Lesson 7: 

COMMon drugs & their effects on
​youR Chemistry

Learning Goals:
1. To learn the effects that Common Drugs/Substances have on YOU.

2. To understand the Consequences of taking these substances at YOUR age.

3. To learn how YOU can Avoid the Pitfalls of drug abuse and addiction.

​4. To listen to and learn from Real-Life Stories from someone YOU know.
 
5. To learn ways of helping YOURSELF and Loved Ones suffering from drug abuse or addiction.

Rank these 10 Drugs from
​Least to Most Dangerous:

Alcohol
Tobacco
MDMA (Ecstacy)
LSD
Magic Mushrooms
Fentanyl
Cocaine
Heroin
Meth
​Cannabis

The world's most deadly drug!!!

ALCOHOL:
C2H6O
​Ethanol
Real-Life Experience #1:
My friend's boating accident.
What is it?
  • Alcohol is produced by fermenting or distilling various fruits, vegetables or grains.
  • Fermented beverages include beer, cider and wine, and they, along with flavoured purified alcohol, generally have an alcohol content of between 0.5% and 20%.
  • Distilled beverages, also known as “spirits,” include products such as vodka and whiskey, and have a higher alcohol content (25% or more).  
Short-Term Effects?
  • impulsive behaviour
  • impaired attention, concentration and judgement
  • drowsiness
  • aggressiveness and violent behaviour
  • slowed reaction time
  • slurred speech
  • double or blurred vision
  • flushed skin
  • nausea and vomiting
  • frequent urination
  • impaired memory or loss of memory

Severe alcohol intoxication can lead to alcohol poisoning, which can result in:
​
  • stupor (when someone is not alert or responsive, and has difficultly getting up or moving around)
  • coma
  • respiratory arrest (when someone stops breathing or has trouble breathing)
  • death
Long-Term Effects?
If you frequently drink too much alcohol, you risk some of these long-term harms:
  • damage to organs, including:
    • liver
    • brain
    • heart
    • stomach
  • increased risk of cancer, including:
    • liver
    • breast
    • throat
    • stomach
  • high blood pressure
  • reduced resistance to infection
  • sexual impotence
  • decreased appetite
  • malnourishment and vitamin deficiencies
  • disturbed sleep patterns
  • anxiety and depression, including suicidal depression
  • hormonal irregularities and infertility
Tips & Tricks:

TOBACCO
​(Smoking and Vaping):
CANNABIS (Marijuana):
C₂₁H₃₀O₂

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
Real-Life Experience #2:
My cousin's psychotic break.
What is it?
  • Cannabis, also commonly called marijuana, is a tobacco-like greenish or brownish material consisting of the dried flowers, fruiting tops and leaves of the cannabis plant, Cannabis sativa.
  • Commonly used street names for cannabis include “weed,” “pot,” “herb,” “ganja,” “grass,” “Mary Jane” and “reefer.”
  • In October 2019, Canada legalized the use of new classes of cannabis products, which includes edible cannabis (e.g., chocolate, tea), cannabis extracts (e.g., concentrated vape oils) and cannabis topicals.
  • These products vary in their appearance, concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), and methods of use, and have health risks that are not present with dried cannabis.
    • THC is the primary psychoactive compound that produces intoxicating and impairing effects — the “high” (see below).
    • CBD does not produce the high attributable to THC, but might have some psychoactive and therapeutic effects, although more research is needed in this area.​​
Short-Term Effects?
The flowers and leaves of the cannabis plant are used for their ability to cause effects on the mind, including:
  • feeling high (euphoria)
  • a sense of well-being
  • relaxation
  • heightened sensory experiences:
    • sight
    • taste
    • smell
    • sound

​However, your BRAIN and BODY may also experience effects that are:

  • negative
  • unwanted
  • unpleasant

​
Effects on your BRAIN:
​
  • confusion
  • sleepiness (fatigue)
  • impaired ability to:
    • remember
    • concentrate
    • pay attention
    • react quickly
  • anxiety, fear or panic


Effects on your BODY:
​
  • if smoking, damaged blood vessels caused by the smoke
  • decreased blood pressure, which can cause people to faint
  • increased heart rate, which can be dangerous for people with heart conditions and can lead to an increased risk of heart attack

Cannabis use can also result in PSYCHOTIC EPISODES characterized by:
​
  • paranoia
  • delusions
  • hallucinations
Long-Term Effects?
The long-term effects of cannabis on your brain can include an increased risk of ADDICTION.

