Drugs
How this topic helps your child's learning
Many parents worry that their children may be experimenting with illegal drugs. Education about the dangers of these drugs is an important part of both the English and Scottish school curricula.
The pupil material in Boots Learning Store is aimed at pupils aged around 11-14. It describes the effects of drugs, both legal and illegal, such as stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens, and contains quizzes to test the pupil's understanding.
The basics
Possible signs of drug abuse can include changes in appearance, friends, interests, eating and sleeping habits, moods and openness.
The difficulty is that these signs are very often a natural part of growing up, so a young person who is not using drugs could show the same changes.
It is frustrating for parents who are trying to look out for signs of drug use, but the fact is, there are no easy answers. Most parents panic and become very emotional if they suspect their child is using drugs, but you might find the following advice helpful.
Useful things to know
This section lists some of the drugs with which your children may be tempted to experiment.
Amphetamines (Speed, Uppers)
Stimulants which speed up the mind and body. May be found in many forms including a powder which is inhaled ("snorted") or tablets which are swallowed. After the initial "high", users are likely to feel tired and depressed. Long-term dangers include a higher risk of heart problems and mental illness.
Barbiturates (Downers)
Sedatives which slow down the body's functions. Commonly abused barbiturates are amobarbital (Amytal), pentobarbital (Nembutal), and secobarbital (Seconal). There is only a slight difference between a dose that produces sedation and a dose that may cause death. Using barbiturates in conjunction with alcohol is especially dangerous.
Cannabis (Dope, Ganja, Grass, Weed)
Produced from the cannabis plant. May be found as dried leaves and stalks ("grass"), resin or oil. Usually smoked in a "joint", but may also be eaten. Cannabis is not believed to be addictive or to lead automatically to the taking of "hard" drugs. However, smoking cannabis may cause respiratory disorders and lead to nicotine addiction if it is smoked in conjunction with tobacco.
Cocaine (Coke, Charlie, Crack, Snow)
A short-acting, powerful stimulant which comes from the South American coca bush."Speedballing" is the combination of cocaine and heroin in a syringe for injection. "Spaceballing" is the sprinkling of liquid PCP (phencyclidine) on crack cocaine before smoking. Cocaine and crack constrict the heart's blood vessels, making it work harder and faster to move blood through the body. In some users, this stress may trigger chest pain or a heart attack. Brain seizures and strokes are another possibility.
Ecstasy (E)
Ecstasy is Methylene Dioxy Meth Amphetamine (MDMA). It is popular with "clubbers" as it makes the user feel more alert and enhances sensations of sound, colour, etc. Short-term risks include overheating and dehydration (drinking a pint of water or other non-alcoholic liquid every hour is recommended). Long-term risks are thought to include liver, kidney and brain damage.
Heroin (H, Smack, Horse, Scag)
A highly addictive opioid drug which may be snorted (inhaled), smoked, or injected . Heroin initially produces a feeling of tranquillity and euphoria followed by drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting. In large doses, heroin can reduce respiration to the point of death. Long term risks include infection of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and tetanus from using unsterile needles. Also collapsed veins, bacterial infections, abscesses, infection of heart lining and valves, arthritis and other rheumatological problems.
LSD (Acid)
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide is a derivative of ergot, a fungus that grows on rye and other grains. Its hallucinogenic effects (known as a "trip") may last up to 12 hours. Objects may appear distorted and time may appear to speed up or slow down. Later effects may include "flashbacks" in which a user suddenly re-experiences part of a "trip".
Alcohol
Young people are drinking more alcohol, and drinking more often. Though young people may at times drink in an uncontrolled way, more are going on to develop serious problems. The most common problems young people experience are the effect of intoxication, accidents, criminal involvement and unsafe sex.
Source: Alcohol Concern.
Volatile substances (Solvents)
Volatile substances include the gases butane and propane (gas lighters and refills), hair spray and deodorant aerosols, some air fresheners and whipping creams, refrigerant gases, glue, paint thinners and some correcting fluids. Users inhale vapours to get 'high'. The inhaled vapours are absorbed through the lungs and pass rapidly to the brain, which together with the lower oxygen intake induces the effects. Risks include suffocation from 'sniffing' bags or 'freezing' at the back of the throat and heart failure. Long term use can result in brain damage, liver failure and kidney damage. On average, gases, aerosols and glue kill six people a month.
Source: Health Education Authority 1998
Tips & treatments
- Try not to accuse your child as this will probably start a row; and if you are wrong, your relationship with them could be damaged.
- Try to find a time when you feel able to discuss the situation without interruptions.
- Don't try to discuss their drug use with them while you believe they are under the influence of a drug. This is especially important if your child has used gases, glues or aerosols.
- Decide how you want to react if your child tells you that they have used drugs.
- Ask them to talk about their views and try to listen with respect to what they say.
- If you suspect that your child is lying to you about their drug use, try not to get angry.
- Show them that your main concern is for their health and well-being.
- Make sure they know that you will be there to help them through any difficulties they come across.
- Make clear to them what behaviour is acceptable to you, and what you won't tolerate.
- Try not to threaten them with punishment - this might seem to offer a quick solution, but it's unlikely to give the result you are looking for.
- Make sure they understand that they are responsible for their actions and the consequences that follow.
Sources of help and information
The National Drugs Helpline
0800 776600
Offers free and confidential advice about drugs (24 hrs/7 days).
The Drugs in Schools Helpline
0345 366666
Offers advice, information and support for those for those concerned about a drug incident in school. (Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm)
DARE
DARE (UK) is a British registered charity and part of a worldwide educational organisation, now taught in 55 countries, which provide recipients with the knowledge and life skills to resist harmful drugs, including alcohol and tobacco. www.dare.uk.com
Department of Health
The Department of Health website has advice and information about substance misuse at: www.dh.gov.uk
The Drug Education Forum
The Drug Education Forum believes that the purpose of drug education is to increase children and young people's knowledge and understanding of drugs and their usage, and help them develop skills and attitudes, so that they can make informed choices. offer a service to those who provide drug education.
Drugscope
DrugScope is the UK's leading drugs charity and centre of expertise on drugs. The organisation provides up-to-date drug information to professionals and the public, conducts research and develops policies on drugs and drug-related issues, promotes humane and effective ways of responding to drugs and drug use, encourages informed debate and provides a voice for over 800 member bodies working on the ground.
The Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF)
National non-government drugs policy and information agency working in partnership with others to co-ordinate effective responses to drug use in Scotland. Visit the web site at: www.sdf.org.uk
Leaflets on Drugs from the Health Publications Unit:
Leaflets on drugs and solvents including:
'Drugs and Solvents - you and your child
'Drugs - a parents' guide'
'Solvents - a parents' guide'
are available from the Health Publications Unit, Contact the HPU Ordering Service at:
No 2 Site,
Heywood Stores,
Manchester Road,
Heywood,
Lancashire.
OL10 2PZ
Tel: 01304 614 731
The information contained on this web site does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.