Recreational drugs - History Types of Drugs Classification according to drug abuse potential Conventions on Drug Use WHO drug report CANNABIS LEGALISATION Video - You can't OD on cannabis!

1. Dr. J. Aurlene
II year Post Graduate
Dept. Public Health Dentistry
SRM, Ramapuram

2. Recreational drug use is the use of a psychoactive drug to
alter one's mental state in a way that modifies emotions,
perceptions, and feelings for recreational purposes.
When a substance enters the user's body, it brings on an
intoxicating effect, often referred to as a "high".

3. History of Drug Use
The earliest reference to marijuana occurred in China in 2737 B.C.
The first known cultivation of opium poppies was in Mesopotamia,
approximately 3400 BCE, by Sumerians, who called the plant hul gil, the
"joy plant".
The extraction of active ingredients from psychoactive drugs did not
occur until the 19th century.
Cocaine was first synthesized in 1855. Promoted by Sigmund Freud as a
cure for depression.
1886 - John Pemberton included cocaine as the main ingredient in his
new soft drink, Coca Cola.

5. Psychedelic Era
The Psychedelic era was the time of social, musical and artistic change influenced by psychedelic drugs,
occurring between the years of 1965–69 or the early 1960s to the mid-1970s.
Psychedelic art is any art or visual displays inspired by psychedelic experiences and hallucinations after
ingestion of drugs.
The word "psychedelic" (coined by British psychologist Humphry Osmond) means "mind manifesting".

7. RISK OF HIV/HEP
B INFECTIONS
CRIME RATE
ADDICTION
MORTALITY RATE
SOCIAL/FAMILIAL
PROBLEMS

8. A minimum of 190,000 drug related deaths
Regional variation in drug-related
deaths, 2015
Mostly overdoses, mostly opioid-related
Drug-relateddeaths

9. Hepatitis C accounts for a great harm
Burden of disease from hepatitis C
and HIV from injecting drug use, 2013

10. Motives for Recreational Drug Use
• Curiosity
• Peer pressure
• Need for instant gratification
• Sense of belonging to a group
• Socioeconomic stressors
• Rebelliousness
• Relief for chronic pain
• Higher concentration and mental
stimulation
• Sociocultural practices

12. PHASES OF ADDICTION
TOLERANCE PSYCHOLOGICAL
DEPENDENCE
PHYSICAL
DEPENDENCE
ADDICTION

13. Withdrawal Symptoms
Physical and mental symptoms that occur after stopping or reducing intake of a drug. Symptoms may
include anxiety, fatigue, sweating, vomiting, depression, seizures and hallucinations.

14. MISUSE OF DRUGS ACT 1971 UK

15. CLASS A DRUGS
Heroin - H, smack, skag, gear, brown DOWNER
Heroin is usually dissolved into a liquid and then injected. It can also be smoked or snorted.
Heroin is made from the opium poppy. In its form for medical use, it is called diamorphine and is used as a
very strong painkiller.
Highly addictive
More dangerous when laced with fentanyl (another synthetic opium often added to Heroin to improve
potency.
Ecstasy - E, crystal, dolphins, Superman, pills, brownies UPPER
Ecstasy is usually swallowed as a pill. Effects include increased empathy, euphoria, and heightened
sensations.
LSD – Lysergic acid diethylamide blotter, tripper, flash, stars, rainbows ALL AROUNDER
It is swallowed as a tablet or drops of liquid. Hallucinogenic agent
Cocaine - crack, coke, white, toot, pebbles, freebase. UPPER
Cocaine comes as powder, freebase or crack cocaine. The powder is called coke and is usually sniffed up the
nose. Freebase and crack cocaine are usually smoked through a pipe or tube. All forms can be turned into a
liquid and injected.

16. CLASS A DRUGS
Magic Mushrooms -shrooms, mushies, magics, philosopher's stone. ALL AROUNDER
They are eaten raw, or dried and used in drinks.
CLASS B DRUGS
Amphetamines: speed, whizz, sulph. UPPER
Amphetamines are usually sold in powder form. This can be snorted up the nose, wrapped in
cigarette paper and swallowed ('speedbomb'), rubbed into the gums, mixed with drinks, or injected.
CLASS C DRUGS
Cannabis - hash, hashish, weed, pot, marijuana, ganja, dope, skunk, grass, puff. ALL AROUNDER
It is usually smoked. It can be mixed with tobacco and rolled up. This is called a spliff or a joint. It
can also be mixed in with food or drinks.