Long-term cannabis use can also harm your:

  • memory
  • concentration
  • intelligence (IQ)
  • ability to think and make decisions


Effects appear to be worse if you:
​
  • start using early in adolescence
  • use frequently and over a long period of time


These effects can last from several days, to months or longer after you stop using cannabis.

​They may NOT be fully reversible even when cannabis use stops.
a) Healthy Brain
b) Marijuana User's Brain
COCAINE:
C17H21NO4

methyl (1R,2R,3S,5S)-3- (benzoyloxy)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1] octane-2-carboxylate

Stop Playing at 2:50
What is it?
Cocaine and Crack are powerful stimulants and highly addictive. Their effects on your physical and mental health can be serious and sometimes fatal.

Cocaine is also known as:
  • C
  • rock
  • snow
  • coke
  • blow

It is made from the leaves of the South American coca bush. The leaves are processed into a fine, white powder.

In this form, cocaine can be:
  • sniffed into the nose (snorted)
  • dissolved in water and injected into the vein
Short-Term Effects?
Cocaine and crack are fast-acting drugs. Their effects begin within seconds to minutes of use.

Cocaine changes brain chemistry so that people feel a sense of well-being (euphoria).

Mental Effects:
  • panic
  • anxiety
  • feeling happy and mentally alert
  • having more energy and self-confidence
  • paranoid thinking (believing that people want to harm you)

Physical Effects:
  • dry mouth
  • becoming talkative
  • restlessness and irritability
  • widened (dilated) pupils of the eyes
  • quicker startle reflexes and muscle twitches
  • a heightened sense of sight, sound and touch
  • a temporary decrease in need for food and sleep

Severe Effects can include:
  • tremors
  • dizziness
  • violent behaviour
  • nausea and vomiting
  • rapid breathing or difficulty breathing
Long-Term Effects?
Mental Effects:

The longer people use it, the worse the harm to them can be. Over time cocaine can cause physical changes in the brain. Some of these changes may affect your ability to function in life, at work or at school.

Some ongoing mental health effects linked to long-term use can include:
  • depression
  • sleeping problems
  • extreme changes in mood
  • erratic or violent behaviour
  • feelings of distrust, judgment, jealousy or suspicion (paranoia)
  • losing touch with reality (hallucinations, delusions or psychosis)


Physical Effects:

People who regularly snort cocaine can develop Nose and Sinus problems: 
  • losing the sense of smell
  • having frequent nosebleeds
  • having a red, chapped or runny nose
  • developing frequent nose and sinus infections
  • developing a hole in the wall between the nostrils

Heart Problems:
  • Cocaine stresses the heart, creating high blood pressure and a fast or irregular heartbeat.
  • This increases the possibility of a heart attack.
  • Even young and healthy people are at risk, especially if they use cocaine and alcohol together.
  • Cocaine use is also linked with an increased risk of stroke.

Stomach problems:
  • abdominal pain
  • nausea and vomiting
  • changes in appetite
    • ranging between intense hunger to no interest in food, resulting in lack of proper nutrition
  • bowel perforation and decay

Other problems:
  • Impotence
    • males may have difficulty getting an erection
  • Low libido
    • cocaine can cause a sharp decline in sex drive in both men and women
  • Pregnancy problems
    • if pregnant women use cocaine, they risk
      • stillbirth
      • miscarriage
      • premature delivery
  • Bleeding in the brain
    • cocaine can cause blood vessels in the brain to burst, which can be fatal​
Major Risks?
The most serious risk of cocaine or crack use is OVERDOSE, which can be lethal.

