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13. THE USE & ABUSE OF DRUGS

Content
13.1 Antibiotics
13.2 Effects of heroin
13.3 Effects of alcohol
13.4 Effects of tobacco smoke

Learning outcomes
Candidates should be able to:

a) Define a drug as any externally administered substance that modifies or affects chemical reactions in the
body;
b) Describe the medicinal use of antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infection;
c) Describe the effects of the abuse of heroin: a powerful depressant, problems of addiction, severe withdrawal
symptoms and associated problems such as crime and infection, e.g. AIDS;
d) Describe the effects of excessive consumption of alcohol: reduced self-control, depressant, effect on
reaction times, damage to liver and social implications;
e) Describe the effects of tobacco smoke and its major toxic components (nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide)
on health: strong association with bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer and heart disease, and the
association between smoking during pregnancy and reduced birth weight of the baby;
f) Recognize the fact that many people regard smoking as no longer socially acceptable.

Figure 1 Chemicals that induces happiness

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DRUGS
 A drug is an externally administered substance which affects or modifies the chemical reaction of the body.

Drug abuse The repeated intake of drugs in over doses or without doctor’s prescription resulting in
damage of the body.
Drug addiction / A condition in which the user suffer from a physical & emotional symptoms if the drug
Dependence is withheld / taken from them.
Drug tolerance A condition in which the user, over a period of time has to increase his intake of drug
to experience the same initial effects from the drug.

Drugs that affect the CNS (Central Nervous System) fall into 4 groups:-
SEDATIVES These drugs slows down the brain & make you feel sleepy

e.g.: sleeping pills, tranquilisers, barbiturates (used in anaesthetics) & alcohol

STIMULANTS These drugs speed up the reaction of the brain & make you more alert

e.g.:
 Cocaine (obtained from leaves of south American plants)
 Caffeine (in coffee & Coca-Cola)
 Nicotine: in small doses (found in tobacco / cigarettes)
 Nicotine may become a sedatives in large doses. Amphetamines may also be
used to counteract depressions & prevent fatigue (tiredness)
HALLUCINOGENS These drugs cause hallucination. Hallucination is something which a person senses but
which does not exist (cause a person to experience illusion)

e.g.:
 Cannabis or Marijuana
 LSD (LySergic acid Diethylamide)
 Ecstasy & inhalants
PAINKILLERS These drugs suppress the sense of pain

e.g.: Heroin, Morphine, Aspirin.

MEDICINAL DRUGS
- The medical professions use the word ‘drugs’ to refer to medicine that
can cure diseases, relieves symptoms, ease pain & provide other benefits
to the body.
- Two common drugs used in medical treatment are
o Penicillin
o Aspirin
- Penicillin is used for treatment of bacterial – infections as it can stop the Figure 2 Chemical structure of penicillin
growth of bacteria without damaging the tissues. Penicillin is extracted
from a blue – green mould (fungus) called Penicillium.
- Aspirin relieves pain (a pain killer), reduce fever & inflammation. It blocks the transmission of pain signals
from the receptors to the spinal cord & brain. The major drawback or effect is that it can cause irritation to
the stomach walls. Aspirin is not recommended for children under 12 years old as it can cause fatal liver &
brain damage.
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ALCOHOL

EFFECTS OF EXCESSIVE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL

A) REDUCED SELF i. When a person consumes too much alcohol, he will lose control over
CONTROL his behaviour. He may talk loudly & behave foolishly.
ii. His ability to remember, think clearly & make sensible decisions will be
reduced.
iii. If he is drunk, he will find it difficult to speak & see clearly & he cannot
walk properly. Such a drunk person can cause accidents especially car
accidents.
B) ALCOHOL IS A i. A depressant is a drug that slow down the working of the brain & the
DEPRESSANT nervous system.
ii. When a person is drunk, his response to stimulus is very slow, that is
he is less alert. Because of his slow response, he may cause car
accidents when he drives.
iii. Addiction: when a person is addicted to alcohol is called an alcoholic.
C) SOCIAL PROBLEMS i. An alcoholic cannot study & work because he cannot think clearly.
ii. He may lose his friends & family because of his abnormal behaviour.
iii. He may turn to crime to get money to buy alcohol.
iv. He may engage in having many sexual partners & expose himself to
STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) including AIDS (Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome)

