HE 240 Drugs, Behavior, and Health

Lecture Hours: 3
Credits: 3

Analyzes current information concerning the impact of drugs on society, personal health, and behavior. Examine a variety of issues related to health and drug use including mental, physical, emotional, and environmental aspects of alcohol and other drugs.

Prerequisite: Placement into WR 115 (or higher) or completion of WR 090 (or higher) with a grade of C or better; or consent of instructor.
Student Learning Outcomes:

Analyze the physiological, pharmacological, and psychological effects of licit and illicit drugs, related to use, misuse, and abuse, including but not limited to alcohol, tobacco, performance enhancing, over the counter, prescription and designer/synthetic drugs.
Survey the historical influence on drug-oriented society, sport, and cultural beliefs and laws and legislation related to substances.
Develop an understanding of substance abuse prevention, intervention, and treatments.
Articulate and apply behaviors related to personal responsibility, including refusal skills, healthy attitudes and behaviors, decision-making, and risk-taking behavior.
Evaluate the sociological impact of drugs on individuals, families, and communities.

Cultural Literacy Outcome:

Identify and analyze complex practices, values, and beliefs and the culturally and historically defined meanings of difference.

Content Outline

Introduction
- Drug use and abuse
- Causes of drug abuse
- Causes of drug abuse
Alcohol
- History of alcohol abuse
- Types of alcohol
- Methods of entry
- Dosage
- Created physiological change
- Where does the chemical react?
- Legal aspects
- Potential for tolerance
- Drug interaction
Pharmacology
- Fat and water-soluble drugs
- Set and setting
- Methods of entry
- History and legality
- Risk and sociological impact
- Tolerance, cross tolerance and dependence
- Alternative pathway model
- Liver enzyme induction
- Classification of drug potency
Hallucinations
- History of hallucinogenic drug abuse
- Types of hallucinogenic drugs
- Methods of entry
- Dosage
- Created physiological change
- Where does the chemical react?
- Legal aspects
- Potential for tolerance
- Drug interaction
Depressants
- History of depressant abuse
- Types of depressants
- Methods of entry
- Dosage
- Created physiological change
- Where does the chemical react?
- Legal aspects
- Potential for tolerance
- Drug interaction
Stimulants
- History of stimulant abuse
- Types of stimulants
- Methods of entry
- Dosage
- Created physiological change
- Where does the chemical react?
- Legal aspects
- Potential for tolerance
- Drug interaction
Marijuana
- History of marijuana abuse
- Types of marijuana
- Methods of entry
- Dosage
- Created physiological change
- Where does the chemical react?
- Legal aspects
- Potential for tolerance
- Drug interaction
Performance Enhancing Drugs
- History of performance enhancing drug abuse
- Types of performance enhancing drugs
- Methods of entry
- Dosage
- Created physiological change
- Where does the chemical react?
- Legal aspects
- Potential for tolerance
- Drug interaction
Co-Dependency, Substance Abuse Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment