Why on earth to people use drugs? What is it that makes drug use so attractive? Have you ever asked yourself those questions? We see the devastating results to drug use every day, whether it be in real life, in the newspapers, or on the evening news. Doesn't it seem like people would look at these awful reports and just run as far as they could from the devastating effects of any or all of these substances?

As far back as history is recorded people have used drugs. No culture has avoided this problem. There have always been people who have searched and found substances that were effective in altering their mood, feelings, or thought. Is this so unnatural? Don't people often look for ways to feel different or strange in search of a stimulating or exciting experience? Kids often twirl around and get dizzy, people pay $35 or $40 per day to go to large amusement parks where roller coasters or other devices are present that will hang the 424f53e m upside down, throw them back and forth, and take them to the edge of sickness, all in search of a thrill.

Historically, at least one or possibly several substances that were naturally occurring in nature were used and abused as a method to become drunk or just a method of feeling different; an escape from reality. These substances were sometimes used in religious rituals and this practice continues even today. Now remember, modern transportation was not available so people didn't distribute these substances to other countries; they just used them at home. As science matured, some learned to alter the naturally occurring substances into what are called drug derivatives, which are sometimes 100 or more times stronger than the original substance.

As modern transportation improved and people started moving about the earth more easily, they sometimes took their drugs to other cultures and/or countries for personal use, to use as seeds for planting and cropping, or to sell. Drugs were on the move. Wars have been fought over drugs; the Opium wars between the British, who occupied what is known as India today, and China who tried to disallow the transport of opium into China. The subject of drugs has always inspired passion often due to the large amount of money associated with their use and trade.

Today, every drug that has ever been discovered in the history of the world, is available for use in the US. No drug of abuse has ever been eliminated completely. Trends in drug use change but the drugs, themselves, tend to weather all storms. Substances have always been and will always be used to alleviated anxiety, produced relaxation, provided relief from boredom, alleviated pain, increased strength or work tolerance, or provided a temporary distortion of reality.

Let's take a look at several substances that are commonly used, see how they effect the brain, and try to understand drug use better. We will also describe some of the problems associated use of these chemicals. As we describe these substances we will often use the term psychoactive which means, capable of altering consciousness and affecting mood.

Alcohol

Alcohol is the second most commonly use psychoactive substance today, second only to caffeine. Use of alcohol dates back thousands of years when Mead, the oldest alcoholic beverage, was made from honey. When Columbus came to America, the Indians whom he met were drinking a beverage similar to beer.

In low doses, alcohol causes an exhilarating or euphoric like sensation. Things feel good and people become happy, even those who were not so happy before drinking. At these lower doses we actually start to like ourselves more and even the "clods" who we hang around with. Not so nice people suddenly become nicer. Depressed people might use alcohol for its ability to make them feel happy. Doesn t everyone want to be happy?

One effect of alcohol on the brain, and there are others, is to stop the release of a chemical called acetylcholine which is necessary for the movement of nerve impulses from nerve to nerve. This effect comes in a little higher doses than described in the previous paragraph. Without the acetylcholine, the brain becomes depressed in its activities. People who are anxious or up-tight might use alcohol for these anxiety relieving function. Another action of alcohol is thought to be its ability to effect what are called GABA receptors. These receptors, when bound to a chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid, cause a slowing of nerve transmissions in the brain.

Now, when alcohol enters the body, an enzyme converts it into a second chemical which is then removed from the body by the kidneys. This enzyme is called alcohol dehydrogenase and is found in the liver of both men and women but men also have some in their stomach. Because of this extra amount of enzyme in the mans stomach, he becomes better at tolerating larger amounts of alcohol than women.

If you took a man and a woman, both who weight the same amount, and gave them both the same amount of alcohol, the woman would suffer more intoxication than the man. Get this, women who drink with men are at a great disadvantage regarding their ability to maintain their judgment and sobriety. Women are often lighter than men, so equal amounts of alcohol will make them more intoxicated because of their lower weight and because they have less of the enzyme that will convert alcohol and remove it from the body.

This, of course, has many social and health implications regarding the potential for unintended pregnancy, transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, rape, etc. Again, when men and women drink together, the woman is at a substantial disadvantage regarding her sobriety and ability to make sound judgments.

