Drugs 101
What is a drug?
A substance that changes how the brain or body works.
Alcohol is considered what general type of drug because it slows activity in the brain and nervous system?
A depressant
What is the main chemical in marijuana that causes the feeling of being "high"?
THC.
Name one opioid.
Morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, heroin, codeine.
What number should you call if someone is unconscious, having trouble breathing, or you think they may be overdosing?
911
What are the chemical messengers that brain cells use to communicate with each other called?
Neurotransmitters
Name two abilities that can become worse when someone drinks alcohol.
Judgment, coordination, balance, reaction time, memory, speech, or decision-making
Name two ways marijuana or cannabis can be used besides smoking it
Vaping, gummies, edibles, brownies, candy, drinks, oils, or concentrates.
What important body function can opioids dangerously slow during an overdose?
Breathing
What medication can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose?
Naloxone
Name the brain chemical that plays an important role in motivation, pleasure, and the brain's reward system.
Dopamine
True or False: Drinking coffee or taking a cold shower can make an intoxicated person sober faster.
False.
Explanation: Only time allows the body to process alcohol.
Name three things THC can affect in the brain.
Memory, attention, learning, coordination, reaction time, judgment, emotions, or perception of time.
Heroin belongs to what family of drugs?
Opioids
Name two warning signs of an opioid overdose.
Why can drugs be especially risky during the teenage years?
The brain is still developing, especially areas involved in judgment, decision-making, impulse control, memory, and planning.
Someone drinks a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time and becomes difficult to wake up. What dangerous condition should you worry about?
Alcohol poisoning or alcohol overdose.
Why can marijuana edibles such as gummies be especially risky?
Their effects may take longer to appear, so someone may take more before feeling the first dose. They can also look like ordinary candy or food.
Why is taking a pill from a friend or buying a pill online especially dangerous today?
It could be counterfeit and may contain fentanyl or another unexpected drug.
True or False: If you give naloxone to someone who is NOT having an opioid overdose, it will make them high or cause an overdose
Answer: False.
Explanation: Naloxone does not cause a high and generally will not harm someone if opioids are not responsible for the emergency.
What is the term for needing higher and higher amounts of a drug to get the same effect?
Tolerance.
A person is awake and talking while drinking but cannot remember what happened the next morning. What is this called?
An alcohol-related blackout.
Someone says, "Marijuana is natural, so it can't hurt you." What is wrong with this statement?
Something being natural does not automatically mean it is safe. THC still affects the brain and can interfere with memory, attention, coordination, judgment, and other brain functions.
Fentanyl can be used safely by doctors in hospitals, but illegal fentanyl is extremely dangerous. Why?
Fentanyl is extremely powerful, and illegally made drugs may contain an unknown amount. A person may take fentanyl without even realizing it is present, which can cause a fatal overdose.
You find someone who will not wake up. They are breathing very slowly, have pinpoint pupils, and you think they may have taken an opioid. Name three things you should do.
Acceptable answers: