Defining a Drug Problem

Jane Elphingstone, Ed.D., CHES

Professor – Health Education

University of Central Arkansas

Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to: Describe why it is important for people who

work with youth learn about drugs; Identify the major problems associated with

drugs Define drug, psychoactive drug use, drug

misuse, drug abuse and gateway drugs. Determine what constitutes a drug problem.

Why Drug Education?

Drugs are a part of our lives. Many of us are affected by others drug use

and abuse. We must be wise consumers and understand

the effects of drugs on our lives.

What Drugs Can Do For Us

Treat physical disease and manage illness. Manage mental illness. Control our fertility. Enhances our sexual lives. Prevent serious side effects of disease or

injury. Make us younger? Smarter? Brighter?

Costs and problems associated with drugs Costs of drug abuse Effects on children and families Effects on society

Costs of Drug Abuse

The societal cost of drug abuse was $143.4 billion. Healthcare costs (including treatment) Reduced job productivity or lost earnings Crime and social welfare Most costs are paid by: Government (46%) Drugs abusers and their families (44%) Source: ONDCP (2001). The economic costs of

drug abuse in the United States.

Effects on Children and Families Children with substance abusing parents are

more likely than peers for Alcohol and drug use Delinquency and depression Poor school performance

Effects on Society

Drugs and Crime Lost productivity of victims and incarcerated

perpetrators Lost legitimate production due to drug-related

crime careers Other costs

Federal drug traffic control Property damage Police, legal, and correction services

Other Effects on Society

Drugs and Disease Premature deaths Lost productivity Health care expenditures

Blood borne diseases Addiction related illness

Working Definitions

Drug Psychoactive Drug Drug Use Drug Misuse Drug Abuse Gateway Drugs

Drug

“any chemical entity or mixture of entities, other than those required for the maintenance of normal health, (such as food); the administration of which alters biological function and possible structure” (WHO, 1981, p. 227)

Psychoactive Drug

A drug which affects the way we think or feel or behave

Drug use

“any substance, natural or artificial, other than food, that by its chemical nature alters structure and function in the living organism” (Ray & Ksir, 2002).

Drug misuse

Inappropriate use of a drug whether it’s legal or illegal, psychoactive or not but is most commonly used to describe inappropriate use of prescribed drugs.

Drug Abuse

“The use of a drug that causes physical, psychological, legal or social harm to the individual user or to others affected by the drug user’s behavior. (Maisto, Galizio, & Conners, 2004.)

The use of a drug in such a manner or in such amounts or in situations such that the drug use causes problems or greatly increases the chance of problems occurring (Ray & Ksir, 2002)

Gateway Drugs

Drugs that are commonly tried before using other illicit drugs. Alcohol Tobacco Marijuana

Questions to Ask

Who? What? When? Where? Why? How ? How Much?

Five Scenarios Your 13 year old brother smokes a cigarette behind the

house with his friends. Kim’s mother has a party and sleepover on senior prom night

and provides champagne, beer and wine to her son and his friends.

Your 50 year old dad is told by his doctor to drink one glass of wine before going to bed each night for his heart.

Your grandmother with heart disease begins taking one aspirin every day after reading about its benefits for preventing heart attacks.

You get drunk before a family reunion so you can deal with your relatives.

Mark U for Use, M for Misuse and A for Abuse

Question 1

Who? 13 year old brother What? Cigarette When? Don’t know Where? Behind the house Why? To smoke with his friends How? Smoking How much? At least one cigarette

Question 2

Who? Kim and his friends in high school What? Alcohol When? At a sleepover on prom night Where? At Kim’s home Why? So kids won’t drink and drive on prom

night How? Kim’s mother is providing the alcohol;

they are drinking it How much? Don’t know

Question 3

Who? Dad What? Wine When? Before bed at night Where? Home Why? Heart prevention How? drinking How much? One glass

Question 4

Who? Grandmother What? Aspirin When? Every day Where? Don’t know Why? Read about its benefits for heart disease How? Orally How much? One aspirin

Question 5

Who? You What? Alcohol When? Before a family reunion Where? Don’t know Why? To cope with family How? Don’t know How much? Enough to get drunk

Summary

Defining a drug problem Why drug education What Drugs can do for us Costs and problems associated with drugs Working definitions