18. CANNABIS
 Indian hemp – tall weed growing upto 15 feet in height, dioecious plant
 Only the female plant produces usable amounts of THC -
tetrahydrocannabinol
 Active substance – tetrahydrocannabinol
 Types of preparations
Marijuana – dried flowering tops crushed and smoked in pipes (joint)
Hashish or charas- dried resin extract of flowering tops
Ganja – resin extract of leaves and bracts
Bhang- dried leaves and stems made into a decoction

20. INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
• Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 is an international treaty to prohibit production and
supply of specific narcotic drugs and substances producing similar effects. As of 2013, 234
substances are considered controlled substances under this convention.
• The Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 is a United Nations treaty designed to
control psychoactive drugs such as amphetamine-type stimulants and psychedelics signed in
Vienna, Austria on 21 February 1971.
• The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 did not ban the many newly-discovered
psychotropics, since its scope was limited to drugs with cannabis, coca, and opium-like effects.
• United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
of 1988 was signed in Vienna and entered into force on November 11, 1990. As of June 2014,
there were 189 Parties to the Convention.

21. DRUG LAWS IN INDIA
• THE NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES ACT, 1985
• The Act is designed to fulfill India's treaty obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
and United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
OFFENCE PENALTY
Cultivation of opium, cannabis
Or coca plants without license - Imprisonment for 10 years + fine upto 1 lakh
Production, manufacture, sale,
Transport, export or import - Small quantity – Imprisonment for six months, Rs.10,000 fine
Commercial quantity – Imprisonment for 10 or 20 years + 1 or 2 lakh

22. WHO – World Drug Report
• Most commonly used drug – CANNABIS – 190 million
250 MILLION
5.7% of worlds
population

23. Legalization of Cannabis – WHY?

25. Marijuana Legalization
• In 2014, Uruguay became the first country to comprehensively legalize the production, sale and
consumption of recreational marijuana.
• 40 grams for every month, users must be registered, registered users can set up smoking clubs and plant
upto 100 cannabis plants.
• Uruguay also exempts cannabis from tax.
CANADA
420 Toronto Rally – 2016
Liberal government introduced its Cannabis Act 2017, which allows people aged 18 and over to purchase
and consume marijuana.
INDIA
Illegal but tolerated, native plant in India and grows unchecked in forests and
mountains.

26. AMSTERDAM, Netherlands
The possession and sale of small amounts of pot — up to 5 grams — has been decriminalized in
Netherlands.
Cultivation of the plants is illegal.
SPAIN – Illegal but Cannabis Clubs operate in cities where
Consumers are free to take marijuana inside the club’s premises.
PORTUGAL – 2001 Legalised use of all drugs. The measure was
not found to result in an increase in cannabis use.
USA – Illegal but legalised in states of California, Colorado, Washington.

27. • ALASKA – over 21 years of age, one ounce and upto six plants
possession legal
• ARGENTINA- selling, transporting, cultivating illegal. Smoking in
private places is not prohibited.
• AUSTRALIA – legal
• BELGIUM – possession of one plant legal
• CAMBODIA – legal, food cooked with marijuana sold in restaurants
• COLUMBIA – upto 22 grams possession legal, cultivation illegal
• CROATIA – selling is punishable with mandatory prison sentence but
possession of upto 15 gms is legal.
• ECUADOR – 10 gms legal limit for possession, cultivation and selling
illegal
• ITALY – possession legal, selling illegal
• MEXICO – legal.

28. Opinions Against Legalization
• GATEWAY DRUG
• Extremely addictive – “Of the 7.3 million persons aged 12 or older
classified with illicit drug dependence or abuse in 2012 in USA, 4.3 million
persons had marijuana dependence or abuse.”
• Amsterdam – Increased crime rates around coffee shops that sell
marijuana.
• American Medical Association study - Heavy cannabis use in adolescence
causes persistent impairments in neurocognitive performance and IQ.
• Birth defects, mental abnormalities and increased risk of leukemia in
children when pregnant women consume marijuana.