Substance Abuse Unit Page
Most of our topics in Health Education at the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush fit neatly into one of the 5 primary categories of Wellness commonly referred to as "PISES). We know that the categories are inter-relational and affect one another, For Substance Abuse however (the abuse of drugs), they don't neatly fit into any one category.
To that end, even though drug abuse has come up in other units this school year, we also present to you Substance Abuse as a whole in it's own separate unit.
It can be argued we live in a "drug culture" and the meaning of that phrase can be different depending on if you are thinking about medicine or recreation.
In a simple world, Drugs would be used to treat illness and help people's bodies stay in constant balance. Sadly, Drugs are a much bigger and widespread problem. Hundreds of Thousands of people ABUSE drugs every day.
Many People start abusing drugs as a recreational habit for fun while many others use them to escape the self perceived horrors of day to day life including, stress, poor sense of self, and other mental or emotional health issues. Although undoubtedly some drugs, when used correctly, serve a purpose of healing and/or correction....The "Key Quote" above is the foundation of this unit.
Extra Credit food for thought
"Wasted Whiteness, “Dirty Doctors,” and Race in Media Coverage of Prescription Opioid Misuse"
This article is a 2016 examination of the Opiod crisis and it's unbalanced coverage between urban and suburban addicts at it's peak. (this article lists the deaths by race in each state from Opiod overdose) Review this article, write a summary and reflection on this and receive extra credit towards your writing prompt grade)
Other topic Pages for this Unit:
Like all topic units in our Health class, the links to the other topic pages appear on the unit main page. This unit, however, has WAY more topic pages than any other in our class. Students are encouraged to explore EVERY page and often, will be given a browsing assignment to take notes. The links below are loosely categorized together and can certainly overlap
"Legal" recreational drugs and their many forms
*NOTE that Marijuana is not federally legal and within the state of Pennsylvania, not legal for recreational use. Medical use is legal in PA so long as it is not smoked.
Alcohol, Marijuana and Tobacco combined are typically called the "Big 3" as they are the most used recreational drugs in the World
Sytheytics, Hallucinogens and Dissociatives
For Parents:
*Please Note: Many sub-pages/topics for this unit include videos and free e-courses from Foundation from a Drug Free America aka"Drug Free World". Drug Free World is a non-profit agency devoted to educating about the dangers of Drug Abuse. This disclaimer is provided because the organization is funded by the church of Scientology. On their "about me" page, the Foundation for a Drug Free World indicates their mission is solely for educating people and young people about the dangers of Drug Abuse. None of their materials, resources, pamphlets, and videos mention any theological aspects of their religion. Thus, the separation of church and state is intact. If any student notices a religious reference to any of their materials, please let me know immediately.