drugs use: univ and inner city

what are crack cocaine's effects on the brain?

Crack cocaine is a strong central nervous stimulant that interferes with, and causes excess amounts of, dopamine in the brain. A neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and movement, dopamine is the neurotransmitter released as part of the brain's reward system. As a result, the psychological effects can be extremely reinforcing; after having tried crack cocaine, the user will rapidly develop an intense craving for the drug since the chemistry of the brain's reward system has been altered.

is marijuana addictive?

Contrary to common belief, marijuana is addictive. Estimates from research suggest that about 9 percent of users become addicted to marijuana; this number increases among those who start young (to about 17 percent, or 1 in 6) and among people who use marijuana daily (to 25-50 percent).

binge use

Five or more drinks on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least 1 day in the past 30 days.

heavy use

Five or more drinks on the same occasion on each of 5 or more days in the past 30 days.

what are examples of how marijuana affects a user's life

For example, marijuana use is associated with a higher likelihood of dropping out of school. Several studies also associate workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers' compensation claims, and job turnover.

alcohol use in the united states: prevalence of binge drinking and heavy alcohol use

In 2015, 26.9 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month; 7.0 percent reported that they engaged in heavy alcohol use in the past month.2 (See sidebar on page 2 for definitions of binge drinking and heavy alcohol use.)

health effects of alcoholic consumption: hypoglycemia

Lowers blood glucose, especially for people with diabetes

health effects of alcoholic consumption: hyperglycermia

Raises blood glucose

health effects of alcoholic consumption: heart disease

Raises blood pressure, blood lipids and the risk of stroke and heart disease in heavy drinkers. Heart disease is generally lower in light to moderate drinkers.

underage drinking: consequences of underage alcohol use:

Research indicates that alcohol use during the teenage years could interfere with normal adolescent brain development and increase the risk of developing AUD. In addition, underage drinking contributes to a range of acute consequences, including injuries, sexual assaults, and even deaths—including those from car crashes.21

how does marijuana affect a user's life?

Research shows marijuana may cause problems in daily life or make a person's existing problems worse. Heavy marijuana users generally report lower life satisfaction, poorer mental and physical health, more relationship problems, and less academic and career success compared to non-marijuana-using peers.

how do young women change their high school drinking habits once they start college?

So for the new study, researchers followed 437 young women from high school graduation through freshman year of college. They found that of women who had never drunk heavily in high school (if at all), nearly half admitted to binge drinking at least once by the end of their first college semester. What's more, binge drinking was linked to students' risk of sexual victimization -- regardless of what their drinking habits had been in high school. Of all young women whose biggest binge had included four to six drinks, one quarter said they'd been sexually victimized in the fall semester. That included anything from unwanted sexual contact to rape. And the more alcohol those binges involved, the greater the likelihood of sexual assault. Of women who'd ever consumed 10 or more drinks in a sitting since starting college, 59% were sexually victimized by the end of their first semester.

what are the short-term effects of crack cocaine?

The high from crack cocaine begins almost immediately after the vapors are inhaled and lasts about 5 to 15 minutes. After the initial 'rush' subsides, the user experiences an intense desire for more of the drug. Other short-term effects include. Increased blood pressure and heart rate Constricted peripheral blood vessels Increased rate of breathing Dilated pupils Hyper-stimulation Intense euphoria Decreased appetite Anxiety and paranoia Aggressive, paranoid behavior Depression Intense drug craving Sudden death - even one use can cause overdose or death Cocaine bugs" is a hallucinatory experience wherein the person feels as though bugs are crawling on or under his/her skin.Cocaine may exacerbate the medical symptoms of Tourette's syndrome and Tardive dyskinesia.Sigmund Freud used cocaine and prescribed it to his patients.

what is the most commonly used licit drug?

alcohol

how has alcohol proved to be beneficial to most?

alcohol has always been misused by a minority of drinkers, it has clearly proved to be beneficial to most. In the words of the founding Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, "... alcohol has existed longer than all human memory. It has outlived generations, nations, epochs and ages. It is a part of us, and that is fortunate indeed. For although alcohol will always be the master of some, for most of us it will continue to be the servant of man"

how has alcohol played an important role in religion and worship?

