Module+8+Hypnosis+&+Drugs

Much can be said for and against [|hypnosis]. It has been used to help people with combating addictions to food and cigarettes. As well hypnosis can be used in lieu of an analgesic instead of, say, freezing when one has dental treatment done. To this extent hypnosis is worthy and does indeed create an altered state of consciousness.
 * Hypnosis**

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Meditation is another means of creating a different level of consciousness. **You will be required to meditate for 15 minutes in class (on your own if absent).** Respond to these questions on our blog: //What was the most challenging part of the meditating for you? Why was this the case?// //Did you experience a different level of consciousness? Explain why, or why not?//
 * Meditation (Activity)**

The focus for this module (Module 8) is going to be on narcotics. Of particular importance to our understanding is to know what the different family of drugs are, how they work, why they can be dangerous (severely dangerous in some cases) and possible programs of treatment.
 * Narcotics and Psychology**

You will have two assignments in this module. One is a simple presentation on a family of drugs. The other will be your response to drug addiction in the format of a debate.

Below are sites related to drug use and abuse [|www.nida.nih.gov/] [|ncadi.samhsa.gov] [|www.edc.org/hec] []
 * Links**

This is a pear taught assignment based primarily on pp. 174-186 (the only pages we will use in this module). You and members of your group are to teach the students in the class about your 'poison.' Most of what they need to know can be found in the pages mentioned above, and in the 'Links' above. You will need to do this well enough so that the students walk away knowing what someone might be like on the narcotic, how it works and how it could be dangerous. This is a life skill that all people ought to have since we live in societies where some form of substance use (abuse?) occurs. To this end, make your presentation active. Be creative. This is the real challenge. How can you and members of your group make this a memorable and rewarding experience. Grading:
 * Assignment 1: Pick Your Poison - What the drug does, How you can tell someone uses it or is on it and How it could be dangerous (Or, is it dangerous).**
 * Content (x/15):
 * What the drug does (easiest)
 * How we can tell someone is on the drug or a constant user of the drug
 * How the drug can be dangerous, addictive (psychologically and/or physically), not be dangerous etc.
 * Presentation (x/15):
 * Stayed within the 15 minute limit, but longer than 9.
 * Creativity in execution to make the experience memorable.
 * Participation of class was made possible by the method used in instruction, i.e. discussion, problem solving, reacting to questions etc.

See your class in the left margin for information on who is in your group, and what narcotic you are working with. As per the readings, those poisons are in the following general (mostly) categories:
 * Stimulants
 * Opiates
 * Hallucinogens
 * Alcohol (Depressants)
 * Marijuana

For this assignment you must watch a video (see below), and consider what ought to be done in society to address the drug problem. Some of you will take positions such as strengthening laws and issuing stiffer penalties for drug offenders, some of you will seek to educate young people about the inherent dangers in drug use (see DARE programs), and some might have other ideas, i.e. seek to treat drug addiction as a health care problem rather than a criminal problem. Whatever the case, we are going to have a class debate on what approach(es) need to be taken to address the drug problem. //**Through a Blue Lense**// Begin by watching the video below, there are another five episodes on Youtube media type="youtube" key="WTH1rbTeqyg?fs=1" height="385" width="480"
 * Assignment 2: Class debate - How to address drug addiction in society.**
 * Debate Questions:**
 * 1) **Be it resolved that the drug problem as seen in North American societies is purely a crime issue and nothing more, and thus sterner penalties for importation, distribution, possession and use are needed to solve it.**
 * 2) Be it resolved that drug testing teachers is a violation of their right to privacy and is not necessary to ensure sound classroom instruction and child supervision.
 * 3) **Be it resolved that the legalization of marijuana is a sound approach to governments saving money and valuable police time enforcing laws against this benign substance.**
 * 4) Be it resolved that women that ingest any legal or illegal substances (//teratogen)// during a pregnancy should be detained by the state for the full length of their pregnancy so as to protect the health of the unborn child.
 * 5) **Be it resolved that drug education programs in US and Canadian schools are a failure in steering youth away from drug and alcohol use.**

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 * Video Film**
 * 28 Days**