Common Terms

The “Mind over Matter” series of articles presented by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) website offers help with teaching young people about drug abuse. It is designed to encourage young people in grades five through nine to learn about the effects of drug abuse on the body and the brain.

Anabolic Steroids - Anabolic steroids are artificial versions of a hormone that's in all of us -- testosterone. Some people take anabolic steroid pills or injections to try to build muscle faster.

Cocaine - Cocaine is made from the leaf of the coca plant. It often comes in the form of a white powder that some people inhale through their nose. Another form of cocaine, known as crack, can be smoked.

Hallucinogens - Hallucinogens cause people to experience - you guessed it - hallucinations, imagined experiences that seem real.

Inhalants - Hair spray, gasoline, spray paint -- they are all inhalants, and so are lots of other everyday products. Some people inhale the vapors on purpose.

Marijuana - You may have heard it called pot, weed, grass, ganja or skunk, but marijuana by any other name is still a drug that affects the brain.

Methamphetamine - Methamphetamine comes in many different forms and is snorted, swallowed, injected, or smoked. Methamphetamine can cause lots of harmful things, including inability to sleep, paranoia, aggressiveness, and hallucinations.

Opiates - Maybe you've heard of drugs called heroin, morphine or codeine. These are examples of opiates. If someone uses opiates again and again, his or her brain is likely to become dependent on them.

Prescription Drug Abuse - Abuse is when someone takes a prescription drug without a doctor’s prescription or in a way or amount that is different from what was prescribed. Abuse of prescription drugs can have serious and harmful health effects, including poisoning and even death.

Tobacco Addiction - When tobacco is smoked, nicotine is absorbed by the lungs and quickly moved into the bloodstream, where it is circulated throughout the brain.

Teacher's Guide - The Teacher's Guide is used in combination with the magazines in the series to promote an understanding of the physical reality of drug use, as well as curiosity about neuroscience.

For a detailed review about each topic, go directly to “Mind over Matter” offered by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. They provide a download PDF for each subject that are colorful and a useful teaching tool.

Visit Website: NIDA for Teens

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