alcohol has played an important role in religion and worship. Historically, alcoholic beverages have served as sources of needed nutrients and have been widely used for their medicinal, antiseptic, and analgesic properties. The role of such beverages as thirst quenchers is obvious and they play an important role in enhancing the enjoyment and quality of life. they can be a social lubricant, can facilitate relaxation, can provide pharmacological pleasure, and can increase the pleasure of eating. Thus, while alcohol has always been misused by a minority of drinkers, it has proved to be beneficial to most.

the earliest alcoholic beverage may have been made from?

berries or honey and winemaking may have originated in the wild grape regions of the middle east

studies on alcohol and drugs: what years are the most associated with drinking?

college years

what is cocaine produced from?

plant species erythroxylon coca

what is crack or rock cocaine produced by?

heating powder cocaine, water, and baking soda

what does the national survey on drug use and health include?

it includes questions about the recency and frequency of consumption of alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, whiskey, brandy, and mixed drinks. an extensive list of examples of the kinds of beverages covered is given to respondents prior to the question administration. a "drink" is defined as a can or bottle of beer, a class of or a wine cooler, a shot of liquor, or a mixed drink with liquor in it. Times when the respondent only had a sip or two from a drink are not considered to be consumption. For this report, estimates for the prevalence of alcohol use are reported primarily at three levels defined for both males and females and for all ages as follows:A drink is considered to be: 4-5 ounces of wine 10 ounces of wine cooler 12 ounces of beer 1-1/4 ounces of distilled liquor (80 proof whiskey, vodka, scotch, or rum)

what is the most commonly used illicit drug?

marijuana

race/ethnicity

• In 2012, the prevalence of current use of a tobacco product among persons aged 12 or older was 10.8 percent for Asians, 19.2 percent for Hispanics, 27.2 percent for blacks, 29.2 percent for whites, 37.3 percent for persons who reported two or more races, and 48.4 percent for American Indians or Alaska Natives. There were no statistically significant changes in past month use of a tobacco product between 2011 and 2012 for any of these racial/ethnic groups. • In 2012, current cigarette smoking among youths aged 12 to 17 and young adults aged 18 to 25 was more prevalent among whites than blacks (8.2 vs. 4.1 percent for youths and 36.6 vs. 26.2 percent for young adults).

association with illicit drug and alcohol use

• Use of illicit drugs and alcohol was more common among current cigarette smokers than among nonsmokers in 2012, as in previous years since 2002. Among persons aged 12 or older, 23.0 percent of past month cigarette smokers reported current use of an illicit drug compared with 5.2 percent of persons who were not current cigarette smokers. Among youths aged 12 to 17 who smoked cigarettes in the past month, 54.6 percent also used an illicit drug compared with 6.4 percent of youths who did not smoke cigarettes. • Past month alcohol use was reported by 65.4 percent of current cigarette smokers compared with 48.3 percent of those who did not use cigarettes in the past month. This association also was found for binge alcohol use (43.6 percent of current cigarette smokers vs. 17.1 percent of current nonsmokers) and heavy alcohol use (15.8 vs. 3.9 percent, respectively).

what happens with long-term marijuana users trying to quit?

symptoms including irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and drug craving, all of which can make it difficult to abstain. Behavioral interventions, including cognitive-behavioral therapy and motivational incentives (i.e., providing vouchers for goods or services to patients who remain abstinent) have proven to be effective in treating marijuana addiction. Although no medications are currently available, recent discoveries about the workings of the endocannabinoid system offer promise for the development of medications to ease withdrawal, block the intoxicating effects of marijuana, and prevent relapse.

what does current research suggest about the moderate consumption of alcohol?

that it is preferable to abstinence and that it appears to reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease and osteoporosis among many other diseases and conditions, and to increase longevity.

who was osiris?

the god of wine, was worshipped throughout the entire country

employment

The rate of current alcohol use was 64.8 percent for full-time employed adults aged 18 or older in 2010, higher than the rate for unemployed adults (56.1 percent). However, the rates of binge and heavy drinking among unemployed persons (32.8 and 11.1 percent, respectively) were higher than among full-time employed persons (29.7 and 8.5 percent).

