Module 8 Learning Activities

15 points

Knock hard. Life is deaf.

~Mimi Parent
Surrealist Artist

Read:

Drugs and Medicines
Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction...from the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (your tax dollars at work).
Alcohol and Your Health.....from the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (your tax dollars at work).

1. A drug is a chemical substance. Chemists invent tens of thousands of new chemicals every year, although only a small number of them are drugs. In the United States, drugs are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under a law called the Pure Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. According to the FDA, what distinguishes a drug from other types of chemicals? Look here to find out.

2. Alcohol and tobacco are drugs but not medicines because_______ (Hint: look at this definition of a medicine).

3. Because they can bind to receptors on a variety of the body's organs, drugs intended to treat illness can have unintended biological actions, called side effects. Find the side effects of two drugs of your choice on Physician's Desk Reference.

4. Although only doctors can prescribe prescription medications, pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars a year advertising prescription drugs to consumers("direct-to-consumer advertising"). In 2014, pharmaceutical companies spent nearly $5 billion advertising prescription drugs to consumers in magazines and newspapers and on TV, radio, and online. Read ths material on drug advertising. What is your opinion of this advertising practice? Healthy or not? Consult these materials from the Food and Drug Administration.

From the manufacturers’ mouth to your ears: Direct to consumer advertising...FDA info
Keeping Drug Advertising Honest and Balanced...FDA's role
Be Smart About Prescription Drug Advertising...FDA's advice
Should prescription drug ads be reined in?...a New York Times editorial featuring several guest commentators. Illuminating.
Saying "No" to drug ads...New York Times "Room for Debate" Discussion Board. Check out what readers say

5. Read Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction and respond to these questions:

What is the definition of drug addiction?
Describe the two ways that drugs can affect the workings of the brain?
List and describe three risk factors for drug abuse

6. What do you know about your drug of choice? Go to one of the Web sites listed below (or an authoritative alternative) to learn about any medications or dietary supplements you are taking or have taken or a particular "recreational" or social drug you currently use or once used. Briefly describe something of interest that you learned.

Medicines: MedlinePlus Drug Information
Dietary supplements: U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Non-medical drug use: U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse
Alcohol use and abuse: U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

7. In 2011, after many years of debate, the U.S. Congress ruled that the Food and Drug Administration can regulate tobacco products because nicotine is an addictive drug. Prior to this ruling, tobacco products were not regulated; only the advertising of them. Read this information on nicotine dependence and respond to these questions:
7A. How does nicotine addiction (dependence) compare with addiction to cocaine, heroin, and alcohol?
7B. Many of the health consequences of smoking and other forms of tobacco use are not the result of nicotine addiction. These health problems are caused by chemicals in tobacco. When tobacco is burned, how many harmful chemicals are released into the tobacco smoke?
7C. Everyone knows that smoking causes lung cancer and other serious (and fatal) diseases of the respiratory tract. What other major category of disease is caused by smoking?

8. Nearly all the countries of the world have signed an agreement to reduce smoking among their citizens. One of the items in the agreement is to ban or severely curtail advertising for cigarettes and tobacco products. Tobacco companies oppose curtailments of tobacco advertising on the ground that it is a violation of free speech, that is, their right to say what they wish to about their products (as long as they don't lie). What's your opinion? Does advertising of tobacco products constitute protected freedom of speech?

9. Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), formerly called alcoholism, is characterized by a number of symptoms. Demonstrating 2-3 symptoms is mild AUD; 4-5 symptoms is moderate AUD; and 6 or more is severe AUD. Read this and list any 6 sumptoms that would characterize someone with severe AUD.

10. What is the definition of binge drinking? Have you ever witnessed such behavior? What is the definition of moderate drinking in the United States?

11. Go to Professor David Hanson's Web site Alcohol Problems and Solutions. Bookmark it. Then explore the site and report on two items that you found interesting or helpful.

12. How many ounces of alcohol are in...
• a 12 ounce can of beer
• a five ounce glass of wine
• a Bloody Mary (made with one shot of 80 proof vodka)?
Marty thinks he can have as much beer as he can when partying because it has less alcohol than "the hard stuff." Is he right?

13. Steve goes to a Super Bowl party, and the moment he walks in Alan slaps a 12 ounce can of Budweiser beer in Steve's hand. At half time, 60 minutes later, Steve has downed another five beers. Steve weights 160 pounds. Calculate Steve's approximate BAC at half time by using these factors:
• a man 's BAC increases by 0.2 units for each standard drink he consumes
• a man's body eliminates 0.2 units of alcohol per hour
At half time, Alan tells Steve to drive to get more chips and dip. Is it safe for Steve to drive? Why or why not?

14. List and describe five consequences of college drinking

15. How has substance use/abuse touched your life? Besides responding as part of this assignment, you may share your thoughts and excperiences on the Discussion Board if you wish to.

Online Health 1

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