Overdose can include:
  • seizures or convulsions
  • breathing failure
  • stroke (loss of proper blood flow to the brain)
  • irregular heartbeat, heart attack or heart failure

The amount of cocaine needed to cause an overdose varies.

The possibility of accidental overdose is higher when people do not know exactly what drug they are taking or how strong it is.

The risk of overdose also increases with the co-use of other substances such as alcohol or opioids, for example. 

There is a significant risk of heart problems, even in younger people without pre-existing cardiovascular conditions.
MDMA/ECSTACY:
C₁₁H₁₅NO₂
3,4-Methyl​enedioxy​methamphetamine
What is it?
MDMA is short for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. It is made and sold illegally. MDMA has stimulant properties like amphetamine. It can also cause hallucinations.
MDMA is most often swallowed in tablets or capsules.

​Tablets vary in:
  • size
  • shape
  • colour
  • amount of drug contained

Many tablets are stamped with official-looking names or logos. However, these stamps do not identify what is in the pills and they do not mean that the pills are safe.
Short-Term Effects?
It takes about an hour for MDMA to reach the brain when you swallow it. The effects last from 3 to 6 hours.

Some of the less pleasant effects of MDMA may last up to 1 week or longer.

Mental Effects:

MDMA triggers the brain to release ‘feel-good’ chemicals (serotonin and dopamine).

You may experience:
  • increased physical energy and confidence
  • feelings of pleasure and well-being (euphoria)
  • sociability, friendliness and closeness with others (empathy)

However, when the pleasurable effects start to wear off you can experience:
  • fatigue
  • depression
  • confusion or paranoia
  • trouble concentrating
  • panic attacks or anxiety
  • delirium or hallucinations

Physical Effects:

  • sweating
  • decreased appetite
  • nausea and vomiting
  • seizures or convulsions
  • teeth grinding and jaw pain
  • dilated pupils and blurry vision
Long-Term Effects?
Mental Effects:

During or after taking MDMA you may experience:
  • paranoia
  • depression
  • hallucinations
  • sleeplessness
  • mental confusion

Delusions and other Psychotic Symptoms may last for several days or weeks in some people.


Physical Effects:

MDMA can increase your:
  • heart rate
  • blood pressure

Repeatedly using MDMA can also lead to:
  • kidney or liver damage
  • reduced interest in sex
  • damaged brain cells and memory problems
  • chronic exhaustion, fatigue and muscle aches
  • decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting

Using MDMA can be especially harmful if you have an existing condition such as:
  • diabetes
  • epilepsy
  • problems with your
    • liver
    • heart
    • kidney
Major Risks?
Pills sold as MDMA are often mixed with other substances. These can pose risks to your health and safety.

Common additions include:
  • anesthetics such as Ketamine or PCP
  • stimulants such as methamphetamine (METH), amphetamine or cocaine
  • novel psychedelic drugs (synthetic cathinones and 2C compounds)

MDMA raises your body temperature. This can lead to dehydration if you don’t drink enough water.

This risk goes up if you take MDMA:
  • during physical activity such as dancing
  • in crowded places such as parties or music festivals

If you have a cardiac disease, the short-term effects of MDMA such as increased blood pressure and heart rate could be potentially harmful. They may cause strokes.

Because it can bring on euphoria, studies have found that people who use MDMA are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviours. This may increase their risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
MAGIC MUSHROOMS + LSD:
C12H17N2O4P
Psilocybin
C20H25N3O
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)
What are they?
"Magic mushrooms" are mushrooms that contain hallucinogens - usually psilocybin and psilocin.

LSD (aka Acid) is a potent hallucinogenic drug. It is made from lysergic acid, which is found in a fungus that grows on rye and other grains.

Both can have long-lasting impacts on your brain and emotional state. This is true even if you use the drug ONLY ONCE.

