FORMS OF DRUGS

• depending on their intended use, method of administration, and chemical COMMON SIGNS OF DRUG ABUSE
properties
• Physical changes: Bloodshot eyes, sudden weight loss or gain, poor hygiene, or
• Tablets and capsules: Solid forms taken orally, often for medicinal purposes. unusual smells on breath or clothing.

• Liquids: Solutions or syrups, commonly used for oral or injectable medications. •Behavioral shifts: Increased secrecy, neglecting responsibilities, changes in social
circles, or sudden financial issues.
• Powders: Fine substances that can be dissolved, inhaled, or injected.
•Emotional signs: Mood swings, irritability, anxiety, or periods of unusual energy
•depending on their intended use, method of administration, and chemical followed by fatigue.
properties
•Cognitive effects: Memory problems, difficulty concentrating, or impaired
•Tablets and capsules: Solid forms taken orally, often for medicinal purposes. judgment.
•Liquids: Solutions or syrups, commonly used for oral or injectable medications. PHYSICAL SIGNS OF DRUG ABUSE
•Powders: Fine substances that can be dissolved, inhaled, or injected. •Changes in appearance: Bloodshot or glazed eyes, dilated or constricted pupils, and
•Crystals: Purified forms of certain drugs, often used recreationally sudden weight loss or gain.
methamphetamine). •Skin issues: Unusual marks, bruises, or rashes, especially around injection sites.
•Herbal or plant-based: Natural substances like cannabis or dried leaves for smoking •Hygiene neglect: A noticeable decline in grooming or cleanliness.
or brewing,
Tremors or coordination problems: Shaking hands or difficulty with balance.
•Creams and ointments: Topical applications for skin conditions or localized effects.
•Sleep disturbances: Insomnia or excessive sleepiness at unusual times.
•Patches: Adhesive forms that release drugs through the skin over time.
PHARMACOLOGICAL EFFECTS
•Inhalants: Substances in gaseous or aerosol form, inhaled for rapid effects.
•the physiological and biochemical changes that drugs produce in the body
MANNER OF INTAKE
•these effects can be both desirable and undesirable depending on their
• Oral ingestion: Swallowing pills, capsules, or liquids. concentration and how they interact with the body
•Injection: Using a syringe to deliver the substance directly into the bloodstream, •Therapeutic effects: The intended and beneficial effects of a drug.
muscle, or under the skin.
•Adverse effects: Unintended and harmful effects, which can range from mild side
•Inhalation: Breathing in substances through the nose or mouth, often in the form effects like nausea to severe reactions like organ damage.
of smoke or vapor.
•Toxic effects: Harmful effects resulting from excessive doses of a drug, potentially
•Topical application: Applying creams, gels, or patches to the skin for absorption. leading to poisoning or life-threatening conditions.
•Sublingual or buccal: Placing the drug under the tongue or against the cheek for •Idiosyncratic effects: Rare and unpredictable reactions that occur in certain
absorption through the mucous membranes. individuals due to genetic or other unique factors.
•Pharmacodynamic effects: Changes at the molecular or cellular level, such as how LONG TERM EFFECTS
a drug interacts with receptors to produce its action.
• Physical health issues: Chronic drug use can lead to liver damage (e.g.,
SOUGHT-AFTER EFFECTS from alcohol), lung problems (e.g., from smoking), cardiovascular issues, or
weakened immune function.
•these effects are typically the desired outcomes or the individual's intentions that
drive a person to use the drug and is dependent on the type of substance used • Mental health challenges: Prolonged use may contribute to anxiety,
depression, psychosis, or cognitive impairments like memory loss.
•note that while these effects may be desirable, drug use can also lead to serious
health risks and unintended consequences •Addiction and dependency: Many drugs can cause physical and psychological
dependence, making it difficult to stop using without professional help.
•Euphoria: A sense of intense happiness or well-being, often associated with
substances like opioids, cannabis, or stimulants. •Social and financial impacts: Drug use can strain relationships, lead to job loss, or
create financial difficulties due to the cost of substances or legal issues.
•Relaxation: Reduction in stress or anxiety. often sought from sedatives, alcohol. or
antianxiety medications • Neurological changes: Some drugs, like opioids or stimulants, can alter
brain structure and function, affecting decision-making, impulse control, and
•Increased energy and focus: A boost in alertness and productivity, common with emotional regulation.
stimulants like caffeine or amphetamines.
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS
•Pain relief: Reduction in physical discomfort, typically achieved through analgesics
like opioids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). •varies depending on the substance, dosage, and individual factors which can be
temporary or long-lasting, and they often intertwine with physical and social
•Altered perception: Changes in sensory experiences, such as visual or auditory consequences
distortions, sought from hallucinogens like LSD or psilocybin.
•Mood changes: Drugs can induce euphoria, relaxation, or anxiety, depending on
SHORT TERM EFFECTS their type. For example, stimulants like cocaine may cause intense excitement, while
•depends on the substance, dosage, and individual factors which is often temporary depressants like alcool can lead to sedation.
but can lead to risky behaviors or health concerns •Cognitive alterations: Substances can affect memory, attention, and decision-
•Stimulants (e.g., cocaine, amphetamines): Increased energy, alertness, and heart making. Hallucinogens like LSD may distort perception and thought processes.
rate; reduced appetite; potential for restlessness or anxiety. •Dependence and cravings: Many drugs can lead to psychological dependence,
•Depressants (e.g., alcohol, benzodiazepines): Relaxation, drowsiness, slowed where the user feels a strong urge to continue using the substance.
reflexes, and impaired judgment or coordination. •Mental health impacts: Prolonged use or misuse of drugs can contribute to
•Hallucinogens (e.g., LSD, psilocybin): Altered sensory perception, mood swings, and conditions like depression, anxiety, or psychosis.
distorted sense of time or reality. •the impact that drugs have on both psychological well-being and social functioning
•Opioids (e.g., heroin, morphine): Pain relief, euphoria, drowsiness, and slowed •Strained Relationships: Drug use can disrupt relationships with family, friends, and
breathing. colleagues due to changes in behavior, trust issues, or neglect of responsibilities.
•Cannabis: Euphoria, relaxation, altered perception, and increased appetite. •solation and loneliness : Dependence on substances mav lead to withdrawal from

