Course Description

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, 2014) defines addiction as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because psychoactive substances change the brain – they change its structure and how it works. These brain changes can be long-lasting, and can lead to the harmful behaviors seen in people who have a substance use disorder. SUDs disrupt normal healthy functioning of the brain, have serious harmful consequences, and are preventable and treatable. If left untreated, SUDs can last a lifetime. Neuroscientific research over the last two decades have been able to demonstrate that substance use disorders are a disease that affects both the brain and behavior. SUDs are not the result of a moral failing or lack of willpower. Psychoactive substances change the central nervous system, creating the ideal environment for compulsive substance use disorders. (NAADAC, 2018).

Course Modality
This is an independent home-study course. Students will take the course according to their own timeline. 

CE’s: 6 hours. (Reading course text / articles and Application to Practice). To receive the course completion certificate, each student is required to complete and submit Learning Contract, read all text-based materials, view any media posted, complete and submit chapter discussion questions, complete and pass course examination, and complete and submit course evaluation. 

Senior Instructor

Merrill Norton, Pharm. D., D.Ph., CMAC

Dr. Merrill Norton is an EMMY winning Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus of the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy with his specialty areas to include psychopharmacology and addiction pharmacy. His book, Understanding the Pharmacology of Substance Use Disorders , has been used to train thousands of mental health professionals nationally and his latest book, and The Pharmacist’s Guide to Opioid Use Disorders were released in December 2018. Dr. Norton completed his undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy. He accomplished a 3 year addiction medicine fellowship under the direction of Douglas Talbott MD at Ridgeview Institute and has state, national, and international credentials in the treatment of mentally ill/addicted/chronic pain individuals. He has also been a faculty member of the Fairleigh-Dickinson University Postdoctoral Training Program in the Masters of Psychopharmacology, Alliant International University of San Francisco College of Psychology, University of Georgia School of Continuing Education, and Berry College in the areas of Psychopharmacology and Addiction Pharmacy. His areas of specialty in addiction pharmacy are the management of chronic pain in the substance use disordered patient and the neuroscience of substance use disorders. Since his recent retirement from UGA , Dr. Norton’s primary focus is to provide the latest scientific information to communities, educators, healthcare professionals, prevention specialists, treatment providers, and especially families, on the disease of substance use disorders.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Chapter 1.

    • Welcome Video.

      FREE PREVIEW
    • Learner Agreement

    • How to Navigate this course

    • Understanding the Pharmacology of SUD Syllabus

    • Understanding the Pharmacology of SUD Pre-test

  • 2

    Chapter 2. Neurobiology of Psychoactive Substances.

    • Understanding the Pharmacology of Substance Use Disorder. Merrill Norton, Pharm D, DPH. (handout follows video)

    • Understanding Pharmacology of SUD, Part 1.

    • Understanding Pharmacology of SUD, Part 2

  • 3

    Additional Resouces.

    • History of the Opioid Epidemic

    • Commonly Abused Drugs. NIDA

    • Commonly Used Drugs. NIDA

    • Drugs of Abuse. Neuroscience

    • Drugs, Brains and Behavior. The Science of Addiction

    • Clinicians Guide To CBD and Hemp Oils

    • Addiction and the Brain Anti-Reward System, Koob and Le Moal (2008)

    • The Medication Guide for Safe Recovery

    • Neurobiology of Opiate Addiction. Kreek.

  • 4

    Chapter 3. Application to Practice.

    • Instructional video for completing assignments

    • Pleasure Unwoven.

    • Pharmacology of Psychoactive Substances. Assignment 1.

    • Pharmacology of Psychoactive Substances. Assignment 2.

    • Pharmacology of Psychoactive Substances. Assignment 3.

    • Pharmacology of Psychoactive Substances. Assignment 4.

    • Pharmacology of Psychoactive Substances. Assignment 5.

    • Pharmacology of Psychoactive Substances. Interventions. Assignment 6.

  • 5

    Chapter 4. Course Completion

    • Understanding the Pharmacology of SUD. Chapter Quiz

    • Understanding the Pharmacology of SUD. Course Evaluation

    • Course Review

Reviews

5 star rating

Absolutely Superb!

Pamela Weeks

Excellent training! Thank you for sharing your wisdom, experience, and knowledge! Grateful to have the opportunity to receive the course through Zoom and the...

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Excellent training! Thank you for sharing your wisdom, experience, and knowledge! Grateful to have the opportunity to receive the course through Zoom and the website. The materials are very helpful in our daily practice. Keep up the great work and we look forward to our next training!

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5 star rating

Interesting

Hank Kowalczyk

I found it complicated yet necessary and interesting for the most part

I found it complicated yet necessary and interesting for the most part

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5 star rating

Pharmacology of Substance Abuse.

Niccole Campbell

I found the training to be very educational and provide critical information in treating SUDs. I will recommend to others seeking more knowledge on Pharmaco...

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I found the training to be very educational and provide critical information in treating SUDs. I will recommend to others seeking more knowledge on Pharmacology of Substance Abuse.

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5 star rating

Great

Brandon Smith

5 star rating

Course Review

Kenneth Adams

5 star rating

Great Course

Jernell Williams

I enjoyed the course.

I enjoyed the course.

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5 star rating

It was very informative

Yvonne Hickey

I learnt a lot about a subject I knew nothing about before

I learnt a lot about a subject I knew nothing about before

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5 star rating

Great course

Andy Williams

Seriously one o f the most well done and informative courses I've had the pleasure of attending. There was such an enormous amount of knowledge shared but in...

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Seriously one o f the most well done and informative courses I've had the pleasure of attending. There was such an enormous amount of knowledge shared but in such a great format! Thank you for putting this together for us!

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5 star rating

Norton is someone you could listen to all day and never g...

Katie Kinsey

I absolutely loved my first class with Dr. Norton and I was just good to my screen. I was going on thinking, I know a lot about this stuff and b it'll probab...

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I absolutely loved my first class with Dr. Norton and I was just good to my screen. I was going on thinking, I know a lot about this stuff and b it'll probably be redundant but I learned something new every 5 minutes of this class. So we'll worth it. Totally fascinating and well well well worth the time and expense. Amazing experience

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5 star rating

Great information and delivered in a way that was underst...

Jessica Greene

Will use this information in practice for sure.

Will use this information in practice for sure.

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5 star rating

Review

Pamela Fisher

Very interesting

Very interesting

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Upsells