DRUG AND SUSTANCE ABUSE

Drugs are chemical substances that alters the actions of the body.
The most commonly abused drugs are legal substances such as:
a. Alcoholic
b. Nicotine in form of tobacco e.g. cigarettes
c. Caffeine in form of pills, tea, and coffee
Other commonly abused drugs which are illegal substances are:
a. Indian Hemp (marijuana)
b. Amphetamine
c. Cocaine
d. Heroine
e. Codeine
f. Depressants e.g. from tranquilizers and barbiturates. Etc.
Alcoholic
Alcohol is the oldest and most widely used drug in the world. Alcohol is a depressant that alters perceptions
and emotions.
Effects of Alcohol
a. Alcohol first acts as a stimulant and then it makes people feel relaxed and a bit sleepy.
b. High doses of alcohol seriously affect a person’s judgement and coordination.
c. Excessive doses of alcohol can lead to slurred speech, confusion, depression, short term memory loss
and slow reaction time.
d. Large quantity when drunk within a short period may cause alcohol poisoning heading to other body
organ’s dysfunction e.g. liver complications.
e. Teenagers and old people can easily get addicted to alcohol.
f. Withdrawal symptoms can range from shaking, sweating, nausea, anxiety and depression to fever and
conclusion.
Amphetamines
These are stimulants that accelerate functions in the brain and body. They are in form of pills and tablets which
can be swallowed, inhaled or injected.
Effects
a. These drugs give users high emotion making them to feel powerful, alert and energized.
b. Users experience faster heart rate, breathing and blood pressure.
c. They can cause sweating, shaking, headaches, sleeplessness and blurred vision.
d. Prolonged use may cause hallucinations and intense paranoia (extreme delusion).
e. Activeness is possible with amphetamines, making the users to experience mood problems such as
aggression, anxiety and intense cravings for the drugs.
Cocaine and crack
Cocaine is a white crystalline powder made from the dried leaves of coca plant. Crack is made from cocaine
when heated. It is white or tan pellets.
Cocaine can be inhaled through the most injected, while crack is smoked.
Effects
a. Cocaine is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system, giving the users quick, intense feeling of
power and energy.
b. It increase heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature.
c. Injecting cocaine can transmit AIDS or hepatitis if infected needles (syringes) are shared with other
users.
d. Snorting can also result to formation of a hole inside the user’s nose.
 e. Cocaine and crack can result in stoppage of breathing, fatal heart attacks or even death for first time
users. These drugs are highly addictive and it makes it very difficult for users to stop using them.
DEPRESSANTS
Depressants are drugs that calm nerves and relax muscles e.g. tranquilizers and barbiturates. Many are legally
available by prescription e.g. Valium and xanar. These are in form of light coloured capsules and tablets.
Depressants are usually swallowed.
Effects
a. When used as prescribed and taken at the right dosage, depressants can help people feed calm and
reduce angry feelings.
b. Larger doses can cause confusion, slurred speech and lack of coordination.
c. Very large doses can cause a person to stop breathing and can results in death.
Depressants and alcohol should never be mixed as this can lead to overdose and death.
KETAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE
Ketamine hydrochloride is a quick-acting anesthetics that is legally used in humans and other animals, as a
sedative for minor surgery and also as a tranquilizer.
Ketamines usually come in from of powder that users snort.
Effects
a. Users may become delirious hallucinated (imagining things not present and lose their sense of time and
reality).
b. Users may become wildly excited and have problem with thinking or memory.
c. At higher doses, ketamine causes movement problems and slowed breathing.
d. An overdose of ketamine can stop breathing and cause death.
LYSERGIC ACID DIETHYLAMIDE (L. S. D)
This is a lab – brewed hallucinogen and mood – changing chemical. It is colourless, odourless and tasteless.
Effects
a. Hallucinations occur within 30 – 90 minutes leading to people’s sense being intensified and distorted.
b. They also see colours or hear sounds with other delusions.
c. It may result in panic attacks, confusion, depression and frightening dilutions.
d. It can also cause physical risks like sleeplessness, increased heart beat and coma.
Teenager can be easily addictive, leading them to continue with the drugs to feel good to deal with life or to
handle stress.

MARIJUANA
This is the most widely used illegal drug. It resembles green, brown or grey dried parsley with stems or seeds.
Marijuana is often called a “gateway” drug because frequent use often leads to the use of other stronger drugs.
It can be brewed as tea, smoked like cigarette and can be mixed with foods.
Effects
a. Marijuana can affect mood and co-ordination of the body.
b. Users may experience mood swings that range from happiness to drowsiness or depression.
c. It causes increase heart rate and blood pressure.
d. In some people it leads to developing red eyes, and feeing of sleepiness and hunger.
e. It also affects the lungs, making smokers to suffer cough, wheezing and cold.
 EROSION
DEFINITION: Erosion is the carrying away of soil particles by water, wind or ice.
Water and wind erosion are the commonest types of erosion. Water erosion takes place in areas where the soil
is exposed. Wind erosion is common where the ground is bare especially desert regions of Africa and Asia. Ice
causes soil erosion when it moves as glacial over the soil in temperate regions of the world.
CAUSES OF SOIL EROSION