Figure 3 the effects of alcohol on the body

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HEROIN

EFFECT ON TAKING HEROIN

A) EFFECT ON THE - When 1st taken, heroin makes the person vomit & feel uncomfortable. Then, it
BRAIN & produces a sense of well-being, making the person feel relaxed. Then followed
NERVOUS by a feeling of drowsiness.
SYSTEM - If taken in large doses, it can damage the brain permanently.
B) EFFECT ON - Heroin makes the respiratory system work less effectively, causing to serious
RESPIRATORY lung damage.
SYSTEM
C) EFFECT ON - Results in loss of appetite, a serious loss of weight & constipation.
NUTRITION
D) ADDICTION - People become addicted to heroin very quickly, usually about a week.
- If heroin is taken away from them, they will begin to show slight withdrawal
symptoms within few hours. The eyes will water, their nose will run & they will
yawn most of the time.
- If heroin is withheld from them for a long period of time, for example 18 hours,
they will experience severe withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, cramps,
vomiting & diarrhoea.
E) SOCIAL - The addicts will try to get the drug no matter how & neglect themselves, their
PROBLEMS work, friends & families.
- Since drug is illegal, they have to pay large sums of money for it & they often
turn to crime (stealing) to get money.
- When injecting heroin into their bodies, the addicts may use dirty needles or
share needles with other drug addicts. This increases the chances of being
infected with various disease such as AIDS.

Figure 3 the effects of heroin on the body

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TOBACCO SMOKE
 Tobacco smoke contain a mixture of harmful chemical substances such as
o Nicotine
o Carbon monoxide
o Tar
 When inhale, some of these chemical substances are deposited in the cells of the lungs & will lead to the
development of chronic bronchitis, emphysema & lung cancer.
Smoking also increases the risk of heart attack (coronary heart diseases) or thrombosis.

 Main components of cigarette smoke are nicotine, tar & carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide
 damages the lining of
blood vessels causing
blood clots.
 reduces the ability of
blood to carry oxygen
forming carboxy -
haemoglobin.
Cigarette Smoke Contains
Nicotine Tar
 increase the rate of  restricting gaseous
heartbeat. exchange.
 increase blood pressure.  a carcinogen, that can
 makes the blood clot cause lung cancer.
more rapidly.
Lead to
Blocked Coronary Arteries

 Blood pressure is the force of blood moving around the body.

 Nicotine is the drug of addiction present in cigarette smoke. A person suffers relatively mild withdraws symptoms
if they need for nicotine is not satisfied. This drug has the following effects:
1. It is a poison which increases heart rate and blood pressure.
2. it may cause blood clotting increasing the risk of thrombosis (blockage in a blood vessels). Thrombosis in
the coronary artery will result in a heart attack.
 Other harmful components of cigarette smoke:
1. Tar --> forms a layer over the walls of alveoli, restricting the gases exchange. Tar is also a carcinogen &
prolonged exposure to it may lead to lung cancer.

2. Carbon monoxide --> carbon monoxide binds with haemoglobin in preference to oxygen (forming
carboxy haemoglobin). It reduces the ability of the blood to carry oxygen.

3. Irritant chemicals --> in smoke cause the cells lining the bronchi & bronchioles to increase in the
production of mucus. This chemical also destroys the cilia lining the trachea. Cilia sweep away the dirt in
a "Moving carpet" of mucus & carry it to the throat for swallowing. The built up of mucus is relieved
only by continual coughing. Persistent coughing may damage the walls of the alveoli, allowing them to
become over - stretched, this may lead to Emphysema. Irritant chemicals also cause inflammation of the
bronchi (bronchitis) & may increase the risk of secondary bacterial infection of the bronchiole walls.

4. A pregnant woman whose smoke also risk the health of her baby. Less oxygen reaches the baby as a
result of effects of carbon monoxide & nicotine can pass from the mother's blood to the baby's blood.
Babies born from mothers who smoke during pregnancy have been shown to be underweight, perhaps
less intelligent & there is a greater risk of miscarriage.

5. Passive smoking --> evidence now exist that breathing the smoke from other people's cigarette can be
harmful.
Cigarettes smoke is certainly an irritant to the eyes & release a lingering smell in cloth. Smoking is
therefore increasingly becoming a socially unacceptable habit.