Psychoactive and Stimulant Drugs Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary psychoactive compound found in cannabis?

THC (correct)

Mescaline

LSD

Caffeine

The peyote cactus contains the active ingredient __________, which causes strong hallucinations.

mescaline

What is one of the uses of psychoactive drugs in human societies?

Improving memory retention

Hunger alleviation (correct)

Weight loss

Sports performance enhancement

Cannabis has been used as a fiber plant for only 1,000 years.

False Signup and view all the answers

Tobacco is not physiologically addictive.

False Signup and view all the answers

What are mescal buttons?

Dried buttons of the peyote cactus used by Native Americans. Signup and view all the answers

What alkaloid is present in the solanaceous drugs that can cause hallucinations?

scopolamine Signup and view all the answers

The main ingredient in betel palm is the grated __________.

betel nut Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following regions is known for tolerating personal cannabis consumption?

Amsterdam Signup and view all the answers

Match the psychoactive drug with its description:

Tobacco = Physiologically addictive stimulant from South America Betel Palm = Mild stimulant used in India and Southeast Asia Solanaceous Drugs = Source of dangerous hallucinogenic alkaloids Morning Glory = Seeds causing nausea and hallucinations Signup and view all the answers

Match the following cannabis forms with their descriptions:

Sinsemilla = Mainly leaves Ganja = Female flowers and upper leaves Hashish = Purified, concentrated resin Cannabis seeds = Used as food Signup and view all the answers

Cannabis is fully legal in Canada and Uruguay.

True Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about nicotine is true?

It is poisonous in high doses. Signup and view all the answers

Betel chewing can help prevent tapeworm infections.

True Signup and view all the answers

Name one health effect of heavy cannabis use.

Psychological dependence Signup and view all the answers

What effect do morning glory seeds have on users?

nausea, vertigo, constipation, and hallucinations Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential side effect of chewing betel palm?

Excessive coughing and spitting Signup and view all the answers

Which psychoactive drug is known for having both stimulant and tranquilizing effects?

Nicotine Signup and view all the answers

What is the main danger associated with high doses of solanaceous tropane alkaloids?

Extreme nausea and convulsions Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding tobacco use?

Tobacco can be smoked, chewed, or snuffed. Signup and view all the answers

What traditional use have morning glory seeds had among the Aztecs?

In divine rites and ceremonies Signup and view all the answers

What role did cannabis play in early 19th-century European art and literature?

It attracted artists and writers who gathered to experience its psychoactive effects. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about the historical use of peyote cactus is true?

Dried mescal buttons were traded by North American natives as far north as southern Manitoba. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the key concerns regarding heavy cannabis use?

It can exacerbate psychoses in individuals predisposed to certain mental disorders. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor contributed to the ban of cannabis in the 1930s in various regions?

Racially motivated campaigns targeting cannabis users. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes the method of consuming cannabis known as hashish?

It is produced from the flowering head's resin. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Psychoactive Drugs

Psychoactive drugs, from plants and fungi, have long been used for rituals, alleviating hunger, and as stimulants, depressants, or hallucinogens
Recreational and medicinal uses are often indistinguishable, as seen with cocaine
Most psychoactive drugs are alkaloids that mimic, suppress, or enhance neurotransmission

Stimulant Drugs

Betel Palm (Areca catechu):
- Widely used in India and Southeast Asia
- Grated nut mixed with lime and spices, wrapped in betel leaves and chewed
- Encourages excessive coughing, spitting, and discolors teeth
- Some evidence suggests it helps prevent tapeworm infections in tropical regions
Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum):
- Native to South America
- Physiologically addictive stimulant used worldwide
- First used in Central and South America ~1600 years ago
- Spread globally after 1500s
- Active drug nicotine is highly addictive and has both stimulant and tranquilizing effects
- Usually smoked, chewed, or snuffed
- Hand-picked and cured for quality
- More people are addicted to tobacco than any other natural product.

Hallucinogenic Drugs

Solanaceous Drugs (Tomato Family):
- Some members produce hallucinogenic deliriant drugs, like scopolamine
- Scopolamine can cause a sensation of flying and potentially extreme nausea, convulsions, and death when taken in high doses.
Morning Glory (Ipomoea violacea):
- Seeds contain lysergic acid derivatives causing nausea, vertigo, constipation and hallucinations
- Used by Aztecs in ceremonies
Peyote Cactus (Lophophora williamsii):
- Native to northern Mexico
- Contains mescaline, a substance that causes strong hallucinations and nausea
- Used in religious ceremonies by Southwest North American natives
- Traded by North American natives as far north as southern Manitoba

Cannabis

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa):
- Used in China and India for at least 3,000 years
- Used for making ropes, fish nets, clothing, paper, etc
- Seeds used as food; oil used in lamps and paints
- Medicinally used for pain relief and nausea, especially during chemotherapy
- Psychoactive compound is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in female plants resin
- Various forms like sinsemilla, ganja, and hashish
- Popularization in Europe in 1840s, then spread to the United States
- Became popular in some circles in early 1900s
- Cannabis became banned in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and most other regions in the 1930s, often motivated by racist ideas.
- Legal status varies greatly around the world, even within countries
- Consumption is tolerated, sometimes legally, in some parts of the world, like Amsterdam, and Kashmir, while in other areas, like parts of India, it’s illegal.

Magic Mushrooms

Magic Mushrooms (various species):
- Some mushroom species produce hallucinogenic effects when consumed in controlled doses
- Examples of genera include Stropharia, Psilocybes, Conocybe and Panaeolus
- Used in Native American ceremonies
- Used in northern Asia in communal rites.

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Description

Explore the world of psychoactive drugs, focusing on natural substances like the Betel Palm and Tobacco. This quiz highlights their uses, effects, and cultural significance across regions. Understand how these drugs interact with our brain's neurotransmission and their historical context.