geographic area

The rate of past month alcohol use for people aged 12 or older in 2010 was lower in the South (47.5 percent) than in the Northeast (57.8 percent), Midwest (54.7 percent), or West (51.0 percent). Among people aged 12 or older, the rate of past month alcohol use in large metropolitan areas (54.1 percent) was higher than the 50.6 percent in small metropolitan areas and 46.2 percent in nonmetropolitan areas. Binge drinking was equally prevalent in large metropolitan areas (23.5 percent), small metropolitan areas (22.8 percent), and nonmetropolitan areas (22.1 percent). The rates of binge alcohol use among youths aged 12 to 17 were 7.8 percent in large metropolitan areas, 7.7 percent in small metropolitan areas, and 8.5 percent in nonmetropolitan areas.

college students

Young adults aged 18 to 22 enrolled full time in college were more likely than their peers not enrolled full time (i.e., part-time college students and persons not currently enrolled in college) to use alcohol in the past month, binge drink, and drink heavily. Among full-time college students in 2010, 63.3 percent were current drinkers, 42.2 percent were binge drinkers, and 15.6 percent were heavy drinkers. Among those not enrolled full time in college, these rates were 52.4, 35.6, and 11.9 percent, respectively. Among young adults aged 18 to 22, the rate of binge drinking appears to be declining somewhat. In 2002, the binge drinking rate within this age group was 41.0 percent compared with the current 38.4 percent. Among full-time college students, the rate went from 44.4 to 42.2 percent, but the change was not significant. Among part-time college students and others not in college, the rate decreased from 38.9 to 35.6 percent during the same time period.

crack cocaine profile

"Crack" is the name given to cocaine that has been processed with baking soda or ammonia, and transformed into a more potent, smokable, "rock" form. The name refers to the crackling sound heard when the rock is heated and smoked. Cocaine is a stimulant that has been abused for ages; however, crack cocaine is the most potent form in which the drug has ever appeared. There is great risk when using any form of cocaine, but crack cocaine is the riskiest form of the substance. Smoking a substance allows it to reach the brain more quickly than other routes of administration, and compulsive cocaine use will develop even more rapidly if the substance is smoked rather than snorted. Smoking crack cocaine brings an intense and immediate but very short-lived high that lasts about fifteen minutes.1 A person can become addicted after his or her first time trying crack cocaine.

Current (past month) use

At least one drink in the past 30 days.

Alcohol and College Students: Prevalence of Heavy Alcohol Use:

According to the 2015 NSDUH, 12.5 percent of college students ages 18-22 reported heavy alcohol use in the past month compared with 8.5 percent of other persons of the same age.22

alcohol use disorder: (AUD) in the united states: adults (ages 18+)

According to the 2015 NSDUH, 15.1 million adults ages 18 and older3 (6.2 percent of this age group4) had AUD. This includes 9.8 million men3 (8.4 percent of men in this age group4) and 5.3 million women3 (4.2 percent of women in this age group4).About 1.3 million adults received treatment for AUD at a specialized facility in 2015 (8.3 percent of adults who needed treatment).5 This included 898,000 men5 (8.8 percent of men who needed treatment) and 417,000 women (7.5 percent of women who needed treatment).5

underage drinking: prevalence of underage alcohol use: prevalence of drinking:

According to the 2015 NSDUH, 33.1 percent of 15-year-olds report that they have had at least 1 drink in their lives.18 About 7.7 million people ages 12-2019 (20.3 percent of this age group20) reported drinking alcohol in the past month (19.8 percent of males and 20.8 percent of females20).

