Drug abuse substances

Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, 2004. National Household Survey on Drug Abuse Substance dependence, abuse, and treatment tables—Tables H.57 to H.70. http //oas.samhsa.gOv/NHSDA/2klNHSDA/vol2/appendixh 5.htm tableh.58. 

Is there an alcohol, drugs and substance abuse policy ... 

Check that there is an alcohol, drug and substance abuse policy that gives clear guidelines on handling the issues, dismissal, and rehabilitation. 

Many laws have been enacted over the last century that affect drug distribution and administration. Those included here are the Pure Food and Drug Act Harrison Narcotic Act Pure Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act. These laws control the use of the three categories of drugs in the United States (prescription, nonprescription, and controlled substances). 

Therapeutic communities are supervised communal drug-free living situations for opioid and nonopioid drug abusers. Because substance abuse is viewed as a disorder of the whole person, the goal is a dramatic alteration of the addict s entire lifestyle (DeLeon 1985). Addicts are expected to five in these communities for 6—18 months. Therefore, they are not indicated for people who have a strong intimate relationship or stable employment. The community is a surrogate fam-... 

Comparable findings for lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders were obtained in another study of 133 persons, which also found that 47% received a concurrent DSM-III diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence (Khantzian and Treece 1985). The most frequently abused substances were sedative-hypnotics (23%), alcohol (14%), and cannabis (13%). Similar rates of psychiatric disorders were found in other studies of drug abusers (Mirin et al. 1986 Woody et al. 1983). Although such diagnoses do not imply causality, and, in many cases, opioid dependence causes or exacerbates psychiatric problems, some causal link seems likely (Regier et al. 1990). 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Emergency Department Trends from the Drug Abuse Warning Network, Preliminary Estimates January-June, 2001 with Revised Estimates 1994—2000 (DHHS PublNoSMA-02-3634). Rockville, MD, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2001... 

A dramatically different pattern is found in surveys of drug abuse treatment facilities. Substance abuse treatment centers have reported that more than 20% of patients use benzodiazepines weekly or more frequently, with 30%— 90% of opioid abusers reporting illicit use (Iguchi et al. 1993 Stitzer et al 1981). Methadone clinics reported that high proportions ofurine samples are positive for benzodiazepines (Darke et al. 2003 Dinwiddle et al. 1996 Ross and Darke 2000 Seivewright 2001 Strain et al. 1991 Williams et al. 1996). The reasons for the high rates of benzodiazepine use in opioid addicts include self-medication of insomnia, anxiety, and withdrawal symptoms, as well as attempts to boost the euphoric effects of opioids. 

GHB has been used both for legitimate clinical and chnical research purposes and for a range of iUicit purposes. It was marketed legally in the United States until 1990, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned its sale to consumers. Except for the one indication described later in this section, GHB is a Schedule I controlled substance without other FDA-approved indications. The FDA has also declared y-butyrolactone (GBL) as a List I chemical and 1,4-butanediol (1,4-BD) as a Class I health hazard, practically designating these GHB precursors, which are also industrial solvents, as illicit and unapproved new drugs (National Institute on Drug Abuse 2000). 

Stewart RD, Fisher TN, Hosko MJ, et al Experimental human exposure to methylene chloride. Arch Environ Health 25 342-348, 1972 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Preliminary Estimates from the 1995 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. Rockville, MD, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1996 Tenenbein M, PillayN Sensory evoked potentials in inhalant (volatile solvent) abuse. J Paediatr Child Health 29 206-208, 1993... 

There is virtually no one who is involved in drug abuse research, or who studies the properties of recreationally used drugs, that is not by now familiar with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) (figure 1). Over the past 4 years this substance, usually referred to in the popular press as Ecstasy, has received widespread media attention. This chapter will relate recent findings with respect to the potential dangers attendant on the use of MDMA and explore its pharmacological properties. 

The abused substances covered in this chapter include nicotine, alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines, cannabis, and opioids. While many more substances can be and have been abused, these drugs are among the most popular. 

The association of substance abuse with emergency department (ED) visits in 21 different metropolitan areas in the United States is reported by the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). This survey tracks ED visits that are due to a condition induced by or related to drug use. Included in the data are ED visits associated with alcohol, alone and in combination with other substances of abuse, including cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and major stimulants. Figure 33-2 indicates the number of ED visits that are associated with illicit... 

Unfortunately, unlike some medical diseases, substance dependence cannot be cured with medications alone. However, we can sometimes alleviate the effects of drug intoxication, attenuate the adverse effects of withdrawal, or use agents that may somewhat decrease craving for, and relapse to, abused substances. 

Individuals with a pattern of chronic use of commonly abused substances should be assessed to determine if they meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria for substance dependence (addiction).8 Criteria are not defined for each separate abused substance rather, a pattern of behavior common to the abuse or dependence of all drugs of abuse is established. 

Kozlowski, L. T., Henningfield, J. E., Keenan, R. M., Lei, H., et al., Patterns of alcohol, cigarette, and caffeine and other drug use in two drug abusing populations. Special Issue Towards a broader view of recovery Integrating nicotine addiction and chemical dependency treatments. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 1993 Mar-Apr Vol 10(2), 171-179, 1993. 

Chiang CN and Hawks RL (eds) (1990). Research Findings on Smoking of Abused Substances (p. 72). National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD... 

Abelson, H. 1., and Atkinson, R. B. (1975) Public Experience with Psychoactive Substances, Part I Main Findings Part III Methods and Procedures. Report prepared for the National Institute of Drug Abuse, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Rockville, Maryland. 

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