PS268 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Chemical Substance, Binge Drinking, Gateway Drug Theory
Document Summary
Drug: a chemical substance that when taken into the body, alters the structure or functioning of the body in some way. Food is not a drug: drugs do not include nutrients considered to be related to normal functioning. Types of drugs: licit drugs: drugs who manufacture, sale or possession is legal, illicit drugs: drugs who manufacture, sale or possession is illegal. Survey findings: relationship between onset age and likelihood of adult dependance, data shows that white people use the most drugs the most often compared to any. Highest % for first time drug use is at <13 years old, then starts to decrease. Starts to go back up a bit at 21 years old- this can be because of increased stress, financial issues, etc. other group- stereotypes say that is it hispanic/latino people and african. Otherwise, males and females get into the same amount of trouble when. We all do things we know, logically, we should not do- human curiosity.
