Common Drugs in the region
QUESTION
This week you will research the prevalence of drug use and abuse in your local area in order to gain more insight into the challenges you will face as a healthcare professional.
Identify the five most prevalent drugs in your local area and complete the following table. Submit your completed table along with a reference sheet of the resources utilized to complete the assignment. A version of this sheet is provided in Word (below).
Drug #1
Drug #2
Drug #3
Drug #4
Drug #5
Chemical Name
Nonproprietary (generic) name
Proprietary (trade) name
Common, street or slang name
Behavioral Classiification
Pharmacodynamic classification
Legal classification
Impact on central nervous system
Impact on behavior
Common Drugs in the region
ANSWER
Common Drugs in the region
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Full Title
Instructor Full Name
Due Date
Cocaine
Cocaine is used for recreational purposes. Cocaine’s chemical name is Benzoylmethylecgonine. Cocaine has several other names, including Nerocaine and Numbering. Crack, black rock, gravel, twinkie, scramble, and windowpane are all names for cocaine. CNS, CNS stimulants, hallucinogens, narcotic analgesics, and inhalants are all behavioral classifications. Cocaine is a stimulant because it gives users the impression that they have infinite power and energy (Isenschmid, 2020). It is a local anesthetic for the mucous membrane. Cocaine inhibits neurotransmitter reuptake in neural synapses, causing long-term behavioral changes by altering neuronal connections. It causes hallucinations, delusions, violence, and suicidal and homicidal thoughts.
Marijuana
Cannabis sativa is the scientific name for marijuana. Cannabis is its trademarked name. It is also known as Ganja, Hashish, Hemp, and Mary Jane. Weed, Reefer, and Pot Marijuana is a psychoactive drug that alters the mind. Cannabis is classified as senator by the pharmacodynamics classification because it causes sedation in the body. Marijuana interferes with the function of the cerebellum and the basal ganglia (Mandelbaum & de la Monte, 2017). It also has an impact on the brain areas that control balance, posture, coordination, and reaction time. Marijuana produces hallucinations, changes in mood, and depersonalization.
Heroin The generic name for heroine is diacetylmorphine, and its brand name is Heroin. Heroin is also known as smack, Black Tra, Horse, or Ska on the street. It is an opioid that causes the release of endorphins, which increases a person’s feelings of pleasure. It is classified as an opioid, though in many cases it is classified as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Because it floods the brain with dopamine, heroin is a depressant drug that slows the functioning of the brain and nervous system. The effect on behavior includes a rush of good feelings and clouded thinking, resulting in drowsiness and increased heart rates.
Tobacco
Nicotiana tabacum is the scientific name for tobacco. Cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and chewing tobacco are all brand names for tobacco. Tobacco is known as cigarettes, butts, and smokes on the street, while smokeless tobacco is chewed, dip, spit tobacco, and snuff. Tobacco is classified as Magnoliopsida and is further classified as a stimulant due to its depressant effects. Tobacco has neuroregulatory properties, and its effects on the biochemical and physiological functions of the central nervous system. Tobacco use causes depressive symptoms and increases suicidal thoughts; it also influences individual drug and alcohol use.
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine or Desoxyn is the drug’s generic name. The drug is also known as meth, methamphetamine, or desoxyn. Speed, chalk, gak, Tina, and crank are some of the street names for the drug, also known as crystal meth. Meth causes long-term impairment of attention, memory loss, and poor judgment. The drug is classified as a schedule II substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The drug causes the release of neurotransmitters dopamines, which block dopamine reuptake, resulting in euphoria. The drug causes interpersonal relationship breakdowns as well as emotional issues such as mood swings and chronic depression.
References
Isenschmid, D. S. (2020). Cocaine. Principles of Forensic Toxicology, 371–387. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42917-1_23
Mandelbaum, D. E., & de la Monte, S. M. (2017). Adverse structural and functional effects of marijuana on The brain: Evidence reviewed. Pediatric Neurology, 66, 12–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2016.09.004