Drug Education

I. Overview

Effective drug education is important because young people face many influences
to use both licit and illicit drugs. Education can play a counterbalancing role in
shaping a normative culture of safety, moderation, and informed decision making.

Preventive education against drug abuse is vital in shaping and developing the
personality of young people because it seeks to inspire life goals, a challenge which
endows it with much broader implications than the prevention of health problems.

II. Objectives

At the end of the chapter, the earners are expected to:

1. describe drugs;
2. identify the different forms of illegal substance;
3. familiarize themselves with the effect of illegal substance;
4. explain Philippine laws regarding drug abuse;
5. enumerate the different ways to treat people who abused illegal substance

INTRODUCTION

Drug abuse is one of the world’s most pressing problems threatening people of every
age, socio-economic background, geographic region, educational level, and ethnic or racial
identity. What is alarming is its gradual change from social disease into a household
companion in many communities where people regard its presence as a normal thing in the
society. The most startling worldwide trends that have emerged are the increased availability
and variety of drugs and the prevalence of drug abuse among the youth. The Philippines is
no exception: research has shown that drug abuse is on the rise, and in particular, it is
increasing among young people. Drug abuse patterns among youth change rapidly with
different drugs becoming popular. Drug abuse has also expanded to a younger and wider
segment of the youth population. Millions of Filipino youths nationwide are using prohibited
drugs. The drug abusers are mostly adolescents ranging from 17 to 28 years of age. Majority
of them are males with a ratio of 12:1 compared to females. Most abusers are freshmen and
sophomore college students (Manwong, 2002).
 Students manifest vulnerability to drug abuse. Because of their immaturity and tender
age they have yet to develop the strength to resist the thrill and the euphoria which the
dangerous drugs offer. They have yet to uphold value and internalize the behavioral norms
which could help them cope with the social and personal problems within the framework of
socially, legally, and morally acceptable standards. Their defense mechanism against
damaging influence of drugs is still inadequate.

Topic 1: Drugs

A drug is any substance that causes change in an organism’s physiology or

psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances
that provide nutritional support.

Consumption of drugs can be via inhalation, injection, smoking, ingestion, absorption

via patch on the skin, or dissolution under the tongue.

Drugs can be both beneficial and harmful depending on its usage. A pharmaceutical
drug, also called a medication or medicine, is a chemical substance used
to treat, cure, prevent, or diagnose a disease or to promote well-being. Traditionally, drugs
are extracted from its sources such as plants, fungi or with other organic synthesis.
Psychoactive drugs are chemical substances that affect the function of the central
nervous system, altering perception, mood or consciousness.
Drugs may be any chemical substance, natural or synthetic, that changes a person's
mental state and that may be used repeatedly by a person for that effect. The term 'drug'
includes legal and illegal substances such as alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, petrol, kava, heroin,
anabolic steroids, cannabis (marijuana), psychoactive pharmaceuticals and inhalants. Some
drugs have become accepted as a normal part of how we live. Most drugs are under some
form of legal control.

Psychoactive drugs

The term 'psychoactive drug' is used to describe any chemical substance that affects
mood, perception or consciousness as a result of changes in the functioning of the nervous
system (brain and spinal cord).

Psychoactive drugs are divided into 3 groups:

depressants: they slow down the central nervous system; for example: tranquillisers,
alcohol, petrol, heroin and other opiates, cannabis (in low doses)

stimulants: they excite the nervous system; for example: nicotine, amphetamines,
cocaine, caffeine
 hallucinogens: they distort how things are perceived; for example: LSD, mescaline,
'magic mushrooms', cannabis (in high doses)

Prescription vs. Over the Counter Drugs

Medication can be used to address a variety of issues. From disease management to pain
relief to illness prevention, modern-day medicines provide solutions through two types of
drugs, prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) – and it’s important to know the
difference.

