Medicine Safety
This type of medicine can be purchased without a prescription.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine.
A substance that changes how the brain or body functions is called this.
A drug.
This category generally increases activity in the central nervous system.
Stimulant
What is the legal drinking age in the U.S.
21
A friend offers you their prescription medicine because they say it worked for them. What is the safest response?
Do not take someone else's prescription medicine; ask a parent/guardian or healthcare professional for guidance.
This is the label you should read before taking an over-the-counter medicine.
The Drug Facts label.
Name one factor that can affect how a drug affects a person.
Age, body size, dose, health conditions, or other substances.
Alcohol belongs to this drug category.
Depressant
This ability helps a person make safe decisions and think about consequences. Alcohol can impair it.
Judgment
A person doubles their medicine dose because they want it to work faster. Which factor increases the risk?
Dose; taking more than directed can be dangerous.
Taking more medicine than the directions recommend is an example of this.
Medicine misuse.
When one substance changes the effect of another substance, this is called a drug _____.
Interaction
This category can alter perception and change how someone experiences sights, sounds, or time.
Hallucinogen
Alcohol affects this ability when a person takes longer to react to a sudden stop in traffic.
Reaction time.
A student is pressured by friends to try a substance they do not want to use. Name one safe way they could respond.
Say no, leave the situation, contact a trusted adult, or seek help from a responsible person.
A doctor prescribes medicine specifically for you. Your friend has the same symptoms and asks to use it. What should you do?
Do not share prescription medicine; it is intended for the person it was prescribed for.
One medicine causes drowsiness. A person combines it with alcohol. Why could this be dangerous?
Their effects can combine or become stronger, increasing the risk of harm.
Caffeine and nicotine are examples of this category of drug.
Stimulants
A person stumbles while walking after drinking. Name the ability most directly affected.
Coordination (including balance).
A friend who has been drinking insists they can drive home. Name one safe action you could take.
Do not get in the car; arrange a sober ride and seek help from a trusted adult if needed.
Name two things you can find on a Drug Facts label that help you use medicine safely.
Any two of these: active ingredients, uses, warnings, directions, or dosage information.
Two people take the same dose of a medicine, but one experiences stronger effects. Give two possible reasons.
They may differ in age, body size, health conditions, or other substances they have taken.
Alcohol can make someone louder or more social, but it is still classified as a depressant. Explain why.
Alcohol slows central nervous system functioning and can lower inhibitions; appearing energetic does not mean the brain is speeding up.
Someone says, “I don't feel drunk, so my judgment and reaction time must be normal.” Explain the problem with this reasoning.
A person may not recognize their own impairment. Feeling okay does not mean judgment and reaction time are unaffected.
A person has been drinking and considers taking a medicine that warns it may cause drowsiness. Use what you learned about drug interactions to explain the risk and identify a safe next step.
The effects could combine and increase impairment or other risks. The person should not assume the combination is safe and should consult a doctor or pharmacist and follow the medicine's warnings.