SCHOOL NAME

Biology Investigatory Project

NAME:
CLASS: XII
ROLL N0:
SESSION: 2023-24

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 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that

Student Name
has successfully completed his/her Biology
project titled
DRUG ADDI CTION

under the supervision and guidance of

BIOLOGY TEACHER

in the partial fulfillment of the Biology

practical
assessment conducted during the
academic year
2023-2024.

EXAMINER TEACHER
_______________ ______________

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my immense gratitude to

my biology teacher __________________ for the help
and guidance he/she provided for completing this
project.

I also thank my parents who gave their ideas and

inputs in making this project. Most of all I thank
our school management, for providing us the
facilities and opportunity to do this project.

Lastly, I would like to thanks my classmates who

have done this project along with me. Their
support made this project fruitful.

- Student Name

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 INDEX

CONTENT PAGE NO

Certificate 02

Acknowledgement 03

Topic 05

Introduction 06

Classification of addictive drug 07

Some harmful drug 08

Cause of drug addiction 09

Effect of drug addiction 10-11

Harm caused by drug 12-15

How to get rid of drug addiction? 16

Conclusion 17

Reference 18

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 TOPIC

Drug Addiction

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 INTRODUCTION

Drug abuse, also called substance abuse or chemical abuse, is a disorder that is
characterized by a destructive pattern of using a substance that leads to
significant problems or distress. Teens are increasingly engaging in prescription
drug abuse, particularly narcotics (which are prescribed to relieve severe pain),
and stimulant medications, which treat conditions like attention deficit disorder
and narcolepsy.
Any substance, other than food, used in the prevention, diagnosis, all aviation or
treatment of a disease is called a drug. Drug is also known as a medicine.
Generally, the term drugs applied to any stimulating or depressing substance
that can be habituating or addictive. A drug, broadly speaking, can be
categorized in many ways; hard or soft, uppers or downers, addictive or non-
addictive, most harmful or least harmful, legal or illegal.

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 Classification of Addictive Drugs

There are a large number of drugs on which people become dependent.

These are classifying into four major groups: Sedatives and Tranquillizers,
Opiate Narcotics, Stimulations and Hallucinogens.

Type of Drug Effect Examples

Depress CNS activity

Sedatives and give feeling of Barbiturates,
Tranquillizers calmness, relaxation, Benzodiazepines
drowsiness

Supress brain activity Opium, Morphine,

Opiate Narcotics
and relaxed pain Codeine, Heroin

Make a person more

Amphetamines,
Stimulations wakeful, alert and
Caffeine, Cocaine
active, cause excitement

LSQ, Mescaline,
Make a person more
Hallucinogens Psilocybin, Chares,
wakeful, perceptions
Hashish

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 Some Harmful Drugs

1. Heroin:
Commonly used as smack Heroin is chemically diacetylmorphine which is a
white, odourless, bitter crystalline compound. This is obtained by acetylation
of morphine which is extracted from latex of poppy plant Papaver
somniferous. Generally taken by snorting and injection, heroin is a
depressant and slows down body function.

2. Cannabinoids:
Natural cannabinoids are obtained from the inflorescences of the plant
Cannabis sativa. The flower tops, leaves and the resin of the plant are used in
various combinations to produce marijuana, hashish, charas and ganja.
Generally taken by inhalation and oral ingestion, these are known for their
effects on cardiovascular system of the body.

3. Cocaine:
It is obtained from coca plant Erythroxylon coca, native to South America. It
interferes with the transport of the neuro-transmitter dopamine. Cocaine,
commonly called coke or crack is usually snorted. It has the potent
stimulating action on central nervous system, producing sense of euphoria
and increased energy. Excessive dosage of cocaine causes hallucinations.

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 Cause of drug addiction

There are many factors that lead people to drug addiction.

 Curiosity: Frequent references to drugs by public media create curiosity for
having a personal experience of the drugs.

 Friend’s pressure: Frequent appreciation of drug experience by friends

allures others to start the use of drugs.

 Frustration and Depression: Some people start taking drugs to get relief
from frustration and depression.

