Drug abuse and AIDS: how young people are at risk.Dear Teacher: More than ever before, teens today are at risk for the deadly blood-borne illnesses AIDS and hepatitis C Hepatitis C Definition Hepatitis C is a form of liver inflammation that causes primarily a long-lasting (chronic) disease. Acute (newly developed) hepatitis C is rarely observed as the early disease is generally quite mild. . We know for a fact that drug abuse is the single largest factor driving this troubling trend. How is that so? We have long understood that blood-borne viruses are spread by behaviors related to drug use, such as sharing contaminated contaminated, v 1. made radioactive by the addition of small quantities of radioactive material. 2. made contaminated by adding infective or radiographic materials. 3. an infective surface or object. needles. In addition, research indicates that many drugs of abuse can affect judgment, which means that teens under the influence of drugs are more at risk for behaviors that can lead to the transmission of blood-borne viruses. Perhaps even more disturbing, though, is another fact also at play: Drug abuse causes long-term changes to the parts of the brain responsible for decision making. In this installment of HEADS UP: Real News About Drugs and Your Body, we give students the facts about the connection between teen drug abuse and blood-borne illnesses. We also explain the science of AIDS and hepatitis C and show how research is illuminating il·lu·mi·nate v. il·lu·mi·nat·ed, il·lu·mi·nat·ing, il·lu·mi·nates v.tr. 1. To provide or brighten with light. 2. To decorate or hang with lights. 3. new ways to fight and understand these diseases and the disease of addiction addiction: see drug addiction and drug abuse. . Finally, we remind students that when they are armed with information that will enable them to make smart choices, they are in a unique position to fight the spread of HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. and hepatitis C-creating a safer world for themselves and their peers. Thank you for bringing this enormously important scientific information to your students. You are truly a key player in the fight against addiction and disease. Sincerely, Nora D. Volkow, M.D. Director of NIDA NIDA National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA National Institute of Dramatic Arts (Australia) NIDA Northern Ireland Development Agency (UK) NIDA Northern Ireland Dairy Association |
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