Illicit Drugs Elective (PHR 781D)

This course will introduce the student to illicit drugs of abuse which include cannabinoids (marijuana), stimulants (methamphetamines  and amphetamines), cocaine, depressants (short-acting barbiturates, benzodiazepines), hallucinogens (LSD, psilocybin, PCP), narcotics, designer drugs (bath salts, GHB and MDMA) and volatile gases. The course will describe common street names of such drugs, their pharmacology, adverse effect profiles and methods of detection in the body. The course will also describe the concepts of physical and psychological dependence and describe some of the available treatments for these patients.