 Desire for More Work: Students sometimes take drugs to keep awake the
whole night to prepare for examination. It is not desirable as it may cause
mental breakdown.

 Looking for a Different World: A wrong notion that the drugs open up a
new world tempts some young pupils to start taking-drugs.

 Relief from Pain: A prolonged use of pain-relieving drugs with physician’s

advice at times leads to addiction.

 Family History: Children may take to drugs by seeing their elders in the
family.

 Excitement and Adventure: The young take to drugs to satisfy their

instinct for excitement and adventure.

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 Effect of Drug Addiction

Short-Term Effects
 Loss of appetite
 Increased heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature
 Contracted blood vessels
 Increased rate of breathing
 Dilated pupils
 Disturbed sleep patterns
 Nausea
 Hyperstimulation Bizarre, erratic, sometimes violent behaviour
 Hallucinations, hyperexcitability, irritability
 Tactile hallucination that creates the illusion of bugs burrowing under the
skin
 Intense euphoria
 Anxiety and paranoia
 Depression
 Intense drug craving
 Panic and psychosis
 Convulsions, seizures and sudden death from high doses (even one time)

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 Long-Term Effects

➢ Permanent damage to blood vessels of ear and brain, high blood pressure,
leading to heart attacks, strokes and death
➢ Liver, kidney and lung damage
➢ Respiratory failure
➢ Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected
➢ Malnutrition, weight loss
➢ Auditory and tactile hallucinations
➢ Sexual problems, reproductive damage and infertility
(for both men and women)
➢ Disorientation, apathy, confused exhaustion
➢ Irritability and mood disturbances
➢ Increased frequency of risky behaviour
➢ Delirium or psychosis
➢ Severe depression
➢ Tolerance and addiction (even after just one use)

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 Harm caused by Drugs

Tobacco
Sources:
It is a native of South Africa, where the Red Indian first started smoking. Now
the tobacco plant has spread the world over. It has large, quote to Lancelot
leaves and terminal clusters of tubulars, white or pink flowers.

Modes of Use:
Tobacco is used for smoking, chewing and snuffing. Its main stimulating
component is poisonous volatile alkaid nicotine, which causes addiction.
Nicotine synthesis occurs in the roots of the plant but it is stored in the leaves.
The leaves contain 2 to 8% nicotine. Inhaling tobacco smoke from cigars,
cigarettes, biddies, pipes and hubble-bubble is called smoking. Cigar is a roll of
tobacco leaf. Cigarette is cut tobacco wrapped in paper. Bidi is tobacco
wrapped. In a piece of leaf. Tobacco smoke is drawn directly from pipe and
through water is hubble-bubble. Smoking may give some temporary relief to the
strained nerves but in the long run it proves a dangerous health hazard. The
quantity of nicotine contained in one cigar may prove fatal if injected
intravenously into a person. When smoked only 10% of the smoke is inhaled.
Hence, no immediate ill effect is observed. Smokers may develop a
physiological craving for nicotine and then they cannot give up smoking.

Harmful components of Tobacco Smoke:

Besides the poisonous nicotine, the tobacco smoke contains carbon-monoxide,
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and tar.
❖ Smoking affects economy:
A smoker not only waste money, but also runs risk of burns and fires.

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❖ Smoking mars personality:
Teeth may become stained. Lips may get discoloured and breath becomes
foul. A person with a cigarette hanging from the mouth look odd.

❖ Smoking is annoying to others:

Cigarette smoke is quite annoying to non-smokers. It may prove even more
harmful to them. A smoker should avoid smoking. When in the company of
non-smokers. A smoker makes the nearby people passive smokers through
inhaling smoke released by him.

Alcohol
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as
alcohol, although in chemistry the definition of alcohol includes many other
compounds. Ethanol is a centrally-acting drug with a depressant effect. Beer is
an alcoholic beverage and thus has the same harmful effects as other kinds of
alcohol, depending on the quantity consumed.
Reasons for Drinking:
✓ Psychological factors are curiosity, poor stress control, escape from reality,
poor impulse control, low self – esteem, positive attitudes towards alcohol,
to get rid of problems, to overcome loneliness, relief from tension and to
gain courage.

