NIDA for Teens: The Science Behind Drug Abuse
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Poppy Flowers

Question 1

Which of the following is an opiate drug that doctors prescribe for the treatment of pain?

Wrong, heroin is a powerful opiate that has no accepted medicinal uses. Its use can quickly lead to addiction.

Nope, although cookies and milk may make you feel better, they are not an opiate drug.

Yes! Morphine is used for treating severe pain, such as following surgery. If it is used as directed by a doctor, it is safe.

No, A mu receptor is one of the three types of receptors that recognize opiates. It is responsible for the pain-relieving effects of the drug morphine.

Question 2

Opiates are made from opium which can be found in which type of plant?

Nope! This plant has bright red flowers and is found in the pine forests of the Sierra Nevada in California.

No! This plant can be recognized by its thimble-shaped fruiting head. Even though it has the slang term for marijuana in its name, it does not contain ingredients that are found in opiate drugs.

Yes! The poppy plant is the source of opium which is used to make opiate drugs. Maybe you didn't know this when you watched it the first time, but in the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy arrives at a poppy field on her way to meet the wizard. In only a few minutes, both she and Toto need to take a nap. Do you know why?

No. An industrial plant is a place where people work to produce something.

Question 3

True or False. Your body actually produces its own version of opiates.

True! Your body's opiates have lots of functions, including controlling pain and breathing.

Nope

Question 4

Which of the following is not a region of the brain where opiates act?

Nope, Opiates act in the Limbic System to produce an increased feeling of pleasure.

Opiates act in the brainstem to slow breathing. If someone overdoses on heroin his or her breathing can stop entirely which leads to death.

Correct! The midwest is part of the United States, and is not a brain region.

Nope! Opiates can block pain signals in the spinal cord, which helps reduce the amount of pain a person feels.