Activity 4:

What are the dangers of taking drugs?

Side effects of drug addiction may include:

1) A weakened immune system, increasing the risk of illness and infection.

2) Heart conditions ranging from abnormal heart rates to heart attacks and
collapsed veins and blood vessel infections from injected drugs.

3) Nausea and abdominal pain, which can also lead to changes in appetite
and weight loss.

4) Increased strain on the liver, which puts the person at risk of significant
liver damage or liver failure.

5) Seizures, stroke, mental confusion and brain damage.

6) Lung disease.

7) Problems with memory, attention and decision-making, which make

daily living more difficult.

HEROIN:

Heroin is a depressant drug that makes the user feel sleepy and relaxed.
It slows down the body’s systems, and the effects can last for several
hours. It can also cause nausea and vomiting, and those who take it may
experience a slow heart rate and low body temperature. Long-term
effects include severe chronic constipation, malnutrition, damaged skin
due to scratching, damaged immune system, sleep problems, poor oral
health, liver damage, and kidney damage.

CANNABIS:
Cannabis makes users feel relaxed and content, but it can also result in
paranoia and anxiety. Long-term users of cannabis are at risk of drug
addiction as well as mental health problems including depression and
psychosis. Because cannabis is often smoked with tobacco, those who
use it over an extended period may be in danger of developing physical
health problems such as lung cancer.

ECSTASY:

Ecstasy is a powerful stimulant drug that makes the user feel happy and
talkative. Those who take the drug often feel very affectionate to those
around them, and it can also make colours seem more vivid and sounds
more intense. Nevertheless, ecstasy can also cause paranoia, confusion
and anxiety in the short-term. The long-term effects of ecstasy include
psychosis, depression, and problems with memory.
METHAMPHETAMINE:

Probably one of the most destructive drugs available today,

methamphetamine is highly addictive, and abuse of this drug results in
severe mental and physical health problems. The short-term effects
include alertness and vigour but also aggression, confusion, and
paranoia. Those who take methamphetamine tend to eat and sleep very
little, which can have a dramatic effect on their physical health and
appearance.

What are the dangers taking drugs?

All of these drugs make you addicted to it. This means that your body
won’t be able to resist the drugs, you might think that you need the
drug.

What are the ethical issues when developing drugs?

The possibility that one day a drug could cure learning disabilities may
have massive societal implications. But as that drug moves slowly from
theory to reality, it's also unleashing a host of ethical challenges,
including safety issues related to testing drugs on children and adults. It
could be that the drug is highly addictive although it was designed as a
painkiller like cocaine.