AODS Exam Prep

Atleast 8000 years! Opium, hallucegens (BC) and alcohol

19t Century

• - Middle class: Menstrual pain, depression
• - Doctors and health professions: Stress from work
• - Chinese immigrants: Leisure

1905, after Federation

• Abuse by aboriginals
• Fears would spread to Whites
• Racist backlash to Chinese

• Modern day
• Ecstacy
• LSD

1971: "War on Drugs"

HIV was discovered, a harm minimization approach was formed

Increase in pharmaceuticals, cocaine, and methamphetamines

• 56.1
• 56%
• 27%
• 15%

• 1) Public menace
• 2) Political interest
• 3) Increased crimincal justice response
• 4) Influencial media
• 5) Portrayed 'infectious'
• 6) Need to protect vulnerable target groups
• 7) Aggressive, military terminology

• The person (age, gender, expectations)
• The drug (how it is administered, the type...)
• The environment (social factor).

• Pharmacokinetics: What the body does to the drug
• Pharmacodynamics: What the drug does to the body

• Oral: small intestine-->Liver-->Circulation
• Smoked: Mouth/lung lining-->Liver-->Circulation
• IV: Directly into circulation

• Organs with high blood flow first (Brain etc…)
• Fat, muscles and skin later

Time for drug in blood to reduce by 50%

Short half life/short action drugs

• Through synapse, many drugs act by mimicking normal neurotransmitters
• occupying receptor sites and sending “false” messages

• Drug dependence: After period of continual use can become dependant on a drug. Social, psychological and physical dependence
• Drug tolerance: When dependant, less affected by drug/need more to feel effects
• Drug withdrawal: When physically dependant, cessation results in withdrawal. In general withdrawal symptoms have opposite effect of the drug
• Cross-dependence: One substance can take the place of another to continue physical dependence and avoid withdrawal

• Slow down brain and body
• May cause initial high/euphoria
• Small doses: relaxation/drowsiness
• Large doses: can cause loss of consciousness, respiratory inhibition, and even death
• Some appear to cause emotional depression
• Impaired coordination
• E.g. alcohol, heroin, cannabis, benzodiazepines and Volatile (sniffable) substances

• THC is the main active ingredient
• Binds to cannabinoid receptors
• Interferes with normal functioning of brain
• Cerebellum: Affects coordination
• Hippocampus: Affects memory
• Cerebral cortex: Affects thinking

• Opiate receptors – pleasure or pain relief: Endorphins
• Affects dopamine
• Pain relief – Physical and Psychological Overdose risk high
• Common effects
• Feelings of well-being or euphoria
• Pinpoint pupils
• Sedation
• Shallow breathing
• Nausea and vomiting

• Increase the body’s state of arousal
• Accelerate central nervous system
• Small doses: increase awareness and concentration, decrease fatigue and amplify positive moods
• Larger doses: can cause excessive activity, irritability, nervousness, insomnia, delusions and hallucinations (drug-induced psychosis), convulsions, death

• Distort the brain’s perception of reality
• Can cause auditory, tactile, or visual hallucinations
• Include varying degrees of depression or stimulation depending on the substance

False

True

False

Yes

• Men are more likely to be daily smokers and smoke more cigarettes per week (102 vs 91)
• females were more likely to have ‘never smoked’ (51% vs 60%)
• People aged 20-29 more likely to be daily smokers – 21% (approximately the same for 30-39 and 40-49)
• l60+ age group – 9%
• However, 50-59 age group smoke most cigarettes per week (125)

• Affecting health and fitness
• Costing too much

No, over the period from 2004-2007 recent illicit drug use dropped significantly, especially among 14-19 and 30-39 age groups