Essential Information
Sub-Questions
- What is this drug/substance? (or chemical) Drug class? Common/colloquial terms?
- How is it used in medicine, if at all? How does it interact with other medications or substances?
- How is the drug/substance administered? (way it gets into body)
- What are the physical (body) and psychological (mind-brain) effects? How is neurotransmission affected? What are the SHORT term effects of use? What are the LONG term effects of use?
- What is the potential for overdose? What might overdose look like?
- How long do the effects last? (short term effects/long term effects)
- What is the tolerance/withdrawal/overdose of this substance?
- What are the laws or social concerns about this drug?
- What support systems exist for those addicted to this substance?
Fig. 1. Substance addiction paraphernalia (Temple).