Drugs Of Abuse - Sunshine Coast Health Centre

Why This Guide?
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Benjamin Franklin
The key to eff ective prevention is knowledge. This guide
is designed to inform families, employers, and educators
not familiar with the vast array of abused drugs now
commonplace in our communities. Some of these drugs,
such as inhalants, can be found in any supermarket
or hardware store. Prescription drugs have legitimate
medical applications but are being increasingly diverted
for illicit purposes. Other “hardcore” drugs, such as crack
cocaine, are now commonplace in many schools, work
sites, and homes across North America.
When Drug Use Becomes Drug Dependence
When drugs are used solely to create intensely pleasurable
feelings, it is called drug abuse. Tolerance to the
drugs’ eff ects occurs with long-term use, so users must
take higher doses to achieve the same or similar eff ects
as experienced initially.
Prolonged drug abuse can also lead to physical
dependence, psychological dependence, or both.
Physical dependence means that the absence of the
drug creates discomfort (withdrawal) until more of
the drug is administered. Psychological dependence
refers to a perceived “need” or “craving” for a drug. While
physical dependence is typically treated in a few days,
treatment for psychological dependence requires a
much longer time frame.
Drug Categories Explained
The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in Canada
regulates four classes of drugs: hallucinogens, depressants,
stimulants, and anabolic steroids. All controlled
substances have the potential to be abused. With the
exception of anabolic steroids, controlled substances
are abused to alter mood, thought, and feeling through
their eff ect on the central nervous system (brain and
spinal cord).
Drugs are distinguished by their eff ect on the central
nervous system (depressants or stimulants), by their
primary ingredient (the poppy plant for opioids,
testosterone for steroids), or how they are used
(inhalants). Individual drugs within a class can have
diff ering medical uses, eff ect duration, or methods of
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ingestion (oral, injected, smoked, or snorted). However,
drugs within a particular class typically share similar
eff ects, overdose risk, and withdrawal symptoms.
Although considered a hallucinogen, the prevalence and
unique features of cannabis warrant a separate section.
Inhalants are abused drugs but, due to their widespread
use for a number of legitimate purposes, are
not controlled substances. Due to their abuse potential,
however, a section is dedicated to inhalants. Families
and educators may want to pay particular attention to
inhalants since most inhalant abusers are youth.
Prevalence of Drug Abuse in Canada
A fi nal note on the prevalence of the drugs profi led in
this guide is necessary. Of Canadians 15 years or older,
a survey conducted in 2004 revealed that alcohol is, by
far, the drug of choice with 79.3 percent report consuming
alcohol in the past year. Of past-year drinkers, 17
percent are considered high-risk drinkers. According to
the same survey, “cannabis is the most widely used illicit
drug followed in order by LSD or hallucinogens, cocaine
and crack, speed, and heroin.” Rates of past-year use
of cannabis increased signifi cantly from 7.4 percent in
1994 to 14.1 percent in 2004, while cocaine and crack
use more than doubled from 0.7 percent to 1.9 percent
during the same period. Rates of past-year use for all
other substances (including steroids and inhalants)
remained below 1 percent. (source: Canadian Addiction
Survey, 2004).
In Canada, tobacco is the leading preventable cause
of death. Exclusion from this guide is not intended to
minimize its impact on the well-being of Canadians.
Changes in this Edition
In this 2010/11 edition of this guide, changes have been
made to the marijuana section. Furthermore, information
on barbiturates has been replaced with additional
photographs of more commonly prescribed drugs.
Photos of Canadian and US prescribed drugs are now
distinguished by fl ags.
Symbols have been placed next to certain prescription
drugs and over-the-counter medications
that should be taken with caution. These
“Medication Alert” symbols are provided in
the hallucinogens, depressants, and stimulants sections.
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