Alcohol and College Students: Prevalence of Binge Drinking:

According to the 2015 NSDUH, 37.9 percent of college students ages 18-22 reported binge drinking in the past month compared with 32.6 percent of other persons of the same age.22

Alcohol and College Students: Prevalence of Alcohol Use: Prevalence of Drinking:

According to the 2015 NSDUH, 58.0 percent of full-time college students ages 18-22 drank alcohol in the past month compared with 48.2 percent of other persons of the same age.22

alcohol use disorder: (AUD) in the united states: youths (ages 12-17)

According to the 2015 NSDUH, an estimated 623,000 adolescents ages 12-176 (2.5 percent of this age group7) had AUD. This number includes 298,000 males6 (2.3 percent of males in this age group7) and 325,000 females6 (2.7 percent of females in this age group7). An estimated 37,000 adolescents (22,000 males and 15,000 females) received treatment for an alcohol problem in a specialized facility in 2015.8

underage drinking: Prevalence of Heavy Alcohol Use:

According to the 2015 NSDUH, approximately 1.3 million people19 (about 3.3 percent20) ages 12-20 (3.6 percent of males and 3.0 percent of females20) reported heavy alcohol use in the past month.

underage drinking: prevalence of binge drinking

According to the 2015 NSDUH, approximately 5.1 million people19 (about 13.4 percent20) ages 12-20 (13.4 percent of males and 13.3 percent of females20) reported binge drinking in the past month.

alcohol use in the united states: prevalence of drinking

According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 86.4 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime; 70.1 percent reported that they drank in the past year; 56.0 percent reported that they drank in the past month.1

Cocaine was first synthesized by?

Albert Niemann of the University of Gottingen in Germany in 1859. The active ingredient of the coca plant was first isolated in the West by the German chemist Friedrich Gaedcke in 1855; he named it "Erythroxyline". Albert Niemann described an improved purification process for his PhD; he named the product "cocaine". Nearly 98% of the world's cocaine is produced by Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia.Peru produces 50%The United States is the world's largest consumer of cocaine.Two thirds of the cocaine used in the United States are thought to be used by 25% of users.A gram of cocaine might yield 25 - 30 lines.

is crack cocaine addictive after one "hit"

Although crack cocaine is one of the most addictive drugs available one does not becomes addicted to it after one "hit."Neuropsychological testing has suggested that chronic use of cocaine might cause moderate to severe brain damage in adults.

race/ethnicity

Among persons aged 12 or older, whites in 2010 were more likely than other racial/ethnic groups to report current use of alcohol (56.7 percent). The rates were 45.2 percent for persons reporting two or more races, 42.8 percent for blacks, 41.8 percent for Hispanics, 38.4 percent for Asians, and 36.6 percent for American Indians or Alaska Natives. The rate of binge alcohol use was lowest among Asians (12.4 percent). Rates for other racial/ethnic groups were 19.8 percent for blacks, 21.5 percent for persons reporting two or more races, 24.0 percent for whites, 24.7 percent for American Indians or Alaska Natives, and 25.1 percent for Hispanics.

pregnant women:

Among pregnant women aged 15 to 44, an estimated 10.8 percent reported current alcohol use, 3.7 percent reported binge drinking, and 1.0 percent reported heavy drinking. These rates were significantly lower than the rates for nonpregnant women in the same age group (54.7, 24.6, and 5.4 percent, respectively). Binge drinking during the first trimester of pregnancy was reported by 10.1 percent of pregnant women aged 15 to 44. All of these estimates by pregnancy status are based on data averaged over 2009 and 2010.

alcohol-related deaths:

An estimated 88,009 people (approximately 62,000 men and 26,000 women9) die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the fourth leading preventable cause of death in the United States.10In 2014, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities accounted for 9,967 deaths (31 percent of overall driving fatalities).11

Alcohol and College Students: Consequences—Researchers estimate that each year:

1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor-vehicle crashes.23696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.2497,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 report experiencing alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.24Roughly 20 percent of college students meet the criteria for AUD.25About 1 in 4 college students report academic consequences from drinking, including missing class, falling behind in class, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.26

Health Effects of Alcohol Consumption: psychological disturbances

Causes depression, anxiety and insomnia

health effects of alcoholic consumption: liver disease

Causes fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis

Health Effects of Alcohol Consumption:nervous disorders

Causes neuropathy and dementia; impairs balance and memory

health effects of alcoholic consumption: fetal alcohol syndrome

Causes physical and behavioral abnormalities in the fetus

health effects of alcoholic consumption: kidney disease

Enlarges the kidneys, alters hormone functions, and increases the risk of kidney failure

Health Effects of Alcohol Consumption: obesity

Increases energy intake, but not a primary cause of obesity

health effects of alcoholic consumption: arthristis

Increases risk of gouty arthritis

health effects of alcoholic consumption: cancer

Increases the risk of cancer in the liver, pancreas, rectum, breast, mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus

health effects of alcoholic consumption: malnutrition

Increases the risk of protein-energy malnutrition,; low intakes of protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6 and riboflavin, and impaired

is marijuana medicine?