1. Deforestation: Removal of vegetation through tree cutting and land clearing for firewood or timber of
for cultivation.
2. Overgrazing: This is excessive feeding on grasses by animals that feed on them, thereby exposing the
soil to erosion.
3. Excessive rainfall/wind: The greater the amount of rainfall, the greater the rat of erosion, especially
when the lane is exposed.
4. Nature of the soil: Loose soils e.g. sandy soil particles can easily be eroded compared to clay soil that
sticks together.
5. Topography: This is the flatmates on sloppiness of the land in an area slopy lands are easily eroded.
6. Excavation: This is the digging out of soil for construction or mining which later can cause erosion.

Types of soil erosion.

1. Water erosion
2. Wind erosion

Types of water erosion

a. Sheet erosion: This is gradual washing away of the top soil by water evenly.
b. Rill erosion: This is the washing away of soil by water collected in narrow shallow and irregular
channels.
c. Gully erosion: This is the washing away of soil forming very deep channels.
d. Splash erosion: This occur when rain drops break up soil lumps into particles.

Wind erosion

This is the carrying away of soil particles by wind. This occurs in dry open areas, where the soil is exposed of
desert areas.

Effects of soil erosion

1. Soil erosion causes loss of fertile top soil meant for crop cultivation.
2. Soil erosion causes pollution of drinking water
3. It reduces land available for faming
4. It can lead to loss of lives and prequites.
5. It causes damage to transportation system by washing reads and railway lines
6. Erosion can wash pasticides, herbicides and fertilizers applied on farm lands into rivers and sterms
causing pollution.

CONTROL MEASURES

1. Erosion can be prevented by planting trees and grasses in open places.

2. Controlled grazing: By allowing few animals to graze on an area at a time.
 3. Discouraging bush burning and cutting trees for firewood.
4. Terracing: This is the construction of barriers along the slope to hinder rapid flow of water.
5. Mulching: Protecting the soil with straws, and leaves from soil erosion.
6. Cover cropping: Cover crops, grasses, trees and shrubs can be planted to prevent erosion.
7. Crop Rotation: This is growing of some crops and rotating them every planting season to check erosion
and maintain soil fertility.
8. Wind Break: This is the planting of trees and shrubs to reduce wind speed.

Flooding

Definition: This is the excessive accumulation of large volume of water in a known dry area.

Flooding occurs when there is heavy rainfall and the water does not sink into the soil or flow away.

Causes of flooding

1. Excessive rainfall in a place at a time.

2. Poor drainage system or lack of culvets
3. Refuse dumping that blocks culvets or rivers.
4. Breakdown of dams and embarkments

Effects of flooding

1. Flooding causes loss of lives and properties like buildings, bridges, etc
2. It leads to destruction of farmlands and crops
3. It washes away roads, bridges, railway lines, causing transportation problems.
4. It creates health hazards by way of pollution that results from deposition of debris in the environment.
5. It can also create the need for emergency expenses through the supply of relief materials e.g. foods,
drugs, building materials, etc.

BENEFIT OF FLODDING

Flood water deposits nutrient rich materials in flood plains. This can encourage better agricultural output.

Control of flooding

1. Construction of appropriate drainage systems such as wider gutters and culverts.

2. Construction of dams to store excess water.
3. Proper urban planning
4. Discourage refuse dumping in water ways, gutters, culverts, etc
5. Regular clearance of drainage channels.

BUST BURNING

Definition: This is an indiscriminate setting of fire on dry grasses or bushes in an area for agricultural and
hunting purposes.

Causes

1. Clearing areas for agricultural purposes.

2. Clearing bushes for hunting of animals.
3. Careless handling of fire e.g by dropping of lighted cigarette on dry grasses.
Effects of bush burning

1. Destruction of parties, especially stord farm produce

2. Accidental destruction of petroleum pipelines.
3. Destruction of vegetation, causing deforestation which later encourages soil erosion.
4. Retardation and disturbance of the normal growth pattern of vegetation.
5. Addition of more carbon(iv)oxide and other gases into the atmosphere causing air pollution which can
also lead to global warming.

Control

1. Legislation against indiscriminants burning of bushes

2. Public enlightenment on the dangers of bush burning.

DEFORESTATION

This is indiscriminate destruction of forest or falling of trees.

Causes of deforestation

1. Cutting of trees (forest) for cultivation of crops

2. Cutting of timber trees for building purposes
3. Tree cutting for firewood or fuels
4. Clearing forest for mining and construction purposes.

Effects of deforestation

1. Deforestation exposes land to erosion

2. It lead to determination of the environment and lowers soil nutrients
3. It prevents the existence of wild life.

Control of deforestation

1. Afforestation, which is the planting of trees, should be encouraged.

2. Legislation (laws) should be made against indiscriminate cutting down of trees for timber or firewood.
3. Licenses should be issued to authorized persons to fell trees in our forests.
4. Developing other fuel sources eg. Gas and kerosene to replace firewood
5. Whenever a tree is cut down we should plant a replacement immediately.

