Accidents and Deaths Among Young Adults Due to the Illegal Use of the Drug Known As Barbiturates

Accidents and Deaths among Young Adults Due to the Illegal Use of the Drug Known as Barbiturates A Research Paper Presented to the Faculty and Students of The College of Arts and Sciences In Partial Fulfilment Of the Course Grammar and Composition II Submitted by: Mishel Ablao Raymart Los Banos Ma. Noven Canales Lourelle Mae Ocon Jea Cordova Coleen Joy Pitogo Sherry Lynn Lim Lianting March 2011 1 Acknowledgement Our group would like to acknowledge and thank first and foremost, our Heavenly Almighty Father for giving us wisdom, knowledge and understanding to fulfil this task with excellence. Without His guidance, this research will not be possible. We are forever grateful to Him. We would like to thank our mentor and English 12 teacher, Mrs. Liezl Jay Gantuangco, for teaching us the correct ways of doing a research and instilling the correct attitude towards research which we will need in the coming years. We thank her for her efforts and patience in correcting and guiding our research from the beginning until the end. We also acknowledge the vast collection of materials and references of the CDU Library which were very helpful in giving strong primary resources and data for our research. Its services made our research easier to conduct. Lastly, we acknowledge the efforts done by everyone who contributed to the making of this research, fellow group mates and people who gave information that this study benefited. 2 Table of Contents Title Page 1 Acknowledgement 2 Introduction 4 Problem Statement 6 Objectives 8 Rationale and Limitation of the Study 9 Discussion 10 Conclusion and Recommendation 15 Definition of Terms 17 Bibliography 19 Curriculum Vitae 20 3 Introduction The drug Barbiturate is derived from Barbituric acid. Barbiturates were first used in medicine in the early 1900s and became popular in the 1960s and 1970s as treatment for anxiety, insomnia, or seizure disorders. With the popularity of barbiturates in the medical population, barbiturates as drugs of abuse evolved as well. Barbiturates were abused to reduce anxiety, decrease inhibitions, and treat unwanted effects of illicit drugs. Barbiturates can be extremely dangerous because the correct dose is difficult to predict. Even a slight overdose can cause coma or death. Barbiturates are also addictive and can cause a life-threatening withdrawal syndrome. Barbiturate use and abuse has declined dramatically since the 1970s, mainly because a safer group of sedative-hypnotics called benzodiazepines are being prescribed. Benzodiazepine use has largely replaced barbiturates in the medical profession, with the exception of a few specific indications. Doctors are prescribing barbiturates less, and the illegal use of barbiturates has also substantially declined,although barbiturate abuse among teenagers may be on the rise compared with the early 1990s. Addiction to barbiturates, however, is uncommon today. Barbiturates can, in most cases be used either as the free acid or as salts of sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, lithium, etc. Codeine- and Dionine-based salts of barbituric acid have been developed. In 1912, Bayer introduced another barbituric acid derivative, phenobarbital, under the trade name Luminal, as a sedative-hypnotic. 4 In the 1940s, military personnel were given "Goofballs" during WWII in the South Pacific region to allow soldiers to tolerate the heat and humidity of daily working conditions. Goofballs were distributed to lower the respiratory system and blood pressure to combat the extreme conditions. Many soldiers returned with addictions that caused several months of rehabilitation before being discharged. This led to addiction problems through the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1950s and 1960s, increasing reports began to be published about barbiturate overdoses and dependence problems, which eventually led to the scheduling of barbiturates as controlled drugs. In 1970, several barbiturates were designated in the United States as controlled substances with the passage of the American Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Pentobarbital, secobarbital and amobarbital were designated schedule II drugs, butabarbital schedule III, and barbital and phenobarbital schedule IV. In 1971, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances was signed in Vienna. Designed to regulate amphetamines, barbiturates, and other synthetics, the treaty today regulates secobarbital, amobarbital, butalbital, cyclobarbital, and pentobarbital as schedule III, and allobarbital, methylphenobarbital, phenobarbital, and vinylbital as schedule IV scheduled substances. 