THC-based drugs to treat pain and nausea are already FDA approved and prescribed, and scientists continue to investigate the medicinal properties of other chemicals found in the cannabis plant—such as cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid compound that is being studied for its effects at treating pain, pediatric epilepsy, and other disorders Marijuana also raises heart rate by 20-100 percent shortly after smoking; this effect can last up to 3 hours. In one study, it was estimated that marijuana users have a 4.8-fold increase in the risk of heart attack in the first hour after smoking the drug. This risk may be greater in older individuals or in those with cardiac vulnerabilities.A number of studies have linked chronic marijuana use and mental illness. High doses of marijuana can produce a temporary psychotic reaction (involving hallucinations and paranoia) in some users, and using marijuana can worsen the course of illness in patients with schizophrenia. A series of large studies following users across time also showed a link between marijuana use and later development of psychosis. This relationship was influenced by genetic variables as well as the amount of drug used, drug potency, and the age at which it was first taken—those who start young are at increased risk for later problems.Associations have also been found between marijuana use and other mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts among adolescents, and personality disturbances, including a lack of motivation to engage in typically rewarding activities. More research is still needed to confirm and better understand these linkages.

marijuana:

The first historical references to marijuana date back to the reign of the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung (2737 B.C.) when it was used as a medicine - treatment for migraine headaches, anticonvulsant, hypnotic, even patients who contracted rabies.Cannabis Sativa 400 different compounds, 61 psychoactive

how does marijuana affect the brain?

When marijuana is smoked, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body. It is absorbed more slowly when ingested in food or drink.However it is ingested, THC acts on specific molecular targets on brain cells, called cannabinoid receptors. These receptors are ordinarily activated by chemicals similar to THC that naturally occur in the body (such as anandamide; see picture, above) and are part of a neural communication network called the endocannabinoid system. This system plays an important role in normal brain development and function.The highest density of cannabinoid receptors is found in parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thinking, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. Marijuana over activates the endocannabinoid system, causing the "high" and other effects that users experience. These effects include altered perceptions and mood, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and disrupted learning and memory.Marijuana also affects brain development, and when it is used heavily by young people, its effects on thinking and memory may last a long time or even be permanent. A recent study of marijuana users who began using in adolescence revealed substantially reduced connectivity among brain areas responsible for learning and memory. And a large long-term study in New Zealand showed that people who began smoking marijuana heavily in their teens lost an average of 8 points in IQ between age 13 and age 38. Importantly, the lost cognitive abilities were not fully restored in those who quit smoking marijuana as adults. Those who started smoking marijuana in adulthood did not show significant IQ declines.

when was alcohol first used?

While no one knows when beverage alcohol was first used, it was presumably the result of a fortuitous accident that occurred at least tens of thousands of years ago. However, the discovery of late Stone Age beer jugs has established the fact that intentionally fermented beverages existed at least as early as the Neolithic period

Alcohol and the Human Body:

n 2013, of the 72,559 liver disease deaths among individuals aged 12 and older, 45.8 percent involved alcohol. Among males, 48.5 percent of the 46,568 liver disease deaths involved alcohol. Among females, 41.8 percent of the 25,991 liver disease deaths involved alcohol.30Among all cirrhosis deaths in 2013, 47.9 percent were alcohol related. The proportion of alcohol-related cirrhosis was highest (76.5 percent) among decedents ages 25-34, followed by decedents aged 35-44, at 70.0 percent.31In 2009, alcohol-related liver disease was the primary cause of almost 1 in 3 liver transplants in the United States.32 Drinking alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, esophagus, pharynx, larynx, liver, and breast.33