Warming up.

Are antibiotics considered drugs?

Why are "prescription drugs" only available on prescription?

Are there "prescription drugs" available in your country without a need of prescription, e.g., antibiotic, blood pressure medicine, etc?

Why is it important to complete a course of drug treatment for addiction/abuse even if symptoms disappear?

Why do you think we shouldn't mix alcohol and antibiotics?

What do you do with any prescription drugs "left over" after treatment?

     Read the following text. What are the main categories of drugs? What are their effects on human body?

Make sure you understand the meaning of the following words and word-combinations:

to be classified on a scale from Class A to Class C

to be prescribed by a doctor

to become illegal under these circumstances

a destructive opioid

to lead to seizures and psychosis

to become physically dependent on smth

to be life-threatening

to increase blood pressure

to lead to fatal strokes or heart attacks

to require immediate professional treatment.

rehabilitation facilities

to cause permanent neurological damage

irreversible brain damage

irreparable heart and liver damage

anti-anxiety medications

Groups of drugs

Drugs are chemicals that can alter the way the body works. There are different types of drugs, and these have different effects on the body. Tobacco and alcohol are legal recreational drugs which have potentially serious effects on the body. Illegal drugs are classified on a scale from Class A - the most dangerous - to Class C - the least dangerous.

 Drugs are chemicals that can alter the way the body works. Some are beneficial, while some are harmful.

The main types of drugs and their effects

The main types of drugs and their effects

Classification of drugs

Some drugs are legal, such as tobacco and alcohol. Others are illegal, or must only be prescribed by a doctor. Some prescription drugs are mistreated and taken for recreational use, rather than for medical reasons. They become illegal under these circumstances.

Illegal drugs are classified from Class A to Class C. Class A drugs are the most dangerous, with the most serious penalties for possession or dealing. Class C are the least dangerous, with the lightest penalties, but this does not mean they are safe to use. The table shows some of the drugs in each class.

Classification of drugs

The following nine types of drugs are the most commonly abused, and they can affect users in different ways.

1. Heroin. As a destructive opioid, heroin can lead to seizures, psychosis, and hallucinations when it is abused. Heroin injections can also spread diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis. This drug is known to cause serious health issues when it is abused because it interferes with the brain’s receptors. Users can become physically dependent on it very quickly, requiring them to take more and more to achieve the same high, but too much heroin can lead to a fatal overdose. Individuals who take heroin always require professional rehabilitation because the symptoms of withdrawal may be life-threatening.
2. Cocaine. Cocaine is a very dangerous stimulant even when taken in small amounts. It induces euphoria, increases blood pressure, and accelerates the heart rate. The drug may lead to fatal strokes or heart attacks for some users. The abuse of cocaine is also known to cause financial, legal, and physical issues. Due to the severe consequences of using cocaine, users require immediate professional treatment.
3. Crack. A potent form of cocaine, crack is often smoked and suddenly creates an intense euphoric sensation for a short while. Crack has turned into a problem because it is cheap and easy to buy and use. Abusing the substance, however, can lead to immediate addiction. Abusers are also at risk of suffering heart attacks and strokes with every use. Long-term use can cause liver, kidney, and lung damage. Abusers must seek help in rehabilitation facilities because the withdrawal symptoms are dangerous.
4. Hallucinogens. PCP (phencyclidine) and LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) are hallucinogens, which means that they make users feel, see, and hear things that are not real. While they experience hallucinations with these drugs, users lose touch with reality and enter mental states of disconnection, as if their bodies and minds are not working together or connected. Some users of PCP and LSD enter violent states of psychosis. Serious injury could occur while hallucinating on these substances, which have caused permanent neurological damage in cases of repeated abuse. Withdrawing from hallucinogens is not easy, and abusers will need professional treatment in a rehab facility.
5. Amphetamines. Accelerating the user’s bodily and mental functions, amphetamines can cause manic periods of distress in abusers. These periods are usually accompanied by extreme paranoia, inexplicable behavior, and delusions. Some amphetamine abusers become very violent and attack loved ones unintentionally and could suffer permanent physical changes in appearance, irreversible brain damage, and nerve damage. Amphetamines are harsh, dangerous drugs, and users need medical attention and safe rehabilitation in professional facilities.
6. Marijuana. Marijuana is the most common illegal drug that is abused, and many people begin using it as a recreational drug in social situations. Continued abuse of marijuana can lead to addiction, and the substance can affect the physical coordination, memory, and mental functions of users over time. Some users have even lost relationships, jobs, and homes because they abused the drug. While it is easy to abuse marijuana, it is not easy to stop using it, so professional treatment is very important to refrain from abuse.
7. Alcohol. Abusing alcohol can cause psychological, physical, and social problems, and it can lead to the destruction of relationships, friendships, and marriages. A lot of alcohol abusers drink so much that their bodies are unable to handle it. Sometimes this requires that they are hospitalized for alcohol poisoning. Abusing alcohol over a long period can result in irreparable heart and liver damage and may lead to the drinkers being arrested for driving under the influence, public intoxication or other law-related issues. Furthermore, alcohol abuse can lead to injury or death to the people around them while they are under the influence. Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal because of delirium tremens, which is a symptom with the potential to trigger heart failure or stroke. Refraining from drinking also is not easy when it becomes a habit because of mental and physical issues. Professional assistance is often necessary for abusers of alcohol.
8. Inhalants. Inhalants are not technically in the category of narcotics, but people abuse them and can become addicted to them over time. Some of the substances that are considered inhalants include spray paint, butane, and nitrous oxide that they can inhale. Inhalants cause euphoric and numb feelings for a brief while, so repetitive use is common. It is very risky to abuse inhalants because they could lead to permanent brain damage or sudden death. Users must stop inhaling the substances before damage occurs.
9. Prescription Drugs. The second-most commonly abused drugs are prescriptions, including everything from anti-anxiety medications to sedatives and ADHD pills to anti-seizure medications. The abuse of prescription painkillers such as Vicodin and Oxycodone during recovery from injuries is also very common. Abuse of prescription medications can be very dangerous if the abusers do not seek treatment.

Questions to discuss:

1. Are some people more easily addicted to drugs than others?
2. Do some people have addictive personalities?
3. What else can people become addicted to?
4. Why are some drugs more addicting than others?
5. Why do some people get addicted when others do not?
6. What happens in the brain of a person that causes addiction?
7. Do you know how much illegal drugs cost?