In some cases, the consumption of these substances can lead to "bad trips" or "flashbacks".
Short-Term Effects?
Mental Effects:

Both can cause hallucinations and affect people by:
  • distorting their sense of reality (they see and hear things that are not there)
  • mixing up their senses (they believe they can see music or hear colours)
  • altering their sense of time

Some of the negative mental effects of taking these include:
  • light-headedness
  • anxiety and panic attacks
  • confusion and disorientation
  • paranoia
  • difficulty concentrating
  • altered or impaired memory
  • feeling disconnected from your body
  • extreme changes in mood, from:
    • joy to desperation
    • well-being to terror or aggression
  • impaired judgment of distance, time or speed
  • fear of losing control
  • fear of death

ALERT:
  • Deaths associated with Magic Mushrooms/LSD are usually the result of accidents caused when you sense or see something abnormally.
  • This can lead to errors in judgment. For example, a person may be convinced that they can fly or can walk through traffic unharmed.

Physical effects:

  • numbness, particularly in the face
  • increased heart rate and blood pressure
  • dry mouth, sometimes leading to nausea and vomiting
  • muscle weakness and twitching, or convulsions
  • sweating and high body temperature, often followed by chills and shivering
  • loss of urinary control
  • dizziness
  • sleeplessness
  • widened (dilated) pupils
  • loss of appetite
Long-Term Effects?
The health risks related to using Magic Mushrooms/LSD frequently are more mental than physical.

The drug can have long-lasting effects on your brain and emotional state. Sometimes the effects continue for YEARS after you stop using them:
  • paranoia
  • psychosis (similar to schizophrenia)
  • flashbacks
  • depression
Major Risks?
  • The use of psychedelic drugs can trigger psychosis brought on by psilocybin, which is very similar to schizophrenia.
  • Individuals with a family history of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders are at risk of experiencing a psychotic episode
  • Studies have confirmed that taking magic mushrooms can permanently alter your brain.
  • Depending on the amount and frequency of mushroom intake, you can cause permanent brain damage as a result of magic mushrooms.
  • Impaired judgement during “bad trips” may lead to death or traumatic injuries from risk-taking behaviour.
  • ​You may experience frequent or overly intense psychedelic events. These may bring on abrupt “flashbacks,” where you relive the previous experience.
  • Flashbacks are fairly common among hallucinogen users and may cause significant stress. When they persist and distress you for a long time, they are known as Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder. This disorder is relatively rare. 
FENTANYL (+ Other Opioids):
C22H28N2O
N-(1-(2-phenethyl)-4-piperidinyl-N-phenyl-propanamide
Deadly doses of Heroin, Fentanyl and Carfentanyl.
Real-Life Experience #3:
My sister.
What is it?
Fentanyl is a very potent opioid pain reliever. A few grains can be enough to kill you.
Fentanyl is usually used in a hospital setting. A doctor can also prescribe it to help control severe pain.

Fentanyl is causing high rates of overdose and overdose deaths.
People may be unaware that the drug they are taking is contaminated with fentanyl - often accidentally when drug dealers re-use surfaces and equipment that have been used for fentanyl.​

What Makes Fentanyl So Dangerous?
Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous drug because:
  • It is 20 to 40 times more potent than Heroin and 100 times more potent than Morphine. This makes the risk of accidental overdose very high.
  • It is odourless and tasteless. You may not even know you are taking it.
  • It can be mixed with other drugs such as heroin and cocaine. It is also being found in counterfeit pills that are made to look like prescription opioids.
Short-Term Effects?
Mental Effects:
  • dizziness
  • confusion
  • going "on the nod" (being in and out of consciousness)


Physical Effects:

Besides strong pain relief, fentanyl produces effects such as:
  • drowsiness
  • slow breathing
  • nausea and vomiting
  • smaller (constricted) pupils
  • itching or warm/hot sensation on the skin

Life-threatening effects can occur within 2 minutes of use.
Long-Term Effects?
Mental Effects:

Repeated use of fentanyl can cause:
  • substance use disorder
  • depression and suicidal thoughts
  • difficulty in controlling impulsive behaviour

​
Physical Effects:

Long-term use of fentanyl can also lead to:
  • constipation
  • substance use disorder
  • poor nutrition
  • sexual problems in men
  • irregular menstrual cycles in women

Need Help With Substance Abuse? 
Get Help for You or Someone You Know
Links to Drug Info (Canada):