Common Drugs and Their Effects

Use this handout to explore key information about common drugs. In the “Your Notes” section, jot down any personal observations, questions, or surprising facts you discover during the pair discussion.

1. Alcohol

Image: [Image placeholder of a spilled drink and liver illustration]

Effects:

• Depresses the central nervous system, slowing reaction time and impairing coordination
• Alters judgment and lowers inhibitions

Surprising Fact:

• Binge drinking can shrink brain volume over time, affecting memory and learning.

Your Notes:

2. Marijuana

Image: [Image placeholder of a cannabis leaf and brain graphic]

Effects:

• Alters perception of time, memory, and attention
• Can cause elevated heart rate and anxiety in some users

Surprising Fact:

• THC (the active chemical) can stay in fat cells for weeks, leading to positive drug tests long after use.

Your Notes:

3. Nicotine (Vaping/Cigarettes)

Image: [Image placeholder of e-cigarette and lungs illustration]

Effects:

• Stimulates release of dopamine, creating a short-lived “reward” feeling
• Increases heart rate, blood pressure, and constricts blood vessels

Surprising Fact:

• Teens who vape are more likely to start smoking traditional cigarettes later on.

Your Notes:

4. Prescription Opioids (e.g., Oxycodone)

Image: [Image placeholder of pill bottles and brain synapse graphic]

Effects:

• Block pain signals in the brain and produce euphoria
• High risk of tolerance and dependence with repeated use

Surprising Fact:

• Even when taken as prescribed, 1 in 4 teens may misuse leftover pills or share them with friends.

Your Notes:

5. Cocaine

Image: [Image placeholder of white powder and dopamine pathway illustration]

Effects:

• Rapidly increases levels of dopamine, leading to intense but short-lived euphoria
• Can cause dangerous spikes in heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature

Surprising Fact:

• A single high-dose use can trigger a heart attack, even in otherwise healthy teens.

Your Notes:

Additional Thoughts

Use the space below to record any overall takeaways, questions for further research, or personal coping strategies you plan to use when facing peer pressure.

Brain and Addiction Science Infographic

A visual guide to how drugs affect your brain’s chemistry, leading to tolerance, dependence, and cravings.

Neurotransmitters: The Brain’s Messengers

[Image placeholder: neuron releasing dopamine across a synapse]
Caption: Neurons send chemical signals (neurotransmitters) across tiny gaps called synapses to communicate. Dopamine is one key neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reward.

Key Point: When you do something enjoyable—playing a sport, listening to music—your brain releases dopamine, reinforcing that behavior.

How Drugs Hijack the System

[Image placeholder: drug molecule fitting into receptor like a key]
Caption: Some drugs mimic natural neurotransmitters or cause massive dopamine release, overwhelming normal signals.

• Mimic: Opioids fit into pain-control receptors, blocking discomfort and creating euphoria.
• Overload: Stimulants (e.g., cocaine) flood the brain with dopamine, producing an intense but brief high.

Tolerance: Needing More to Feel the Same

[Image placeholder: rising bar graph labeled dose over time]
Caption: With repeated use, your brain reduces its own dopamine production or receptor sensitivity.

• Effect: The same dose produces a weaker response.
• Result: Users increase the amount or frequency to chase the high.

Dependence: Brain’s New “Normal”

[Image placeholder: brain outline with locked padlock]
Caption: Over time, the brain relies on the drug to maintain chemical balance. Without it, normal functions feel “off.”

• Physical dependence: Body shows withdrawal symptoms (nausea, shakes).
• Psychological dependence: Strong emotional need or fear of life without the drug.

Craving: The Brain’s Demand Signal

[Image placeholder: thought bubble with drug image]
Caption: Cravings are intense urges triggered by people, places, or feelings associated with past drug use.

• Triggers: Stress, social settings, specific smells or sights.
• Challenge: Cravings can last long after physical withdrawal ends, making relapse more likely.

Takeaway

Understanding how drugs alter neurotransmitters—and how tolerance, dependence, and cravings develop—helps you recognize the risks and make informed choices. Learning healthy strategies to manage stress and emotions can keep your brain’s messaging system in balance.

Drug Awareness Poll

Kick off class with a quick check-in to gauge what you already know and think about drugs.

1. On a scale of 1–5, how much do you feel you know about the effects of common drugs? (Circle one)1 2 3 4 5
   (1 = I’ve never thought about it; 5 = I feel very informed)
2. Write two words that come to mind when you hear the phrase “drug use.”
   Your words:

1. Which of these drugs do you think poses the greatest health risk for teens?
   • Alcohol
   • Marijuana
   • Vaping/Nicotine
   • Prescription Opioids
   • Cocaine(Circle one and be ready to share why.)
2. One quick prediction:
   “If someone uses drugs regularly, one change I expect to see in their life is _____.”

Instructions:
• Complete your responses in the next 5 minutes.
• We’ll share highlights and use these ideas to guide today’s discussion in Behind the Haze.

Reflect & Commit

Please complete these prompts to wrap up our lesson and set a personal goal.

1. Two important things I learned today:

1. One fact or image that surprised me most, and why:

1. A healthy coping strategy I will use when I feel peer pressure or stress:

1. My personal commitment for making safe, informed choices this week: