Uppers, Downers, All Arounders, 7th Edition – Instructors Manual-comprehensive -2022

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Chapter 1 – History Chapter Overview The first part of this chapter provides a historical survey of the pharmacologic and political influences on the use of psychoactive substances and compulsive ... behaviors in all civilizations. The second part presents a system for classifying these psychoactive substances along with major legislation impacting use of drugs and treatment of addictions. Throughout the last 10,000 years, humans have used psychoactive drugs to alter their perception of reality for a variety of reasons. By studying the history of drug use and abuse, a number of historical themes become apparent. 1. There is a basic need of human beings to cope with their environment and enhance their existence. 2. Human brain chemistry can be affected by psychoactive drugs, behavioral addictions, and mental illness to induce an altered state of consciousness. 3. The ruling classes, governments, and businesses have always been involved in trying to control the drug trade, often using it as a source of revenue through trade and taxes. 4. Technological advances in refining, synthesizing, and manufacturing psychoactive drugs have increased their potency and abuse liability. 5. Users and researchers have discovered new ways of taking drugs so they reach the brain faster, thus increasing their abuse liability. For example, opium was used originally for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Once people discovered that opium created mental effects because of the way it manipulated the brain's own natural chemicals especially endorphins, the body's own painkillers, they used it to change their mental/emotional state. Legal, social, and health problems multiplied after people began to smoke it, when it became a lucrative source of income for governments and trading companies, when it was refined to the stronger morphine and heroin and when it could be delivered directly into the bloodstream using a hypodermic needle. The discovery of psychoactive plants (opium poppy, coca bush, coffee bean, Cannabis, and the tobacco plant) and the subsequent synthesis of hundreds of other psychoactive substances, has led to a medicine chest full drugs, most useful and some desirable but all causing problems when abused. CONTINUED......... [Show More]

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