Prescription drugs

Rx drugs can only be obtained through a prescription from a physician or other

licensed medical professional, such as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. These
medications are typically stronger than OTC drugs, and can only be used by the intended
person to treat a specific medical diagnosis. Prescription drugs are only distributed at
licensed pharmacies.

Prescription drugs are:

 Prescribed by a doctor
 Bought at a pharmacy
 Prescribed for and intended to be used by one person
 Regulated by FDA through the New Drug Application (NDA) process. This is the
formal step a drug sponsor takes to ask that the FDA consider approving a new drug
for marketing in the United States.

Anatomy of a prescription
A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or device for a
patient. A prescription has several parts. They include the superscription or heading with the
symbol "R" or "Rx", which stands for the word recipe (meaning, in Latin, to take); the
inscription, which contains the names and quantities of the ingredients; the subscription or
directions for compounding the drug; and the signature which is often preceded by the sign
"s" standing for signa (Latin for mark), giving the directions to be marked on the container.
Poorly written prescriptions may be one of the main reasons there are so many medication
errors today.
Prescriptions may be entered into an electronic medical record system and
transmitted electronically to a pharmacy. Alternatively, a prescription may be handwritten on
preprinted prescription forms that have been assembled into pads, or printed onto similar
forms using a computer printer or even on plain paper according to the circumstance.
 This example is a common medication prescribed when people are leaving the hospital. It is one 100 mg
tablet, taken at bedtime. The prescription is for 30 pills and no refills.

Over the Counter Drugs

While certain OTC medications may be recommended by your doctor, they don’t
require a prescription to purchase. OTC drugs typically treat conditions that are easy to self-
diagnose, such as headaches, colds and allergies, and can be purchased at grocery stores,
drug stores, convenience stores and supermarkets. These drugs are not as potent as Rx
drugs, and it is less likely that they can be misused or abused – but it can happen.

OTC drugs are:

 Drugs that do NOT require a doctor's prescription

 Bought off-the-shelf in stores
 Regulated by FDA through OTC Drug monographs. OTC drug monographs are a kind
of "recipe book" covering acceptable ingredients, doses, formulations, and labeling.
Common Illegal Drugs

Common illegal drugs fall into a few different categories and then within
each of the categories there are certain substances that are used more than
others.

These categories are:

1. Cannabinoids – These type of substances aren’t illegal everywhere. They

are either smoked or swallowed and create a euphoric, relaxed state for
the individual.

2. Opioids – These types of drugs are injected, smoked, swallowed or snorted

and are classified as Schedule I, II, III and V drugs. They cr eate euphoria
and drowsiness as well as impairment.

3. Stimulants – Stimulants are one of the more common illegal drugs that
are schedule II substances. They are snorted smokes, injected and
swallowed. They not only increase heart rate but also blood pressure and
body temperature.

4. Club Drugs – Club drugs are another type of common illegal drugs,
popular within certain age groups. They are a schedule I and IV substance
that can be swallowed, snorted or injected and depending on the substance
create different effects. These effects range from hallucinogenic effects to
lowered inhibition to sedation and memory loss.

5. Dissociative Drugs – These illegal drugs are either not schedule drugs or
are Schedule I, II or III. They can be chewed, smoked, injected, snorted and
swallowed depending on the substance. Such as party drugs, they create a
wide range of effects on the body but in general a feeling of being
separated from one’s body hence; dissociative.

6. Hallucinogens – Hallucinogens are swallowed, smoked, and absorbed

through mouth tissues, such as LSD. They are Schedule I drugs that create
an altered state of perception.

Schedule II drugs are available for a non -refillable prescription. Schedule III
and IV drugs can be administered via prescription and can be given up t o six
months of prescription. Schedule V drugs can sometimes be found over the
counter.
Top 10 Illegal Drugs and their effects

The effects of illegal drugs on the body vary from substance to substance
and may even be life-threatening if they are habit-forming and cause addiction.

The top 10 illegal drugs are:

1. Marijuana – Creates slowed reaction time, euphoria, relaxation and increased

appetite.

