Glencoe Health

Introduction:
In this lesson you learned about the health risks associated with psychoactive drugs. Categories of psychoactive drugs include stimulants (such as cocaine), depressants (such as GHB or Rohypnol), and hallucinogens (such as MDMA or Esctasy). The American Council for Drug Education (ACDE) is an organization that seeks to educate the public about drugs and their dangers. Visit the ACDE’s Web site to learn more about specific psychoactive drugs and their effects.

Links to Explore:
American Council for Drug Education: New Fact Sheets
http://www.acde.org/common/Contents.htm

Directions:

• Follow this link to the ACDE’s main publications page:
• Click on the links for the following fact sheets
  • Cocaine/Crack
  • Ecstasy
  • GHB and Rohypnol
• When you have read these fact sheets, answer the following questions

1			In the context of illegal drug use, what is a "crash"?
2			What are the potential psychiatric effects of cocaine or crack use?
3			Ecstasy, or MDMA, can cause death through harmful overheating (hyperthermia), overstimulation of the nervous system, or a condition called hyponatremia. What is hyponatremia and how does it occur?
4			What is herbal Ecstasy and how do its dangers compare with those of MDMA?
5			How are GHB and Rohypnol involved in date rape?
6			What are some of the symptoms of GHB or Rohypnol overdose?