5 Problem Statement Researches from the past have reported that barbiturate drugs can cause death if used without proper supervision. Some may be because of accidental overdose while others are caused by long-term use of drugs or during withdrawal process. Barbiturates users and addicts may experience short-lived relief from emotional tension accompanied by some of the following reactions: contraction or dilation of the pupils, or no discernible reaction to light; difficulty and slowness in thinking and remembering; drowsiness; difficulty or inability to walk straight; jerky, irregular movements; slurred speech; twitching, trembling hands, shaking; stupefaction; the feeling of living in a fantasy world; belligerency; depression; the possibility of suicidal thoughts and actions; slow reaction time, mentally and physically; garrulity; and silliness. As mentioned before, the degree of severity of intoxication depends upon the psychological make-up of a person and the kind and quantity of the drug taken. It should be noted that if barbiturates are used in combination with alcohol, the intoxication, that results is more severe than if either is used alone. In general, barbiturates may cause such side effects as impaired judgment, poor motor coordination, and slurred speech. Some individuals develop a tolerance to barbiturates, and they may also develop a physical dependence and a psychological dependence on these drugs When used frequently, barbiturates can suppress rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, during which dreaming occurs. When the drug is stopped, REM periods are 6 extended and the person may experience distressing nightmares. This condition is called the REM-sleep rebound effect (also called "rebound dreaming"). In addition, the day after REM-sleep rebound, the individual usually feels irritable and tired Depending on the length of use and the amount of the drug used, withdrawal symptoms can range from restlessness and anxiety to convulsions and death. The danger of sudden death during barbiturate withdrawal is a major concern. (http://www.wikipedia.com February 2011) 7 Objectives 1) How will the people be informed of the consequences of Illegal Use of Barbiturates? 2) What promotions had to be done to make the people be aware of the prevention of the deaths caused by drug overdose? 3) How will medical practitioners and other members of the healthcare team further enhance and update their knowledge on drug information? 8 Rationale and Limitation of the Study This study is propelled by the desire in particular to learn and know why young people become involved in barbiturates abuse and what can be done to help prevent it. The limitation of the study is the fact that not much of the cases have been solved or prevented and researchers are still conducting extensive animal research to uncover the underlying action of the stimulants and depressants and try to find out how psychological or physical dependence develops. Many are still searching for new drugs and techniques to treat overuse and dependence on the barbiturates. The study may contribute to the literature that can help resolve these problems to the society. 9 A Closer Look on the Study As mentioned before, Barbiturates were synthesized from the Barbituric acid. They are classified as sedatives, or depressants of the central nervous system (CNS). These drugs destroy or decrease sensation from mild to total anaesthesia. Its primary dosage form is in pills, because it is commonly prescribed as sleeping pills. It could also be in IV (intravenous) form. Barbiturates are prescribed to patients who are suffering from epilepsy, high blood pressure, insomnia, anxiety and seizure disorder because they decrease or slow down the nerve activities, which results to emotion control and the feeling of calm. However, these drugs cannot be taken excessively because it may cause dependence and overdose. Taken in normally, and supervised doses, the therapeutic effect of this drug can be achieved. Nerve actions, work of the heart muscle and other muscles will be depressed. But in higher doses, effects could be the same with alcohol drunkenness. (Williams 1974) Barbiturates are highly dangerous when taken without medical advice and prescription. This is because the therapeutic dose of the drug is very close to its lethal dose. These were used to commit suicide in the past; and can also cause death due to overdose. A barbiturate overdose results when a person takes a larger-than-prescribed dose of barbiturates. Some symptoms of an overdose typically include sluggishness, difficulty in thinking, shallow breathing, unconsciousness, sometimes coma and worse— it can lead to sudden death. (Williams 1974) 10 Many accidents of barbiturate overdose have been reported to the authorities. Several factors contribute to this phenomenon. First, the overdose is a result of a failed suicide attempt. Second, the person illegally used the drug or has been taking it longer than it was directed. Third, there were errors

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