2. Heroin – Euphoria, drowsiness as well as impaired coordination and slowed

breathing.

3. Cocaine – Nasal damage, increased heart rate, and blood pressure, as well as
increased energy and mental alertness.

4. Methamphetamine – Can cause severe dental problems, increased heart rate,

blood pressure, anxiety, and mental alertness.

5. MDMA – (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) Can cause sleep disturbances,

depression, impaired memory, addiction as well as increased tactile
sensitivity and lowered inhibition.

6. Ketamine – Can impair memory, cause delirium as well as create a feeling of

being separated from one’s body.

7. LSD – (Lysergic acid diethylamide) Can increase body temperature and heart rate
as well as create an altered state of perception and hallucinations.

8. Steroids – These create no intoxication effects but can alter blood pressure
and create blood clots and liver cysts.

9. Inhalants – can give individuals muscle cramps, depression, and memory

impairment as well as stimulation and loss of inhibition depending on the
chemical.

10. PCP and Analogs – Causes anxiety, tremors, numbness as well as psychosis,
aggression, and violence.
Lesson 2. What Is drug addiction?

Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is

compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences. The initial decision to take
drugs is voluntary for most people, but repeated drug use can lead to brain changes that
challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere with their ability to resist intense
urges to take drugs. These brain changes can be persistent, which is why drug addiction is
considered a "relapsing" disease—people in recovery from drug use disorders are at
increased risk for returning to drug use even after years of not taking the drug.

Addiction is a disease that affects your brain and behavior. When you’re addicted
to drugs, you can’t resist the urge to use them, no matter how much harm the drugs may
cause.
Drug addiction isn’t about just heroin, cocaine, or other illegal drugs. You can get
addicted to alcohol, nicotine, opioid painkillers, and other legal substances.
At first, you may choose to take a drug because you like the way it makes you feel.
You may think you can control how much and how often you use it. But over time, drugs
change how your brain works. These physical changes can last a long time. They make you
lose self-control and can lead you to damaging behaviors.

Addiction vs. Abuse

Drug abuse is when you use legal or illegal substances in ways you shouldn’t. You
might take more than the regular dose of pills or use someone else’s prescription. You may
abuse drugs to feel good, ease stress, or avoid reality. But usually, you’re able to change
your unhealthy habits or stop using altogether.

Addiction is when you can’t stop. Not when it puts your health in danger. Not when
it causes financial, emotional, and other problems for you or your loved ones. That urge to
get and use drugs can fill up every minute of the day, even if you want to quit.

Long-Term Effects on the Body

Abuse of drugs can cause serious harm to physical health. Some of the effects of drug
abuse on the body include damage that lasts for years and in some cases forever.
The impact on the body can range from mild symptoms to serious health problems. Nearly
every system and organ in the body may be affected by drug abuse:
 Cardiovascular system. Stimulants like cocaine are particularly hard on the heart,
causing damage every time they are used. Stimulant abuse can lead to long-term
heart disease, including heart failure. Injectable drugs like heroin can cause veins to
collapse and even infections in blood vessels or the heart.
  Respiratory system. The lungs can be damaged by any drug that is smoked, causing
diseases like emphysema, lung cancer, and chronic bronchitis. Opioids depress
breathing, which can worsen asthma.
 Kidney damage. Many drugs can cause long-term kidney damage, including kidney
failure, which is life threatening. This is caused by increased body temperature,
breakdown of muscle tissue, and dehydration.
 Liver damage. Heroin and prescription opioids can cause liver damage. This damage
is more severe when the drugs are combined with alcohol. In severe cases, a person
may have life-threatening liver failure.
 Gastrointestinal damage. Many kinds of drugs cause damage and decay in the
stomach or intestines. This can result in chronic pain, acid reflux, and constipation.
The sooner a person gets the help needed to stop abusing any type of drug, the better the
chances are of being able to minimize these physical health problems. While permanent
effects of drugs on the body are possible, the body can also recover in many ways. Quitting
and getting treatment has great benefits for physical health.

