Problem 4 rating drug harm

Question 1

Classes

Answer 1

A B C where A is the most and C the least harmful (UK)

Question 2

LD50

Answer 2

lethal dose for 50% of the group

Question 3

Medial effective dose

Answer 3

active dose for 50% of the group

Question 4

Drug specific mortality

Answer 4

death from poisoning. How poisonous is a substance by comparing the needed amount with the fatal (safety ratio)

Question 5

Drug related mortality

Answer 5

Death by chronic illnesses caused by drug taking (e.g. HIV, cancer)

Question 6

Drug specific harm

Answer 6

Any physical damage specifically caused by the drug e.g. lung cancer caused by smoking

Question 7

Drug related harm

Answer 7

Damage from drug-related activities such as viruses, infections, accidents

Question 8

Dependence

Answer 8

How strongly you can get depended from a certain drug

Question 9

Drug-specific impairment of mental functioning

Answer 9

How far does the drug influence your judgement, which leads to risky behaviour such as drunk driving or unprotected sex

Question 10

Drug-related impairment of mental functioning

Answer 10

psychological effects that continue once the drug left the body e.g. psychotic symptoms, depression, memory loss

Question 11

Loss of tangibles

Answer 11

losing your job, your income, your possessions or your home, because of drug use

Question 12

Loss of relationships

Answer 12

People might lose friends and family because of their drug related behaviour, e.g. engage in compulsive behaviour, such as stealing from people they know to found their habit

Question 13

Injury

Answer 13

Taking drugs impairs your motor control which can lead to accidents that damages someone else. This might be accidental such as drunk car accident.

Question 14

Crime

Answer 14

Two categories 1. Crime to found drug habit, ad 2. Crime committed when judgment ins impaired while under influence, such as burglary and vandalism

Question 15

Economic cost

Answer 15

Consist of workdays loss because people recover from drug use, police time with fighting crime related to drugs and the costs to the NHS

Question 16

Impact on family

Answer 16

Can have a bad influence on the family live as when people steal from their family or even hurt them verbally or physical

Question 17

Environmental damage

Answer 17

Drug production can pollute local areas with toxic or flammable chemicals. Trash produced by addicts can make areas to no go areas for children, while noisy and aggressive behaviour degrades behaviour

Question 18

Decline in reputation of the community

Answer 18

Heavy drug use can stigmatise particular social groups and can turn neighbourhoods into no-go areas. Certain drugs especially crack and methamphetamine are notorious for this

Question 19

International damage

Answer 19

damage caused by the war on drugs

Question 20

Active compound of XTC

Answer 20

3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA)

Question 21

effects of MDMA

Answer 21

Gives huge amount of energy also creates feelings of warmth empathy towards others as well as euphoric rush

Question 22

Neuro level of XTC

Answer 22

realising serotonin in the brain and central nervous system, also releases dopamine

Question 23

Harms of XTC

Answer 23

• Can cause neurodegeneration in large doses, short term of cognition and memory loss

Question 24

benefits of XTC

Answer 24

Treating PTSD with MDMA has shown extremely encouraging results

Question 25

Scientist perspective on drugs

Answer 25

o Legalization because a lot of drugs have medical value and can be used as treatments which are sometimes even more effective as the common treatments

Question 26

Neuro action of Benzos

Answer 26

Increase effects of present GABA. Therefore, they need the release of GABA in order to work.

Question 27

Difference between Benzos and depressants

Answer 27

Effects cannot exceed effects of GABA that occurs naturally in brain, because it initially needs it in order to work. Therefore, our brain can switch off release of GABA to compensate and reduce effects of it.

Question 28

%-phases of Benzo treatment

Answer 28

1. Phase 1 – Patient has low GABA function and feels very anxious.
2. Phase 2 – Benzodiazepine improves GABA function and brings to normal range for anxiety. Eventually, tolerance is built up and GABA function decreases again, but patient is still ok.
3. Phase 3 – Doctor diminishes dose.
4. Phase 4 – Withdrawal makes patient feel more anxious than ever but once this has passed, they will feel better than before the treatment.
5. Phase 5 – There is ‘outcome 1’ in which his GABA function and level of anxiety are normal. ‘Outcome 2’ and ‘outcome 3’ have decreased GABA function and anxiety, but it is still better than before the treatment

Question 29

SSRI

Answer 29

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the most common prescribed antidepressants. They take longer to work but have more profound and long-lasting effects.

Question 30

Benefits of SSRI

Answer 30

Fewer side effects; almost no abuse potential and impossibility to overdose on

Question 31

Neuro SSRI

Answer 31

Block reuptake of serotonin into nerve terminals  Serotonin levels slowly increase.
• Beginning is complicated (insomnia, anxiety) but then negative feelings wear off and there is mood lifter and anxiety reducing effects.

Question 32

Rebound

Answer 32

Stopping medication causes deterioration in condition being treated.

Question 33

Paracetamol

Answer 33

is toxic to the liver

Question 34

Aspirin

Answer 34

is toxic to stomach and causes ulcers

Question 35

Codeine

Answer 35

causes analgesic-induced headaches

Question 36

Morphine

Answer 36

does not cause psychological craving because there is no association with pleasure.