social networks and lack of meaningful connections.

•Impact on Mental Health: Drugs can exacerbate or trigger mental health issues like •Self-medication: People may use drugs to manage physical pain, mental health
depression, anxiety. or paranoia. which attect one's ability to encase socially. issues, or other conditions without professional Guidance

•Stigmatization: Drug use can result in social stigma or discrimination, making it •Recreationa use: some seek the pleasurable effects of drugs, such as euphoria.
harder for individuals to access support and opportunities. relaxation. or increased energy. during social or personal activities

•Risky Behavior: Impairment caused by drugs may lead to poor decision-making, •Addiction or dependency: For those already using drugs, continued use may be
risky behaviors, or conflict that strain social environments. driven by physical or psychological dependence.

•Work and Education Challenges: Substance misuse often interferes with DRUG TRAFFICKING
performance, reliability, and relationships in professional or educational settings.
also known as the illegal drug trade
PROSOCIAL EFFECTS
defined as a global black market activity consisting of the production, packaging, and
•the ability to enhance social behavior and interactions sale of illicit drugs mostly of psychoactive substances

•Increased Empathy: Some drugs, like MDMA (ecstasy), promote emotional the United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) defined it as a global illicit
trade involving the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, and sale of substances
closeness by increasing feelings of empathy and understanding toward which are subject to drug prohibition laws
others. DRUG CARTELS
• Improved Communication: Substances that lower social anxiety, such as alcohol - large, highly sophisticated organizations composed of multiple drug trafficking
or certain anxiolytics (anti-anxiety drugs), can make individuals feel more organizations and cells with specific assignments such as drug transportation,
comfortable engaging with others. security/enforcement, or money laundering
•Enhanced Sociability: Stimulants like amphetamines or cocaine can temporarily - command-and-control structures are based outside the United States;
boost confidence and energy, making individuals more talkative and outgoing.
however, they produce, transport, and distribute illicit drugs domestically with the
•Bonding Experiences: Psychedelics, like psilocybin or LSD, can lead to deep, shared assistance of DTOs that are either a part of or in an alliance with the cartel
experiences, fostering a sense of connection among users.
OTHER DRUG RELATED TERMS

•trafficking organizations (DTOs) are complex organizations with highly defined

REASONS WHY PEOPLE USE DRUGS command-andcontrol structures that produce, transport, and distribute large
•Coping with stress or trauma: Drugs may be used as an escape from emotional quantities of one or more illicit drugs.
•Criminal groups are numerous and range from small to moderately sized, loosely
pain, anxiety, or giracut mie circumstances. example: ramy problems. lack of
knit groups that distribute one or more drugs at the retail and mid-level levels.
parental guidance ,Boredom ,frustration, weak personality, desire to escape from
reality) •Street gangs are groups or associations of three or more persons with a common
identifying sign, symbol, or name, the members of which individually or collectively
•Peer pressure or social influence: Being in environments where drug use is
engage in criminal activity that creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
normalized can lead individuals to try substances to fit in or gain acceptance.

•Curiosity or experimentation: The desire o explore new experiences or sensations

can drive some to experiment with arugs.
•Drug mules or "drug couriers" are individuals who transport dangerous drugs in •For the North American market, cocaine is typically transported from Colombia to
exchange for a considerable amount of money, depending on the amount of drug to Mexico or Central America by sea and then onwards by land to the United States
be delivered and the route/distance to be traveled. and Canada

METHODS OF CONCEALMENT OF COURIERS •The US authorities estimate that close to 90% of the cocaine entering the country
crosses the US/Mexico land border, most of it entering Texas. According to US
•Hidden in luggage/suitcases estimates, some 70% of the cocaine leaves Colombia via the Pacific.
•Ingestion/Swallowing •In several other European countries, Peru and the Plurinational State of Bolivia
•Placed in shoes seem to be the primary source countries of cocaine.

