This unit looks at two topics that are of immense worldwide social, economic, ethical, and political importance – ‘addiction’ and ‘neural ageing’. You will develop a Master's level approach to the study of specific issues within these two important subject areas.

Students use a Bioethics Organizer worksheet to consider a bioethical dilemma from the perspective of a stakeholder.

This site helps students discover the fundamentals of neurobiology and how drugs change the brain. Among the topics: functions of specific brain areas; anatomy of the neuron; neurotransmission; drug action on neurons; genetic, behavioral, and environmental influences on drug addiction; and addiction as a chronic disease.

Common ingredients in cigarette smoke include rat poison, urea (a substance found in human urine), sodium hydroxide (found in caustic hair removal products), and methanol (used in antifreeze).

This examines the Controlled Substances Act and provides information on narcotics, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, cannabis, steroids, clandestine laboratories, inhalants, drug abuse and AIDS, state drug abuse prevention and treatment programs, and penalties for controlled-substance related infractions.

Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 different chemical compounds, one of them being nicotine. Nicotine is an extremely addictive compound. Smoking cigarettes can cause several types of cancer, make wrinkles appear around your mouth, destroy your teeth, and permanently stain your fingers yellow.

This is an online prevention book written by kids for kids. It features information about controlled substances and intoxicants, and their effects. The book is helpful as a research tool for classroom assignments, and is also fun to read and share with friends. There are questions, activities, and role playing scenarios.

Provides an introduction to global tobacco control. Presents the health and economic burden of tobacco use worldwide and highlights practical approaches to tobacco prevention, control, surveillance, and evaluation. Examines transnational tobacco control issues, including the following: the interpretation and packaging of epidemiologic evidence for policy makers, the determinants of tobacco addiction, the economics of global tobacco control, tobacco industry strategies, legal foundations for regulation, and basic surveillance and evaluation methods using lectures, case-studies, and discussion.

For organizations offering drug/alcohol addiction treatment, we are documenting successes and failures in building long term relationships with referral sources that result in increased admissions.

Evidence is described that shows marketing to referral sources increases admissions to organizations that treat people who misuse substances.

Anabolic steroids are artificial versions of a hormone that's in all of us -- testosterone. Some people take anabolic steroid pills or injections to try to build muscle faster. But these steroids also have other effects. They can cause changes in the brain and body that increase risks for illness and they may affect moods.

Hand out this "damage diagram" activity and help kids understand the big picture about steroids' side effects.

Try this activity to get the brain going and the discussion flowing. In this activity, first present the students with a list to memorize (on whiteboard or flip chart). Tell the students they have 1 minute only to memorize the list. Then, after 1 minute, take the list away. Have the students write down as many as they can remember. Have them call them out and write them on the board. Ask them how many they got correct. Use this activity as a lead-in to the discussion that follows about the brain and addiction.

These games extend uponand reinforce the lessons in the Mind Over Matter series. Students can test their knowledge with the nine games on this site.

Cocaine is made from the leaf of the coca plant. It often comes in the form of a white powder that some people inhale through their nose. Another form of cocaine, known as crack, can be smoked. Cocaine changes the way the brain works by changing the way nerve cells communicate.

Find out how much your students know or don't know about ecstasy. Have them try this quiz.

Teach your children/students the connection between drugs and HIV infection.

Hallucinogens powerfully affect the brain, distorting the way our five senses work and changing our impressions of time and space. When people use these drugs a lot they may have a hard time concentrating, communicating, or telling the difference between reality and illusion.

Maybe you haven't heard of inhalants, but you probably come across them pretty often. Hair spray, gasoline, spray paint -- they are all inhalants, and so are lots of other everyday products. Many inhalants have a strong smell. That's why they're called inhalants: Some people inhale the vapors on purpose. Why would anyone do this? Because the chemicals in these vapors can change the way the brain works, and those changes can make people feel very happy for a short time. But inhalants can also do harm.