Grade levels: Adult

Reviews the history of opiate use, particularly in the United States. The lesson traces the historical uses and pharmacology of such drugs as opium, morphine, codeine, heroin, and methadone. Discussion covers the medical uses of opiates (for managing pain or warding off dysentery), the popular use of opiates as recreational drugs, and the heated debate in both treatment centers and law enforcement that result from the general use of opiates.

Continues the discussion of opiate pharmacology introduced in Class 14. This lesson reviews aspects of opiate use with regard to degrees of tolerance, physical dependency, withdrawal symptoms, and toxicity. Students follow the daily lifestyle of an opiate addict, uncover myths and misconceptions surrounding addiction, and trace both the science of and concerns over methadone treatment.

Provides an overview of the course. The lesson introduces and defines concepts used throughout the course. Discussion includes the drug use continuum, the basic principles that apply to all psychoactive drugs, and the dynamic relationship between society, culture, and drug use behavior. The lesson closes with a discussion on the bio/psycho/social approach to understanding drug use and abuse

Focuses on the social and governmental issues. Discussion examines the social context of drug use and the role that government plays in regulating it. Topics in this lesson cover the evolution of social concerns about drug use, the resulting conflicts caused by these concerns, and the questions and issues that need to be addressed in our ever-evolving drug policies.

Presents a history of society’s attitudes toward drug use and its resulting methods of regulation. Students examine the process of drug regulation and review the treatment programs designed to ease the personal and social consequences of drug use and addiction. Several theories are explained, and treatment options are discussed.

Introduces the legal issues involved with drug use. Students get an overview of American drug laws as they apply to both legal and illegal psychoactive drugs. Students learn about the two sets of drug regulations that exist in the U.S. and examine their resulting regulatory systems, which overlap in some areas but operate independently in others. Discussion considers how these regulations reflect differing definitions and values regarding drugs in our society.

Introduces the affect of psychoactive drugs on the nervous system. This class gives a basic overview of the nervous system, placing particular emphasis on neural transmission as a key component in the modus operandi of psychoactive drugs. Discussion covers important definitions, and explains how drugs modify the human nervous system – a concept central to understanding the effects of drugs.

Continues to explore the interaction between drugs and human physiology. This lesson expands on the vital concepts introduced in Classes 5, which play a key role in understanding the complex relationships between drug, user, and environment. Students explore both the desired and undesired effects of drugs. They also discover that drugs work in different ways – with some resulting in physical effects specific to the drug (or drug class) and others resulting in non-specific effects related more to user expectations and environment.

Builds on previous lessons to compare and contrast the history, pharmacology, and patterns of use for stimulant drugs. The psychological effects and delivery mechanics of cocaine and amphetamine drugs are discussed. Students learn of the striking similarities between the two drugs from a user’s point of view, as well as the differing ways in which they affect human physiology.