VOCABULARY

ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, MARIJUANA AND OTHER DRUGS

DRUG USE, MISUSE AND ABUSE Responsible drug use: correct use of legal drugs to promote health and well being

Misuse: incorrect use of prescription or over the counter drug (OTC)

Drug Abuse: use of an illegal drug or the intentional misuse of a prescription or OTC drug

ADDICTION Habitual psychological and physiological dependence on a substance or practice beyond one's voluntary control.

being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming (especially alcohol or narcotic drugs)

an abnormally strong craving

ADDICT a person who is addicted to an activity, habit, or substance: a drug addict.

TOLERANCE The body becomes used to a drug and larger amounts are needed to produce the same effect.

an addict's increasing tolerance for a drug

WITHDRAWAL Discontinuation of the use of an addictive substance. The symptoms of withdrawal include headache, diarrhea, and tremors and can range from mild to life threatening, depending on the extent of the body's reliance on the addictive substance.

EUPHORIA a feeling of happiness, confidence, or well-being

CARCINOGEN A cancer causing agent

BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL B.A.C OR B.A.L: the amount of alcohol present in a person’s blood

Blood Alcohol Concentration or

Blood Alcohol Level

OXIDATION The process by which the liver changes alcohol to carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O)

This happens at a rate of about 1/2 ounce of alcohol per hour