•Placed in the bottom part of luggage MARIJUANA AND HASHISH

•Placed inside handbag TRADE

•Use of delivery services •Marijuana is grown and trafficked worldwide

•Use of minors •Cannabis seized in the United States is either grown domestically or smuggled from
Mexico or Canada
•Others: undergoing minor operation, placing in shoeboxes / books / bottles /
parcels, etc. •Other countries known for producing and distributing marijuana to the U.S. are
Colombia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Thailand, South Africa, and Nigeria

DRUG TRAFFICKING
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE DRUG COURIER PROBLEM
PRIMARY MEANS OF DISTRIBUTION
•The prevalence of poverty
•Hierarchical arrangement - the manufacturer who uses his men to smuggle,
•Poor educational background wholesale and store, and distributes the drugs

•Easy money •Hub-and-spoke layout - uses local gangs and other localized criminal organizations

•Unemployment PHILIPPINES AS A TRANSHIPMENT

•The idea of traveling COUNTRY How drugs enter the

EXAMPLE OF KNOWN ILLEGAL DRUGS AND DRUG TRAFFICKING ROUTES country?

1. Major Opium Production • Seaports

A. The Golden Crescent -Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and India • Economic zones

B. The Golden Triangle - Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand • Airports

COCAINE PRODUCTION AND ROUTES • Coastlines

•90% of cocaine came from Colombia. • Commercial air courier

• Express mail service Medicines bought without a prescription and are intended for self-medication of
common ailments, minor health issues, and are generally safe when used as
DRUG ADDICTION directed.
•substance use disorder BASE ON PURPOSE
•a chronic disease characterized by the compulsive use of one or more addictive • RECREATIONAL USE
substances despite harmful consequences
Used for pleasure or leisure to alter mood or perception.
•involves an intense focus on using a particular drug to the point where it takes over
a person's life • PERFORMANCE ENHANCER

•difficult to control their use, experience withdrawal symptoms when not using the Used to improve physical or cognitive performance.
drug, and continue to use despite negative impacts on their health, relationships,
and daily functioning • MEDICINAL USE

DRUG ABUSE Used to treat or manage medical conditions.

BASE ON EFFECT

• the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and STIMULANT -Increase alertness and energy.
illicit drugs DEPRESSANT- Slow down the central nervous system.
• leads to addiction, where individuals continue to use the substance despite NARCOTIC- Relieves pain.
negative consequences on their health, relationships, and daily functioning
HALLUCINOGEN- Alter perception and cognition.
• can cause a range of physical and mental health issues
BASE ON LEGALITY
CLASSIFICATION OF DRUGS
• CONTROLLED REGULATED DRUGS
• BASE ON LEGALITY
Substances that are regulated by law due to their potential for abuse and
•BASE ON SCHEDULE dependence.
• BASE ON SOURCE •PROHIBITED DRUGS
BASE ON PURCHASE Substances that are prohibited by law and are not allowed to be manufactured, sold,
• PRESCRIPTION DRUGS or consumed.

Medicines dispensed by pharmacies and are legally prescribed by a healthcare BASE ON SCHEDULE
professional, usually doctors giving authorization to acquire drugs for treatment of • SCHEDULE I
specific medical conditions, which are regulated to ensure safe and effective use.
Substances or chemicals with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential
• OVER-THE-COUNTER (OTC) DRUGS for abuse.
Examples: heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (ISD), marijuana (cannabis), 3,4
methylenedioxymethamphetamine

(ecstasy), methaqualone, and peyote

• SCHEDULE II

Substances or chemicals with a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading
to severe psychological or physical dependence. These drugs are also considered
dangerous.

Examples: combination products with less than 15 milligrams of hydrocodone per

dosage unit
(Vicodin), cocaine, methamphetamine, methadone, hydromorphone (Dilaudid),
meperidine
(Demerol), oxycodone (OxyContin), fentanyl, Dexedrine, Adderall, and Ritalin

• SCHEDULE III

Substances or chemicals with a moderate to low potential for physical and

psychological dependence.

Examples: products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit
(Tylenol with codeine), ketamine, anabolic steroids, testosterone

• SCHEDULE IV

Substances or chemicals with a low potential for abuse and low risk of dependence.
Schedule I and Schedule II drugs but more than Schedule IV.

Examples: Xanax, Soma, Darvon, Darvocet, Valium, Ativan, Talwin, Ambien,

Tramadol

• SCHEDULE V

Substances or chemicals with lower potential for abuse than Schedule IV and consist
of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics.

Examples: cough preparations with less than 200 milligrams of

codeine or per 100 milliliters
(Robitussin AC), Lomotil, Motofen, Lyrica, Parepectolin