Long-Term Effects on the Brain

Drug addiction is such a difficult disease to overcome because drug abuse actually
changes the brain. Drugs produce a sensation of pleasure because of how they act in the
brain. Whether directly or indirectly, drugs of abuse target and activate the reward system
in the brain. They cause a neurotransmitter called dopamine to be released in large
quantities, triggering an extreme sensation of pleasure or euphoria. In other words, drugs
overstimulate the part of the brain that naturally produces pleasure and rewards a person
for doing something positive, like socializing or hugging a loved one.
Because of that extreme sense of pleasure, drugs work in such a way that a person is
inclined to use them again and again. Over time, the continual overstimulation of the
dopamine reward system can lead to lasting, even permanent changes in the brain. One
important change is that the brain begins to produce less dopamine. This is a way to
compensate for the flooding of the brain with dopamine that drug abuse causes, but the
result is that a person will begin to struggle to feel any pleasure at all. This change explains
why long-term drug users begin to feel depressed and lifeless.
These changes in dopamine levels are what cause a person to develop a tolerance to a
drug and the need to take more and more of a substance just to get a normal or elevated
sense of pleasure. How drugs impact the brain is complicated and involves more than just
dopamine. There are other ways in which the brain is changed from long-term drug abuse:
 Impaired cognitive function. Another neurotransmitter involved in the reward
system, glutamate, is affected by drug abuse. The brain’s attempt to compensate for
that causes changes to how a person thinks, making it more difficult to think and
learn.
  Changes in memory. Drug abuse causes changes in memory and learning, actually
conditioning a person to crave and use drugs. Cues in a person’s environment act as
triggers that make them crave and want a drug reflexively.
 Changes in brain connections. It is not just the reward system in the brain that is
affected by drug use. Over time, drug abuse changes other areas too, actually making
physical changes to the connections between neurons, or brain cells. In some areas,
more connections develop, while in others they decrease.
 Brain cells die. Many drugs are actually toxic, and they can kill brain cells. These cells
will never come back to life, and the damage is permanent.

While substance abuse does trigger lasting changes in the brain, there is hope. These
changes make it very difficult to stay away from drugs, but over a period of time the brain
can recover and once again adapt to functioning without drugs. It takes a lot of time, though.

The Lasting Psychological Effects of Drug Abuse

Drug abuse and addiction often occur alongside mental illness. This can be explained
by the fact that the risk factors for both are similar, but there is also evidence that drug abuse
can trigger, contribute to, or worsen mental health conditions. According to statistics, people
who abuse drugs are twice as likely to struggle with mood disorders, like depression, or
anxiety disorders. Drug abuse may trigger any mental illness or make any condition worse,
but the most common and lasting mental health issues from drug abuse are anxiety and
depression.

Indirect Effects of Drug Addiction

People who abuse drugs or become addicted to drugs typically make decisions and
do things—or fail to do things—that they otherwise wouldn’t. These choices are not directly
caused by drugs, but they are a result of drug abuse and addiction and can have serious and
lasting impacts on a person’s life. For instance, a person may get in legal trouble or even go
to prison over drug-related activities. The repercussions will follow someone for years to
come.
Other poor decisions someone may make while abusing drugs include having
unprotected sex or sharing needles, which can lead to diseases like HIV or hepatitis. Drug
abuse can lead to someone dropping out of school or losing a job, with lasting financial
consequences. Trauma, assault, and injury from violence may also result from drug abuse
and addiction. Relationships often suffer during periods of drug abuse, causing damage that
is difficult to repair.
Drug abuse and addiction can also lead to generally poor health in indirect ways. For
instance, someone abusing drugs may not eat well and may suffer from weight loss, weight
gain, malnutrition, or nutritional deficiencies. Sleep can also be an issue, and someone who
is addicted to drugs may not get enough sleep for long periods of time, which can trigger
more health problems.

