Drug Prevention

Task One
Commonly Abused Drugs
Depressants
Depressants are a broad category of medications
that slow the central nervous system. It is A particular
kind of drug that suppresses brain activity, which relaxes
the muscles and provides comfort to the patient taking it.
CNS depressants - a type of depressant used for
medicinal purposes - are prescribed to treat seizures,
anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia; they can also be
administered before surgery to calm tension and induce
relaxation.

Depressants: Alcohol
Alcohol is a psychotropic, central nervous system depressant that affects cognition by decreasing
activity in certain regions of the brain. Furthermore, alcohol use stimulates the body to manufacture
more dopamine, which travels to the brain's "reward centers" or the regions that make us experience
positive emotions and the desire to do more of what we're doing.

Cocaine
Cocaine is a stimulant drug. Likewise,
to other stimulants, it expedites the
transmission of messages between the
brain and the body and can induce an
increase in one's energy, confidence, and
attentiveness. Additionally, it raises a
person's blood pressure and heart rate.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant, therefore it
boosts activity in the brain and nervous
system. Additionally, it promotes the
body's circulation of hormones like
cortisol and adrenaline. Caffeine can help
you feel alert and concentrated in
moderation.
Nicotine
Nicotine serves as both a stimulant
and a depressant to the central nervous
system. Nicotine facilitates adrenaline
which further activates a person's neural
system and contributes to feelings of
pleasure and,, addiction.
Stimulants
Stimulants are an assortment of psychoactive drug
which offers temporary enhancements in either
psychological or physical functioning, thus enhancing one's
mood and improving one's sense of overall well-being,
energy, and attentiveness.
Amphetamines
Amphetamines are psychostimulant drugs, which
implies that they accelerate the information that is
traveling between the brain and the body. In response to
Amphetamines, the brain releases hormones and other
substances; dopamine and adrenalin secretion are a few of
these alterations. Some medications are utilized, legally, for
the management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD).
Methylenedioxymethaphetamine
Ecstasy, additionally referred to as MDMA, is a
synthetic drug that is illegal and classified as an
empathogen as it makes people feel more empathic and
compassionate toward others; it also acts as a nervous
system stimulant by releasing a lot of serotonin, which is
important for controlling mood, energy level, and appetite.
 Commonly Abused Drugs
Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens are an extensive and varied category
of psychoactive substances that may generate altered
states of consciousness characterized by substantial
changes in thought. Effects that are frequently connected
to phenomena include dreams, religious ecstasy, or mental
illnesses like schizophrenia. Despite the fact that
hallucinogens intensify sensory impulses, they frequently
cause a loss of control over what is experienced.

Narcotics
Narcotic, a drug that yields analgesia (pain
relief), narcosis (state of stupor or sleep), and
addiction (physical dependency on the drug). It is a
substance (such as opium or morphine) that causes
drowsiness coma, or convulsions when consumed in
overabundance; whereas diminishes the senses,
relieves pain, and induces deep sleep in modest
amounts.

Manifestation of Drug
Dependency
Physical
Weight Fluctuation
Illicit substances have been used non-medically
for purposes comparable to boosting mood and
problem suppressants. Appetite suppression is a
common adverse effect of these drugs - thus, it leads
to a sudden fluctuation of the weight of the abuser.

Optical Response to Stimuli

Misuse of substances may negatively impact
how the eyes respond to neurological stimuli. The
result is aberrant constriction or dilation of the eyes.
Toxic drugs may trigger disturbances to the eye that
can range from mild/no symptoms to permanent loss
of vision and endophthalmitis, which may trigger
irreversible blindness.
 Manifestation of Drug
Dependency
Psychological and Emotional
Depression
Self-medicating for depression symptoms
through substance abuse may render someone more
susceptible to addiction. People who are struggling
with drug or alcohol addiction have a tendency to be
depressed. Abuse of drugs or alcohol can cause or
aggravate depressive symptoms like loneliness,
despair, and hopelessness.

Psychosis
Psychosis is a mental health condition that
causes someone to momentarily perceive the world
differently than those around them. Drug-induced
psychosis occurs when one experiences psychotic
episodes, such as hallucinations or delusions, as a
direct result of consuming drugs.

Manifestation of Drug
Dependency
Behavioral
Violence
Violence has been linked to substance use
disorders (SUDs), a medical disease characterized by
the inability to stop using drugs and/or alcohol in
spite of the harmful effects. In fact, according to
research, up to 75% of people who start SUD
treatment admit to committing violent crimes.

Suicide
Substance abuse increases the chance of
overdoses, including fatal and nonfatal ones, suicide
attempts, and deaths from suicide. Individuals with
alcohol dependence and drug users have a 10–14
times higher risk of dying by suicide than the
general population, and about 22% of suicide deaths
have involved alcohol intoxication.
Significance of Drug Education to the Youth

The illicit use of drugs has

long been a growing problem in the
Philippines. The World Health
Organization conducted a study of
Filipinos in 2019 to assess the
extent to which drug misuse has
expanded. In accordance with the
findings, an estimated 1.7 million
Filipinos were using detrimental
prohibited substances. Agonizingly,
victims of these illicit substances
range from the demographics of
the youth to the older generations.

There is a wide array of substances commonly used by abusers in the

Philippines; these substances include shabu, non-medical marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy,
caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and more. Although precise statistics have yet to be
determined, the Dangerous Drugs Board has estimated that as many as 3.7 million
people in the Philippines are currently struggling with substance misuse, with young
people comprising approximately 65% of this population.

Despite the government's attempt of diminishing substance abuse in the

country through the implementation of Oplan Tokhang during the reign of former
President Rodrigo Duterte who instituted the War on Drugs, there remains a
significant number of cases of consumption up to this day, for the measures taken
solely focused on a specific type of drug (i.e., shabu and marijuana) and have not
taken into consideration other commonly misused substance such as nicotine and
alcohol depressants.

As the expression "prevention is better than cure" suggests, it is easier for

one to gain awareness of and comprehend the adverse and detrimental
consequences of these substances than it is to recuperate from and combat
addiction. Since we are the nation's future, it only seems sensible that change would
start with us. Furthermore, our actions should not stop by merely understanding
information regarding these illegal drugs. We must also learn to speak up and stand
firm for the victims of the war on drugs. It is never justifiable to take someone's life
solely based on allegations. Let drug education broaden your horizons with scientific
information whilst opening your eyes to the injustices in the nation concerning drug
abuse.

Justice for the Victims of War on Drugs!