Hello, I'm Officer Singera. Drugs are chemicals that change the way a person's body works. When speaking of legal drugs, medicines are legal drugs, meaning doctors can prescribe them for patients, stores can sell them, and people are allowed to buy them.
It is not legal or safe for people to use these medicines incorrectly, or to buy them from people who are selling them illegally. You should only use medications prescribed for you by your health care provider. When speaking of tobacco, alcohol and cannabis, in Ontario tobacco, alcohol and cannabis, also known as pot, are legal for anyone over the age of 19. Although legal, this does not mean they are safe or healthy for your body.
It is illegal to sell or supply any of these products to somebody who is under the ages provided. When speaking of illegal drugs, they are drugs that are illegal if the government has included them in their laws on the Controlled Substances Act. It is not safe for anyone to take illegal drugs because depending on that drug, they can have a negative or unexpected effects on the mind and body. and some of them can be the cause of an overdose or death.
Any drug that is purchased or obtained illicitly or illegally can be laced with a substance that may lead to that overdose or possible death. What do drugs do to your body? Some drugs are sold over-the-counter.
Over-the-counter drugs are medicines that are safe and effective for the use of the general public when seeking treatment by a health professional. such as Advil or Gravel or sometimes Tylenol. Prescription drugs are given by health professionals and or doctors to assist the body in healing, relieving uncomfortable symptoms and pain relief, etc. Illegal drugs are never given by a health professional.
Illegal drugs can damage the brain, the heart and other important organs of the body. They can affect your emotions and the way that you feel. They may cause people... to do things that they would not normally do.
While using drugs, a person is less able to do well in school, sports, or other activities. It is often hard to think clearly and make good decisions while taking drugs for a person who is using them. Depending on the drug, there may be a long-term effect from the using, such as substance abuse, disorder, and addiction.
When people use drugs, they may do risky or dangerous things that could hurt them. or even other people. A person at any age can accidentally overdose when using drugs, whether they are someone experimenting for the first time or someone who is using street drugs regularly. Illegal drugs are not all the same.
Different drugs have different dangers associated with them. These drugs cause different experiences and reactions for different people. How a drug will affect a person can depend on many things like the age of the person, the body type or even the mental state.
Just because someone else has tried it and had a certain feeling does not mean that it will be the same for everyone. A legal drug is usually first offered by a parent or someone that you know or if it is a prescription by your doctor. Remember legal drugs are given to assist you in feeling better and to help you live a healthier lifestyle. An illegal drug may be offered to you by someone you know from school or at a party.
They may be offering you the illegal drug and telling you that the drug will make you feel good or that it'll help you relax. Remember, any legal drugs given by a doctor with a prescription cannot be sold or shared. If a doctor did not write your name on that prescription bottle, then selling or taking someone else's medicine is illegal by law.
And at 12 years old, you can be arrested for buying, using, or even selling. illegal drugs. A drug dealer can be anyone that sells or shares prescriptions or illegal drugs with another person.
Some drug dealers might even offer to give you the drugs for free. This is not safe. 60 percent of those who use illegal drugs are 15 to 24 years old. Up to 48 percent of homes contain common medications, yet only 11 percent of those prescriptions or medications are securely stored.
55% of teens in Canada who abuse prescription painkillers say they get them from their home. in their parents medicine cabinets. That is considered illegal drug use or misuse of the drug.
All drugs can be misused and misuse can lead to many other issues. They could make you sick or have other numerous added harmful side effects on your body, including death. Substance use disorder or commonly known as addiction is a disease that affects a person's brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of the legal or illegal drug or medication. Different types of substance abuse disorders such as opiate use disorder, marijuana use disorder, nicotine use disorder, stimulant use disorder, sedative use disorder, hallucinogen use disorder, alcohol use disorder. If you use these drugs there is a possibility you may become addicted, which would make you continue using the drugs despite the harm that it causes you.
Substance use disorder, drug addiction, can start with experimental use of a recreational drug in social situations. And for some people, the drug use becomes more frequent. For others, particularly with opioids, drug addiction begins with exposure to prescribed medications or receiving medications from a friend or relative. who has been prescribed the medication. The risk of addictions and how fast you may become addicted varies by the drug.
Some drugs, such as opioid, painkillers, have a higher risk and can cause addiction more frequently than others. As time passes, you may need larger doses of the drug to get the same feelings. Soon, you may need the drug just to feel good.
As your drug use increases, you may find that it's increasingly difficult to go without the drug. Attempts to stop the drug use may cause intense cravings and make you feel physically ill, otherwise known as withdrawal symptoms. You may need help from your doctor or family or friends or even support groups or an organized treatment program to overcome your substance use disorder and stay drug free.