The Risks of Overdose

The most serious potential long-term effect of drug abuse and drug addiction is
death. Drugs can kill slowly over time, but they can also cause a fatal overdose. Any misuse
of any type of drug puts a person at risk for having an overdose that may be fatal. That risk
increases when using street drugs, because the strength or purity is impossible to know. The
risk also increases when combining drugs or using drugs with alcohol. For example,
combining substances that depress breathing, like opioids and sedatives, greatly increases
the risk of a fatal overdose.
Drug abuse and drug addiction have serious and lasting impacts on all aspects of a
person’s health, as well as other areas of life, like relationships and finances. But anyone who
abuses drugs has reason to hope in spite of these effects. Good, effective, long-term
treatment can help reverse much of the damage caused by drugs and gives a person a
chance to put their life back together.

Side effects of drug addiction may include:

 A weakened immune system, increasing the risk of illness and infection
 Heart conditions ranging from abnormal heart rates to heart attacks and collapsed
veins and blood vessel infections from injected drugs
 Nausea and abdominal pain, which can also lead to changes in appetite and weight
loss
 Increased strain on the liver, which puts the person at risk of significant liver damage
or liver failure
 Seizures, stroke, mental confusion and brain damage
 Lung disease
 Problems with memory, attention and decision-making, which make daily living more
difficult
 Global effects of drugs on the body, such as breast development in men and increases
in body temperature, which can lead to other health problems
Lesson 3: Republic Act No. 9165

Republic Act No. 9165 is an act that shall be known and cited as the “Comprehensive
Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002”. Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,
or Republic Act No. 9165, is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 1858 and House Bill No.
4433. It was enacted and passed by the Senate of the Philippines and House of
Representatives of the Philippines on May 30, 2002 and May 29, 2002, respectively. It was
signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on June 7, 2002.
This Act repealed Republic Act No. 6425, otherwise known as the Dangerous Drugs
Act of 1972, as amended, and providing funds for its implementation. Under this Act, the
Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) remains as the policy-making and strategy-formulating body
in planning and formulation of policies and program on drug prevention and control.
It also created the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) under the Office of
the President, which serves as the implementing arm of the DDB, shall be responsible for the
efficient and effective ambt ... law enforcement of all the provisions on any dangerous
drugs, controlled precursors and essential chemicals as provided in this Act.

It is the policy of the State to safeguard the integrity of its territory and the well-being
of its citizenry particularly the youth, from the harmful effects of dangerous drugs on their
physical and mental well-being, and to defend the same against acts or omissions
detrimental to their development and preservation. In view of the foregoing, the State needs
to enhance further the efficacy of the law against dangerous drugs, it being one of today's
more serious social ills.

Lesson 4: Drug Education

Engaging students in drug education activities assists them to make healthy and safe
choices, identify risky situations, and develop strategies to prepare them for challenging
situations. Often, students become victim of drug abuse as most teens in their formative
years are easy to persuade by their “preys”.
Convincing minors to engage in such activity becomes effortless most especially
when money is involved. Needless to say, poverty and lack of decent jobs in the Philippines
become influencing factors why many adults and even teenagers engage in drug trafficking
and consequently, in drug abuse.
However, the Philippine government exerts its effort through the Dangerous Drugs
Board (DDB) to curb the abuse of illegal drugs in the Philippines. In fact, the National Anti-
Drug Plan of Action outlined by the DDB aims to have a drug-free country by 2020.
 The National Anti-Drug Plan of Action is aimed at achieving important goals, namely:
(1) Policy and Legislation, (2) Supply Reduction and (3) Demand Reduction.
As part of continuing education to the youth about the adverse effect of drugs and
drug addiction or substance abuse, the Philippine National police in cooperation with the
DDB has been actively conducting Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) Program. This
program aims to give substantive information to the students on the consequences on the
abuse of illegal substance. The program also teaches the students on how to resist the use
through peer pressure. The program also features the use of police as lecturers to develop
positive attitudes among the students towards the police.
The National Service Training Program (NSTP) is also seen as a potential additional
support in controlling drug abuse in the country. DDB supports the institutionalization of
NSTP as well as capacitating its instructors in utilizing instructional materials and teaching
strategies on drug education. This led to giving incentives to those outstanding NSTP
planners and implementers.
Can you name other government agencies that help the country in its mission to
achieve a drug-free nation? Can you name the role of this agency in the government’s
mission to control drug abuse?

