Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Awareness: Illegal Drug Awareness

Bucket Game: Marijuana, Depressants, and Narcotics

Depressants are a class of drugs used to slow down the central nervous system. They include prescription drugs like sleeping pills, tranquilizers, narcotics used for pain control, and alcohol. Commonly abused depressants include barbiturates and tranquilizers. Both are highly addictive, and "on the streets," fatalities from overdoses are common.

Narcotics are a type of depressant used to control pain. Narcotics consist of all opium based drugs (opiates) and the synthetic (man-made) opiates that are available today. They include opium, heroin, methadone, and many prescription pain relievers such as Demoral, Oxycontin, Percocet, and others. These are also highly addictive and deadly if overused.

What are some of the effects and consequences of abusing depressants and narcotics?

Reduced heart rate and blood pressure; fatigue and drowsiness; slurred speech; confusion; loss of judgment; depression; nausea; impaired breathing; exposure to disease from dirty needles (narcotics); coma; death.

Check for understanding by playing this matching game to test your knowledge of the effects of marijuana, depressants, and narcotics.