOLISM

A. Symptoms of approaching alcoholism

There are several symptoms that a person is approaching alcoholism:

- Drinking before a party- Sneaking drinks- Taking “nips” during the day- Drinking alone- Blackouts- Hiding drinks- Gulping drinks

B. Symptoms of alcoholism

The following signs indicate a person is already an alcoholic:

- An overpowering compulsion to continue drinking and a willingness to obtain the drink at any cost

- Tendency to increase the amount consumed- Dependency on the promised effects of the alcohol- Withdrawal symptoms- Ready for a repeat performance, even though they are aware of the suffering

endured while coming down from their last high

C. Addiction

Addiction is a state of periodic or chronic intoxication which is detrimental to the individual and society. Longer and more frequent use of alcohol increases the addiction and dependency. The alcoholic is both physically and psychologically dependent on the alcohol.

D. Reasons for drinking


1. Social or casual drinkers drink for the intoxication which is detrimental to the individual and society. Longer and more frequent use of alcohol increases the addiction and dependency. The alcoholic is both physically and psychologically dependent on the alcohol.

2. The regular or habitual drinkers are compulsive drinkers. They drink to drown out problems, or to build courage to face the problems confronting them.

E. Spiritual help for the alcoholic

There is a spiritual side to the alcoholic’s problems as well, which is sometimes referred to as a spiritual vacuum.

To help the alcoholic, a person needs to possess a genuine love and concern for the person. The problem is secondary to the person.

To help the alcoholic, a person also needs:

- Patience- A strong faith in God’s Word and in the power of Jesus Christ to totally

change the alcoholic and make him a “new person in Christ Jesus.” (II Cor. 5:17)

- To offer hope- Follow up consistently on each contact- To encourage honesty. A person will never be successful in helping the

alcoholic by not being willing to be honest.

The drinking problem is the tip of the iceberg. Every effort should be made to help the person discover the root of their problem.

Documents

Drug - Europe Teen Challenge Web viewThe drug experimenter has become the drug ... psychedelic (Mind-altering drugs ... A strong faith in God’s Word and in the power of Jesus Christ