Lesson 5: Treatments and Rehabilitation

Drug abuse as in many case should be treated and proper rehabilitation of the person
who abused drugs should be observed. Drug users should not be treated criminals right
away as they may be victims of circumstances.
RA 9165 also requires that every province in the Philippines should have at least one
Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers (TRCs). These TRCs should have well-trained personnel
and doctors who would assist patients.
The Department of Health, the agency that is assigned in establishing TRCs, should
always work on its maintenance. Trainings of health personnel and doctors are maintained
to achieve the purpose of TRC. Through training programs, those people involved in running
TRCs enhance their capability and skills in treating and handling drug abuse.
Philippine Amusement and gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office are also doing their share in the augmentation of TRCs in the country
through the Special Fund for DDB in accordance with the requirements of the law.
As part of treatment and rehabilitation, the government is geared towards
enhancement of easy access to treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependents.
References

Manwong, Rommel K. Drug Education and Vice Control. Baguio City: Valencia Educational
Supply, 2002.

"Drug Definition". Stedman's Medical Dictionary. Archived from the original on 2014-05-02.
Retrieved 2014-05-01 – via Drugs.com.

"An overview of alcohol and other drug issues". Archived from the original on 2015-03-28.
Retrieved 2015-03-16.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. Results from the 2006 National Survey
on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. Office of Applied Studies, NSDUH Series
H-32, DHHS, Publication No. SMA 07-4293, 2007. Retrieved May 11, 2011 from
http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/alcohol_illicitdrug.html

https://medicalschoolhq.net/prescription-writing-101/

https://www.legacyhealing.com/top-10-illegal-drugs-and-their-effects/

https://www.baptist-health.com/prescription-vs-over-the-counter-medication/
Activity 1: Picture Analysis

Interpret the editorial cartoon above. Write your opinion or comment in no more than
10 sentences.

Rubrics
CATEGORY A B C D F

Analysis Specific, developed Analysis is generally General and/or Analysis is sparse and No relevant analysis
analysis and sound but could be undeveloped lacks insight. and insightful
insightful more specific or analysis. observations made.
observations. insightful in some
areas.
30 pts.

Supporting Details Support Support information Support information An attempt has been No support
information is has minor has major made to add support information found
related to analysis weaknesses relative weaknesses relative information, but it or irrelevant.
and supportive of to analysis and/or to analysis and/or was unrelated or
the topic/subject. support of the support of the confusing.
topic/subject. topic/subject.
20 pts.

Focus Maintains focus on May exhibit minor May lose or may May fail to establish No analytical focus
topic/subject lapses in focus on exhibit major lapses focus on found.
throughout topic/subject. in focus on topic/subject.
response. topic/subject.
20 pts.

Writing Fluency: Demonstrates Demonstrates Writing fluency is Demonstrates Writing is not

Clear, Concise, skillful writing reasonable writing lacking, exhibits minimal writing fluent-- unreadable.
Correct fluency, exhibits few fluency, exhibits few several mechanical fluency, exhibits
or no mechanical mechanical errors. errors. numerous mechanical
errors. errors.

15 pts.
APA and Sources are cited Sources are cited, Sources are cited, Some of the sources Sources are not cited
correctly in the but there are a few but there are several are not cited and/or at all.
Documentation document and on errors in the format. errors in the format. the format is not
the reference page. correct.

15 pts.
Activity 2: Slogan Making