DESERTIFICATION

This is the extension of the desert to areas which were not desert before. It is also known as desert
encroachment.

Desertification is caused by human activities and climate changes. This is common in areas very close to deserts
eg. Sokoto, Katsina, Damaturu, Maiduguri, etc in the Northern part of Nigeria.

ACTIVITIES CAUSING DESSERT FICATION

1. Overgrazing: Excessive feeding on grasses by animals leave the soil open to excessive evaporation and
later desertification.
2. Climate changes: Climate change from wet climate to a dry owe or reduction in the number of months of
rainy season can lead to desertification.
 3. Bush burning: When bush are burnt, the soil is exposed to excessive evaporation, thus encouraging
desertification.
4. Dry winds: Harmathan winds, when blowing over a land area reduces the mixture in the air and soil,
then by, causing desertification
5. Deforestation: Cutting down of trees for firewoods, timber, etc. reduces rain formation and thus
encourage desertification.
6. Prolong drought: Drought, which is a long period of time without rainfall, can cause desertification.

Effects of desertification

1. Reduction in crop farming activities

2. Gradual loss of pasture and livestock
3. Exposure of land to soil (land) erosion.
4. Hot and dusty environment that can lead to displacement of people and settlement
5. Water shortage for humans and livestock

CONTROL METHODS OF DESERTIFICATION

1. By planting trees i.e. afforestation

2. Creation of shelter belts to reduce wind speed
3. Practicing cover cropping eg. Planting legumes to cover the soil to reduce evaporation
4. Discouraging the use of firewood for cooking and replacing it with gas and kerosene
5. Making laws against bush burning and deforestation to prevent desert encroachment.

DEPLETION OF OZONE LAYER

Definition: Ozone is a molecule of three atoms of oxygen (Oz). ozone is present in the outer layers of the
atmosphere at about 12 – 25km from the earth’s surface.

Importance

1. It shields the earth from harmful effects of ultra violet light radiation from the sun. ozone (Oz) absorbs
ultraviolet light and it is then split into an oxygen molecule and oxygen atom.

Ultraviolet
Oz O2 + O
Oxygen molecules are also split by ultraviolet light to from oxygen atoms.

Ultraviolet
O2 O+O
Recombination of oxygen atoms and oxygen molecules allows ozone to be formed again to absorb more
ultraviolet light from the sun.

Ultraviolet
O2 O+O

This series of reactions result in the absorption of 99% of ultraviolet light energy from the sun, preventing it
from reading the earth surface.

Ozone layer depletion

Human activities on earth has produced increasing amounts of carbon dioxide (carbon (iv) oxide) Sulphur
dioxide and chloroflurocarbons (C. F. C) which have destroyed large portion of the ozone layer by creating holes
in the layer.

Effects of Ozone layer depletion

Ozone depletion allows more ultraviolet light to reach the earth’s surface.

1. It will cause increase in skin cancer disease

2. Increase in cataract eye disease in man
3. It injures lung tissues of man and animal
4. It destroys clitorophyII in groom plant.

Control of ozone layer depletion

As a result of human activities on earth the atmosphere contains increasing amount of

a. Carbon dioxide (carbon(iv)dioxide) Co2

b. Large amount of (sulfur dioxide) 502
c. Chlorofluorocarbon (C. F. C)

Reduction in the omission of these pollutants from industries and other sources, will help control or reduce the
ozone layer depletion.

GREENHOUSE EFFECT

Greenhouse effect describes how atmosphere gases prevent heat from being released back into space allowing it
to build up in the earth’s atmosphere.

Several gases eg. CO2 (carbon(iv)oxide) water vapour, methane, nitrons oxide, chlorofurocarbon (C. F. C.) etc, in
the atmosphere are transparent to light, but absorb infrared radiation (heat). The gases allow sunlight to pass
through the atmosphere and be absorbed by the earths surface, but prevents much of the heat energy radiating
form the earths surface from passing out into space.

This heat energy helps to warm up the earth which has millions of different life forms to develop and keeps the
planet earth habitable.

Nowadays, the level of greenhouse gases eg. CO2 is on the increase as a result of human activities such as power
generation, bush burning, industrialization, etc.

The extra CO2 will trap more heat energy in the atmosphere heading to rise in temperature which will in turn
cause an expansion of water in the oceans melting of ice caps in at the North and South poles leading to flooding
of coastal areas and change in climate.

GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming is increase in the heat released into the atmosphere of the earth as a result of increase in the
gases produced through human activities such as air pollution.

Burning coal, oil and natural gas o cook, power our cars and for electricity supply, all produce carbon(iv)oxide
(CO2) and other gases as by products or waste products.
When these gases are emitted into the atmosphere more than their natural production rate, thus resulting in
increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and also increase in global temperature known as global
warming.

The average temperature of the earth increased by O.3BC – O.60 causing regional climatic changes, melting of ice
caps at the poles (North and South poles of the earth) thereby resulting in coastal flooding.