1.0 Introduction
Jacqueline Lewis
Chapter Introduction
A myriad of substances exist that can have a psychoactive effect, ranging from natural plant-based (e.g., THC/cannabis, psilocybin/magic mushrooms, opium) to synthetic substances (e.g., LSD, MDMA/ecstasy). This chapter is an introduction to the study of psychoactive substances, providing important foundational knowledge for the course. In order to engage with future social-science oriented course topics, it is important to have an understanding of psychoactive substances, including: what they are; how they are classified; their impact on the human body; and reasons they are used.
Chapter Objectives/Learning Outcomes
After completing the chapter materials, you should have an understanding of:
- How psychoactive drugs are defined from a psychopharmacological perspective.
- Drug classifications.
- Why various substances are used.
- The effects of various substances, the risks associated with using them and how to minimize those risks.
- The importance of factual, accurate, non-judgemental drug education materials.
Questions to Think About When Completing Chapter Materials
- What are the different psychoactive drug classifications? How do different substances covered in the course material fit into these classes? What are the limitations of this classification system?
- What are the issues tied to relying on a legal versus illegal way to categorize psychoactive substances?
- What are some characteristics of good drug education material? Using the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research “Learn About…” readings, provide some examples of these characteristics. How do these compare with those detailed in the video by Students for Sensible Drug Policy (2007)?
- What are the different ways that drugs are used? What is an example of each?
