Vocabulary
Define Addiction.
A chronic disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences.
What is Nicotine?
The highly addictive chemical found in tobacco products and most e-liquids.
The most important part of a refusal skill, which involves looking the person in the eye and using a clear, strong tone of voice.
Body Language
The likelihood of developing a substance use disorder based on family history, which suggests a biological component.
Genetics, Heredity, Genetically Predisposed
The brain chemical released by drugs that causes the feeling of pleasure and makes the brain want to repeat the drug use.
Dopamine
Define Tolerance and give 2 example of substances that people may experience this effect.
A condition in which the body becomes accustomed to a drug, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effect.
What is an Overdose?
This dangerous reaction can occur when a person takes more of a drug than their body can process, potentially leading to death.
How can we make healthier choices despite the influences and pressure to make unhealthy choices.
Being informed allows us to make educated decisions as well as analyze the influences we may receive from family, friends, and various forms of media. Having strong refusal skills as well as the facts to support my decision will allow me to be confident in my decision to be healthy.
Why is it important for us to understand what influences we have in our lives?
Understanding these influences helps make informed choices
What are Hallucinogens?
Drugs like LSD or magic mushrooms that make you see, hear, or feel things that aren't actually real.
Define Stimulants and give 1 example.
A category of drugs that increase brain activity, leading to increased energy, alertness, and heart rate (e.g., cocaine, methamphetamines).
This is the official classification by the FDA that identifies drugs with a high potential for abuse, such as marijuana and certain painkillers.
What is a Controlled Substance?
List 3 alterative activities to do that are healthy and still allow social interaction with peers.
Sports teams, clubs, musical groups, video games, art, support groups, youth groups, after-school activities.
Define a role model and explain how a positive/negative role model can influences one's decisions.
A role model is a person whose behaviour, example, or success serves as a model to be emulated by others, especially by younger people.
Explain what "Risky Behavior" is.
When a person's judgment is impaired by drugs or alcohol, leading them to take dangerous actions they wouldn't normally take.
Define Cessation.
The act of stopping the use of a harmful substance, such as quitting smoking or discontinuing alcohol consumption.
List at least 3 effects (short term and/or long term) of inhalants.
Short-Term Effects:
Long-Term Effects:
How can you be a positive influence on your peers?
List 1 positive and 1 negative example of family influence.
Positive Family Impact:
Supportive parents reduce the risk of substance use
Clear communication and family rules help prevent use
Negative Family Impact:
Parental substance use increases risk
Lack of supervision can lead to risky behaviors
What are School/Social Consequences (or Negative Impacts) of substance abuse?
A negative result of drug use, such as failing classes, losing your place on a sports team, or getting grounded by your parents.
Define Social Norms and provide a real life example relevant to this unit.
The accepted behaviors and beliefs within a group or society that can shape attitudes toward alcohol, tobacco, and drug use.
Ex: Normalizing vaping as "cool"
Give 1 example of an opiate and list 3 effects (long term and/or short term) they can have.
Short-Term Effects:
Long-Term Effects:
Name 3 safe and trusted people you could go to for support.
How might companies try to influence you and for what reason? Give an example that we have not used in class (ex: commercials, ads)
Many companies target audiences like teens to use or buy their product, making it "trendy" even if it is not healthy for teens to use or have.
Why is addiction so dangerous? Explain using the following information: Relapse, Health Consequences, Financial Consequences, Willpower, and Self-Control.
The consequences of this loss of control are severe and compounded by the physical and financial demands of the addiction.
Relapse: When a person quits and then uses again (relapses), they face a high risk of fatal overdose because their body's tolerance has dropped.
Health Consequences: Long-term use causes extensive organ damage (liver, heart, lungs) and increases the risk of infectious diseases.
Financial Consequences: The constant need for the substance leads to extreme financial burden, often resulting in job loss, debt, and engaging in illegal activities to fund the addiction.
The combination of impaired judgment, physical dependence, and escalating consequences traps the individual in a dangerous loop where repeated relapse is common, despite the desire to quit.
Addiction overrides willpower and self-control by hijacking the brain's reward system (dopamine), making the substance seem more important than basic needs or rational thought.
Loss of Control: Chronic use weakens the prefrontal cortex , the part of the brain responsible for judgment, making it extremely difficult to stop using, even when a person wants to.