ARMY PUBLIC SCHOOL, BASISTHA

INVESTIGATORY PROJECT ON BIOLOGY

TOPIC: - ADDICTION: DRUG ABUSE

Name: Shahmeenas Ara Akhtar

Roll no.: 36
Class: XII
Section: B
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This is to acknowledge that this investigatory project would not have

been successful without the help of the source that are mention below.
It was a great opportunity making this investigatory project so at the
onset a very great thanks to our respected subject teacher Mrs Namita
Deka (ma’am) without her guidance this investigatory project would
not have been possible. Lastly I would like to thank our parents who
really helped us in each and every movement, friends and everyone
who is directly or indirectly associated with the completion of this
investigatory project of biology.

-by Shahmeenas Ara

Akhtar
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Shahmeenas Ara Akhtar, a student of class XII

(science) APSB has successfully completed the biology investigatory
project on the selected topic “A case study on ADDICTION: DRUG
ABUSE” assigned by the biology subject teacher of APSB (Mrs Namita
Deka Ma’am) as a part of the (practical section) class XII Annual Exam
for the year 2016-17.

Signature of Teacher
(Mrs Namita Deka)
Dated:- PGT
BIOLOGY
CONTENT

 Introduction
 What is addiction?
 Types of Drug
 Causes
 Scenario
 Effects
 Prevention
 History
 Diagonisis
 Treatment

 Bibliography
 INTRODUCTION

Addiction is the one of the biggest disease of the world. More than
millions of the individual are struggling against addiction. It takes away
the happiness of the people by avoiding them to get what they want and
many of the people were also not able to take correct decision.
According to the recent studies it has been found that adolescent are
more vulnerable to addiction. Addiction is that type of diseases whose
rehabilitation is very difficult. As we know prevention is better than
cure so we can prevent our self from getting addicted by not living
under peer pressure. If we also get addicted, we should immediately
take the help of specialist for rehab.

WHAT IS ADDICTION?

Addiction is the habitual, physiological, psychological dependence on

a substance or practice which is beyond voluntary control. A person
who is habituated to a substance or a practice, especially a harmful
one, is called an addict. Addiction is a chronic, progressive and
sometimes fatal disorder with both genetic and environmental roots. It
manifests as a compulsion that derives an individual to continue to
behave in a way that is harmful to self and loved ones, despite an
intense desire to halt that behaviour. It is a disease of “more”- an
active addict needs an increasing amount of substance to get high and
is unable to cease usage without painful withdrawal symptoms. This is
true whether the addictive substance is a drug or tobacco or alcohol or
a behaviour. Medically, addiction is of three types : Tobacco
Addiction, Alcohol Addiction, Drug Addiction
 TYPES OF DRUG ABUSE

1. Heroin
As a destructive opioid, heroin can lead to
seizures, psychosis, and hallucinations when it
is abused. Heroin injections can also spread
diseases such as human immunodeficiency
virus and hepatitis. This drug is known to
cause serious health issues when it is abused
because it interferes with the brain’s
receptors. Individuals who take heroin always
require professional rehabilitation because the
symptoms of withdrawal may be life-
threatening.

2. Cocaine
Cocaine is a very dangerous stimulant even when taken in small
amounts. It induces euphoria, increases blood pressure, and
accelerates the heart rate. The drug may lead to fatal strokes or heart
attacks for some users. Due to the severe consequences of using
cocaine, users require immediate professional treatment.

3. Crack
A potent form of cocaine, crack is often smoked and suddenly creates
an intense euphoric sensation for a short while. Crack has turned into
a problem because it is cheap and easy to buy and use. Abusing the
substance, however, can lead to immediate addiction. Abusers are also
at risk of suffering heart attacks and strokes with every use. Long-
term use can cause liver, kidney, and lung damage.
4. Hallucinogens

PCP (phencyclidine) and LSD (lysergic acid

diethylamide) are hallucinogens, which means
that they make users feel, see, and hear things
that are not real. While they experience
hallucinations with these drugs, users lose
touch with reality and enter mental states of
disconnection. Withdrawing from
hallucinogens is not easy, and abusers will need professional treatment
in a rehab facility.

5. Marijuana / Cannabis

Marijuana is the most common illegal drug

that is abused, and many people begin using
it as a recreational drug in social situations.
Continued abuse of marijuana can lead to
addiction, and the substance can affect the
physical coordination, memory, and mental
functions of users over time. While it is easy
to abuse marijuana, it is not easy to stop
using it.

7. Alcohol

Abusing alcohol can cause psychological, physical, and social

problems, and it can lead to the destruction
of relationships, friendships, and marriages.
A lot of alcohol abusers drink so much that
their bodies are unable to handle it.
Sometimes this requires that they are
hospitalized for alcohol poisoning.
Furthermore, alcohol abuse can lead to
injury or death to the people around them
while they are under the influence. Alcohol
withdrawal can be fatal because of delirium tremens, which is a
symptom with the potential to trigger heart failure or stroke.
Refraining from drinking also is not easy when it becomes a habit
because of mental and physical issues. Professional assistance is often
necessary for abusers of alcohol.
CAUSES OF ADDICTION

