1. Chapter 1: Talking About Drug Use
Psychoactive drugs: effect
thoughts, emotions and/or behavior
and can alter consciousness
Four Principles:
1. Drugs are not good or bad
2. Every drug has multiple effects
3. Both the size and the quality of a
drug’s effect depend on the amount
the individual has taken
4. The effects of any psychoactive
drug depend on the individual’s
history and expectations
2. “The Drug Problem”
Talking About Drug Use
• To evaluate the extent of the drug problem and
propose possible solutions, it helps to ask basic
journalism questions:
• Who?
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• Why?
• How?
• How much?
3. Research on Substance Use
•
Take into account source of information
•
Not easy to get accurate information on:
•
Number of drug users
•
How much is imported and sold
•
Usage of even alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drugs
•
What constitutes a trend?
•
How do we get information?
•
Survey Questionnaires
•
Benefits & drawbacks
4. Trends & Correlates
•
Trends
•
Prevalence of use
•
Perceived risk & availability
•
Correlates
•
Risk factors
•
Protective factors
•
Correlates or
stereotypes &
misinformation?
5. Antecedents of Drug Use
•
Antecedent: a factor that occurs before an event such as
the initiation of drug use
•
Examples of antecedents commonly studied
•
Aggressiveness
•
Conduct problems
•
Poor academic performance
•
Attachment to a drug-using peer group
•
Concept of “gateway drug”