Cocaine

Cocaine is a fascinating drug. It has long been used in South America, where it originated. The drug cocaine is found in the leaves of the Erythroxylon coca plant and causes very interesting sensations. In the 15^th century, the leaves that contain the drug were actually exchanged as money. Sigmund Freud used cocaine to relieve his own depression and described it as a drug that caused exhilaration and lasting euphoria. He called the effects of cocaine magical. In 1885 the Park Davis company advertised cocaine as being able to "take the place of food, make the coward brave, the silent eloquent, and render the sufferer insensitive to pain. This is indeed an unusual drug. It makes you feel better about you, makes life brighter, makes you feel brighter and more intelligent, gives you confidence, makes you alter, and just makes life seem better.

Every animal that has ever been used in laboratory experiments with cocaine has self administered cocaine voluntarily, often to the point of death. Researchers have made systems where animals are taught to push a lever if they want to receive a drug dose. If the animal likes the effects of the drug, they will likely push the lever again. Animals like cocaine - every animal ever tested. This action is referred to as behavioral reinforcing. Cocaine, along with caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, and narcotics are behavioral reinforcers. Animals won t push the lever to get nicotine or alcohol if they have never been given these drugs previously. But, once they have experience with these, they will then do work (push the lever) to get the benefit of the drug s effect. With caffeine, they will not do extra work, like find their way through a difficult maze, in order to get more.

The brain contains two particular chemicals that work in our brain alerting system. Cocaine makes this alerting system work with more intensity. These two chemicals are called dopamine and norepinephrine.

People who use cocaine don t do so as a method of making life worse, they do it because the cocaine makes life seem better. If you are emotionally stable and have adequate self-esteem, cocaine would probably not seem inviting to you. If you came from a home where you were told you were stupid and worthless, cocaine just might seem to be the greatest thing that ever happened to you.

Cocaine users are typically between 12 and 39 years of age. They are usually dependent on three different drugs.

Amphetamines

This class of drugs has gained popularity during the current century. Although not chemically related to cocaine, their effects are very similar. Amphetamines are more potent, act for 24 hours or more, and can be made in a laboratory at home using chemicals that can be readily obtained without a prescription.

Amphetamines (speed) have become one of the most popular illicit drugs in the Southwestern United States and their popularity is moving eastward. The downside of this class of drugs is that they can cause psychosis, people can go crazy with anger and demonstrate violent behavior.

People take speed as it increases alertness, causes excitement and wakefulness, promotes a decreased sense of fatigue, elevates mood, and gives a sense of power. Can you see how this drug can be so attractive to a depressed and defeated person. People commonly think speed makes them "better. Why wouldn t they use it?

Narcotics

Narcotics are a group of drugs that by definition are said to cause narcosis, or a death like sleep. The term narcotics has been expanded to include drugs that come from opium, called opioids. The classical opioid is heroin but the codeine, morphine, and other medications used often for pain are also from this class.

One unique quality of opiods is that they relieve emotional pain. Now think about that for a second. It is this ability to relieve emotional pain that makes the narcotics, such as heroin, \so seductive and difficult to control. What percentage of those living in America are suffering from emotional pain? We don t know but it must be a very large number. Knowing this information you might be less surprised that the use of heroin is on the sharp rise in the US today, as more and more people are seeking relief of emotional pain.

Discussion

Law enforcement works hard to get drugs off of the streets and out of the hands of those who manufacture, distribute, and use them. If history is an accurate teacher, this is not ever going to work. We don t propose that efforts to stop drug distribution should stop, but we firmly feel that getting at the underlying cause of drug use should become more of a focus of drug programs.

Few individuals wake up in the morning and say, AI think I will go out and ruin my health and see if I can get thrown in jail today. Rather, they wake up feeling depressed, defeated, lacking confidence and motivation, and in need of something of substance in their lives.

Recent drug research has revealed to us that drug treatment and prevention programs need a values component. It was has shown that students who had a religious affiliation and who embraced spiritual values were much less likely to use drugs. These Christian values are essential in promoting a drug free society.

We need to treat the underlying cause of drug use; hopelessness, depression, worthlessness, feeling of separation, etc. Coming into the arms of the Lord and promoting Christian values are great places to start.