Health Grade 9 – Quarter 3

Curriculum Guide:

Prevention of Substance Use and Abuse

• Drug Scenarios in the Philippines
• Factors that influence substance use and abuse
• Drugs/Substances of abuse:
  • Stimulants
  • Depressants
  • Narcotics
  • Hallucinogen
  • Inhalants
• Harmful effects of drugs on the body:
  • Long Term
  • Short Term
• Prevention and control of substance use and abuse

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Lesson 3: Drugs of Abuse

Objectives:

• Describe how drug of abuse are classified
• Classify drugs of abuse according to their effects on the body
• Produce a table flipchart of the classification of drugs and their effects on the body

Classification of Drugs of Abuse

The Dangerous Drugs Board listed three major drugs of abuse in the Philippines. These are methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu”, cannabis sativa or “marijuana” and inhalants better known as “solvents”. These drugs of abuse are included in the six classifications of drugs.

The six classifications of drugs are the following:

• Gateway drugs – Gateway drugs such as cigarettes and alcohol are legal drugs that a non-drug user might try, which can lead him/her to more dangerous drugs such as marijuana and shabu.
• Depressant drugs – Depressant drugs slow down a person’s central nervous system (CNS). The Central nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord and nerves. Doctors commonly prescribe depressant drugs to help certain persons to be less angry, less stressed or tensed. Depressant drugs relax muscles and nerves. These drugs also make patients feel sleepy and light-headed.
• Stimulant drugs – Stimulant drugs speed up a person’s central nervous system. Stimulants make a person’s energy high. Negative effects of stimulants include depression and tiredness.
• Narcotics – Narcotics are drugs which relieve pain and induce sleepiness. In medicine, these drugs are administered in moderation to patients with mental disorders and those in severe pain like cancer.
• Hallucinogens – Hallucinogens are drugs which distorts reality and facts. It affects all senses and makes a user see, hear and feel things that don’t exist in the time being. The name hallucinogen came from the word hallucination which is to perceive illusions.
• Inhalants – Inhalants are found in ordinary household chemical products and anesthetics. It is readily available and accessible to young children. Inhalant intoxication is similar to the signs and symptoms of alcohol intoxication. One difference is the foul smell of chemicals sniffed, inhaled or huffed by the user.
  Continuous use and abuse leads to delusions, brain damage, liver damage, coma and death.