Common prescription drugs used illegally. There is a misperception among young people that prescription medications are safe to use, even non-medically. Kids may have easy access to prescription or over-the-counter medications in their homes that could pose a serious risk to their health. Common illegal drugs, different illegal drugs, have different effects on your body.
They can be grouped in three main categories. Some examples of common known illegal drugs include sedatives or opioids, heroin, tranquilizers. and they have a sedative effect that slows down the way the body and brain functions. They can have a numbing effect that produces drowsiness if a lot is taken. Sedatives can cause an accidental overdose.
Stimulants, such as caffeine, nicotine, amphetamine, cocaine, crack, and ecstasy. Stimulants can cause overstimulation, resulting in anxiety, panic, seizures, headaches, stomach cramps, aggression. and paranoia. Long-term use of the strong stimulants can have adverse effects. Hallucinogenics, such as LSD and magic mushrooms, and to a lesser extent cannabis and ecstasy, tend to alter the way the user feels, sees, hears, tastes, or smells.
Alcohol. Young people may drink because they feel a need to be like their friends or their older siblings. or because they may see it happening all around them, on social media or even at parties. They may be copying someone else's drinking habits or they may use alcohol to help them relax or deal with stress or anxiety that they may feel.
When young people over consume alcohol they are at risk for accidental injury, alcohol poisoning and motor vehicle crashes. While intoxicated they may be more vulnerable to physical assaults, sexual assaults and mental health issues such as depression and self-harm because alcohol impairs judgment, reasoning and the ability to evaluate risk. Frequent or regular alcohol use has an impact on the physical health and mental well-being of everyone including youth. Cannabis. Chances are you've heard cannabis referred to as marijuana, bud, blunt, chronic, dab, dope, ganja, grass, green, hash, herb, Joint, Loud, Mary Jane, MJ, Pot, Reefer, Shatter, Skunk, Smoke, Trees, Wax or Weed, whatever it's called.
Cannabis is a product of a plant called cannabis. Cannabis sativa. Cannabis is the second most commonly used substance in Canada after alcohol. The main active chemical in cannabis is THC. Of the roughly 400 chemicals found in the cannabis plant, THC affects the brain the most.
It is a mind-altering chemical that gives those who use cannabis a high. Another active chemical in cannabis is CBD, cannabidiol, which is being studied for its potential medical applications and its ability to moderate the effects of THC. Cannabis can be consumed in several ways. It can be inhaled, ingested, or applied topically and there are significant differences in the way that the effects are felt. Vaping.
Vaping's popularity among the youth has grown significantly over the past five years and there is a lot of concern that this increase may have a negative impact on the overall health of our young people. Some e-liquids have low levels, while others contain more nicotine than in a typical cigarette. Nicotine exposure in teens and young adults is concerning because it is an extremely addictive substance. Exposure to nicotine during adolescence can affect memory, concentration, impulse control, as well as cognitive and behavioral problems.
Vaping may predispose youth to addiction to nicotine and possibly other drugs. Energy drinks. Energy drinks are a widely promoted product that increase energy and enhance mental alertness and physical performance.
Caffeine is a major ingredient of the energy drink. The amounts of caffeine in energy drinks vary widely, and the crucial caffeine content may not be identified easily. Caffeine use may also be associated with anxiety, sleep problems, digestive problems, and dehydration. Numerous energy drinks deaths have occurred in young people over the years.
Caffeine speeds up the heart rate and affects the central nervous system. The speed of the heart rate can cause a heart to stop in some cases. You should note that this does not include Powerade or Gatorade. Those drinks are considered hydration drinks.
Suspect a drug overdose? If you suspect someone may have taken too much of a drug or taken a combination of substances such as alcohol and painkillers. They may be showing signs of an overdose.
Signs and symptoms of an overdose may vary depending on the substance, but can include severe headache, chest pain, heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, confusion, paranoia, seizures, hallucinations, delusions, heavy sweating, pale, blue skin, low body temperature or clammy skin, difficulty speaking, vomiting, slow, irregular or rapid heartbeat, loss of consciousness. Some symptoms of an overdose can be life-threatening. It's important to call 911 right away. Some people are worried to call 911 because they think they are going to get in trouble.
They may also have been using the drug themselves, or there are drugs in the room. The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act provides some legal protection for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose. The intention of this act is to reduce the fear of police attending overdose events and encourage people to seek life-saving assistance and stay with the victim in the event of an overdose.
This is particularly important in the face of the opioid crisis. The Act applies to everyone seeking emergency support during an overdose, including the person experiencing an overdose. The Act protects the person who seeks help, whether they stay or leave from the overdose scene before help arrives.
The Act also protects anyone else who is at the scene when help arrives. I'm Officer Christina, also known as Officer Sanghera, and I hope that this video, along with the information that you've received, gives you the necessary steps to move forward or to assist somebody else who's struggling with these issues. Have a great and wonderful day, and we hope that this never, ever affects you.