Some of the causes of addiction are :-

 Peer pressure
 Stress and depression
 Lack of education
 Religious rituals
 Poverty
 Lack of willpower
 Poverty
 Moral weakness
 Mental illness
 Genetics
 Family socialization
 Anti-social personalities
 Societal problems

 SCENARIO OF ADDICTION
 EFFECTS OF ADDICTION
 Fatigue - the patient is tired most of the time.
 Memory loss - especially the
patient's short-term memory.
 Eye muscles - the eye muscles can
become significantly weaker.
 Liver diseases - the patient has a
considerably higher chance of
developing hepatitis, and cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis of the liver is an
irreversible and progressive
condition
 Heart problems - regular heaving drinking can lead to
cardiomyopathy (damaged heart muscle), heart failure, and stroke.
 Menstruation - alcoholism will usually stop menstruation or disrupt it
 Cancer - alcoholics have a much higher risk of developing several
cancers, including cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, liver, colon,
rectum, breast, prostate and pharynx.
 Suicide - suicide rates among people who are alcohol-dependent or
who abuse alcohol are much higher than among other people.

PREVENTION AND CONTROL

“Prevention is better than cure” is also true here. Tobacco,
drug/alcohol abuse are more during young age and adolescence. The
remedial measure should be taken in time. The following measures
would be particularly useful for prevention and control of alcohol and
addiction during adolescents.

1.Avoid undue Peer pressure.

2.Education and counselling.

3.Seeking help from parents and peers.

4.Looking for Danger Signs.

5.Seeking Professional and Medical helps.

HISTORY OF ADDICTION

Beer

Since the dawn of history, mankind has found ways to relieve the daily
grind of life. In ancient Mesopotamia (the area now known as Iraq),
agriculture slowly began to flourish, and a large network of city states
started to gain prominence. With the cultivation of wheat and barley
came another product: beer. After all, the water wasn't particularly
healthy, and the weak alcohol content in beer killed off a lot of
harmful organisms in the water.

While the beer wasn't particularly strong, it also wasn't particularly

nice, as the concept of sterility was unknown in 3,000 BCE. However,
beer was consumed in bulk. Consequently, addiction to alcohol was
rampant in the so-called cradle of civilization, and people during that
time generally lived much shorter lives thanks to disease and,
presumably, drunkenness.

Opium

Throughout the time that beer was gaining popularity, the Indians,
Assyrians and Egyptians were cultivating and preparing opium from
the opium poppy. Indeed, the upper classes of many civilizations
would use this to relax and pass time, although some uses are much
less benign. One Egyptian scroll recommends using opium to soothe a
crying baby.

Hallucinogens and Natural Highs

Moving on 15 centuries, the ancient Greece used a special form of

mead (fermented honey) or beer to induce visions known as mysteries.
Naturally, there is something very mystical in seeing hallucinations,
and plants containing entheogens (natural chemicals that induce
hallucinations) have been widely cultivated throughout the world;
these include the peyote cactus, fly agaric, and cannabis. Clearly, this
is a form of drug abuse, although it was a socially acceptable one at
the time.
 Cocaine

During the second millennium, world trade started to be more

prominent. Ships started sailing from China to Europe-Marco Polo
rediscovered major trade routes to India and China, and in 1492,
cocaine came to be major product of trade.

After that, the American continent became ripe for development.

Various conquistadors discovered the drugs that kept the locals going,
especially cocaine, which was touted as a wonder cure for all ailments.

Tobacco

One of the major drugs that came out of the New World was tobacco.
Sir Walter Raleigh famously introduced dried tobacco leaves to
England, where they were controlled and taxed heavily. Again, abuse
of tobacco led to very expensive addictions, as it was a risky but
incredibly profitable voyage for those who made it over the Atlant

DIAGNOSIS OF ADDICTION
Blood test or imaging scan can determine whether somebody is
addicted to drug or alcohol or smoking, and to what degree.
Blood test - this may be ordered to determine whether the substance is
still in the blood (whether the substance has been taken recently). It is
not used to diagnose addiction.
A GP (general practitioner, primary care physician) can help the
patient determine their degree of dependence by asking pertinent
questions, or using a specific questionnaire. The following questions
may help determine how dependent a patient is:

 How many cigarettes do you smoke per day?

 Do you find it hard not to smoke in places where it is not allowed, such
as in a church, school, movie theatre, library, public transport,
hospital, etc.?
 If you had to give up, which cigarette would you miss the most (e.g.
the first one in the morning)?
 Do you smoke more cigarettes during the first few hours after waking
up, than during the rest of the day?
 If you are ill, with a bad cold or the flu, do you still take drug or
alcohol?
 Have you ever smoked more than you intended to?
 Have you ever neglected a duty because you were smoking, or so that
you could have a cigarette?

TREATMENT OF ADDICTION

Do-it-yourself - experts say about 30% of people with an alcohol

problem manage to reduce their drinking or abstain without seeking
professional help. There is a great deal of material in books and the
internet that may help the self-helper.
Counselling - a qualified counsellor can help the alcoholic talk
through his/her problems and then devise a plan to tackle the
drinking. CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is commonly used to
treat alcohol dependency.

Detoxification - the patient takes some medication to prevent

withdrawal symptoms (delirium tremens) which many alcoholics
experience when they give up drinking.

Drugs for cravings -

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Special thanks to the following source: -

 Internet (Wikipedia)
 NCERT biology class XI