DRUGS

Drugs may be taken for medical reasons or personal reasons and can have both good
and bad effects.
Drug: any chemical substance that affects the functioning of the body. Eg.
antibiotics, painkillers, marijuana, heroin, alcohol, nicotine etc
Drug Abuse: the use of drugs in excessive amounts for non-medical purposes.
Type of drug Effects Examples
Depressants lo! do!n the actions
of the nervous
ystem.
"arbiturates, heroin, morphine,
#ran$uilisers and alcohol
Stimulants peed up the actions of
the nervous system,
highly addictive.
%mphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy,
caffeine, nicotine
Hallucinogens %ffect the nervous
system and produce
feelings of false reality.
&annabis'marijuana(, )D'lysergic acid
diethylamide( and solvents such as glue
or lighter fuel.
Problems Of Drug Abuse:
Social-
%ccidents
&rime: stealing, murder, !ounding
*rostitution:suicide
+amily suffers neglect
chool,education neglected
%bsenteeism from !ork.
Economic-
%ll resources spent on drugs
Expensive
*hysiological-
-nfection
Exposure to diseases eg. #Ds
.eakening of body.
Specific Examples: ALCOHOL (legal drug)
-t is a depressant that slo!s do!n the actions of the nervous system.
Short Term Effects
lurred speech
-mpaired mental functioning
)oss of muscular coordination
-ncreased excretion leading to dehydration
/ausea and vomiting
0iolent or aggressive behaviour
)oss of consciousness may follo!
ong Term Effects
*hysical and psychological dependence
.ithdra!al symptoms
1alnutrition and risk of deficiency diseases
&irrhosis of liver
)iver cancer
tomach ulcers
&oronary heart disease and high blood pressure
*regnancy2 miscarriage, fetal abnormalities
!hysiological"
Depressant
mall amounts create a relaxed feeling, increased confidence
Damage organs
%ffect cerebrum2 vision, speech, thinking etc
1edulla affected-death
Social"
"reakdo!n of family relations
3ape
exual abuse
*hysical abuse
+amily break up
&rime
%ccidents-interfers !ith muscle control
Economic"
4ob loss
Default on loan payments
5ospital services
Marijuaa (!llegal drug)
% green or grey mix of dried, shredded flo!ers and leaves of the hemp plant
Cannabis sativa.
!hysiological Effects
*roblems !ith memory and learning
Distorted perception
Difficulty in thinking
Difficulty in problem solving
)oss of coordination
-ncreased heart rate and blood pressure
%nxiety
*anic attacks
1ore tar and carbondioxide as the smoked form is unfiltered
5allucinogen
Di66iness, light headedness
&ancer in respiratory tract
"lood shot eyes, dry mouth and throat
Social
)eads to use of other drugs
&rimes
)ess productive
Economic
1ore money into police and military
Prescrip"io Drugs:
Diet !ills-
-ncrease metabolic rate, burn more calories
timulants 'amphetamines(
%ddictive
ame effects as other drugs
Eg. %cai fat burn pills
Antibiotics-
%nti bacterial drug
3esistant strains of bacteria
Egs. *enicillin, erythromycin, amoxicillin
Steroids-
#reat 3heumatism and inflammatory ailments
7iven to post operative patients to promote muscle gro!th and tissue
regeneration
5eart disease, liver damage, abnormal sex organs
Egs. &ortisone, betametasone,vitamin d, oestrogen
Tran#uilisers$depressants%-
3educe hyperactivity, anxiety, tension
-nduce sleep
%ddiction, toxicity
Egs. valium, phenobarbitone, seconal
Pla" ad Aimal Diseases
!lant Diseases"
&aused by fungi and viruses
pread easily by planting infected plants, leaving infected plant parts in the
soil, spores, saliva of biting plant pests.
Egs. *otato blight, sugarcane smut, papaya ringspot, pepper mottle virus,
banana !ilt, lethal yello!ing in coconuts
Animal Diseases"
8sually bacterial. Egs. %nthrax in farm animals, mastitis in co!s, scours in
piglets
%nimals can be vaccinated and good sanitation helps
Egs of diseases carried by animals that can spread to humans are :
%vian flu-chickens
"ovine spongiform encephalopathy '"E,madco!(
#hese diseases are called &oonotic diseases'
Economic and Social Effects (f !lant And Animal Diseases"
Decreased and lost production
*rice and market effects
#rade
+ood security and nutrition
5uman health and the environment
+inancial costs