✓ Social factors are peer pressure, modelling, easy availability of alcohol in the
market, party culture, family environment (Parent/s drinking alcohol), lack
of family support, to keep up social norms and to show their masculinity.

✓ Biological factors are genetic vulnerability like family history of alcoholism

in parents or near relatives and to get sleep.

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Impact of Drinking Alcohol:
Unlike other foods, alcohol does not require digestion. When one drinks,
alcohol is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the walls of the
stomach and the intestine.
Once alcohol enters the bloodstream it circulates throughout the body. Alcohol
is metabolized in the liver and is changed to carbon dioxide, water and some
calories of energy which gets converted into fat. A small amount of alcohol
goes out of the body through breath, urine and sweat. Regular, excessive use of
alcohol causes acute and chronic problems related to health, occupation, family
and social relationships.

Health Problems:
Alcohol can damage every system of our body. Gastro intestinal system
(stomach and intestines): Increased acid secretion leading to acidity, ulcers,
gastritis, and cancer
➢ Liver: Hepatitis, jaundice and vomiting of blood due to cirrhosis of liver,
liver cancer, acute liver failure.

➢ Pancreas: Pancreatic damage due to inflammation of pancreas and acute

pancreatitis leading to sudden death.

➢ Central nervous system: (brain and spinal cord): Permanent damage of

brain resulting in memory disturbances, other nervous problems, fits and
mental illnesses.

➢ Cardio vascular system: High blood pressure, increased tendency to heart

attacks, enlargement of the heart.

➢ Hangovers: Excessive drinking can lead to hangovers, thus causing

problems like headache, nausea, vomit and body aches.

➢ Weight gain: alcohol consumption in larger quantities can lead to weight

gain, because alcoholic beverages are usually high in calories.

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➢ Weak immune system: alcohol consumption makes your immune system
weak, thus making your body more susceptible to infections.

➢ Cancer: alcohol when consumed in excessive quantities puts you at a higher

risk of developing cancer.

➢ Fatal alcohol syndrome: Drinking alcohol in pregnancy may cause the Fatal
Alcohol Syndrome (physical abnormalities, growth retardation and
developmental delay).

Sources:
Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, flammable, colourless liquid having a penetrating
odour and burning taste. It is one of the products of the distillation of fermented
grains, fruit juices and starches with the help of yeast enzymes. It is the
principal constituent and the in toxicating principle of wines.

Modes of Use:
Alcohol is taken in low concentration, as the beer, toddy and wine and in
relatively high concentration as arrack, brandy, whisky, rum, gin, vodka etc.

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 How to get rid of drug addiction?

Getting rid of drug addiction is a complex and challenging process that requires
commitment, effort, and support. Here are some steps that may be helpful in
overcoming drug addiction:
✓ Acknowledge the problem: The first step in overcoming drug addiction is
to acknowledge that there is a problem and a desire to change.

✓ Seek professional help: Seek help from a professional addiction treatment

provider, such as a doctor, therapist, or addiction specialist, who can guide
you through the recovery process.

✓ Join a support group: Joining a support group, such as Narcotics

Anonymous or SMART Recovery, can provide you with a sense of
community and support during the recovery process.

✓ Develop a plan: Work with your treatment provider to develop a

personalized plan that includes therapy, medication-assisted treatment, and
other interventions to help you overcome your addiction.

✓ Avoid triggers: Identify and avoid triggers that may tempt you to use drugs
again, such as certain people, places, or situations.

✓ Build a support network: Surround yourself with a supportive network of

friends and family members who can help you stay motivated and
accountable.

✓ Practice self-care: Take care of yourself physically and emotionally by

getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, exercising, and practicing stress-
reduction techniques like meditation or yoga.

✓ Stay committed: Overcoming drug addiction is a long-term process that

requires commitment and effort. Stay committed to your recovery and
celebrate your progress along the way.

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 CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, drug addiction is a complex and multifaceted issue that affects

individuals, families, and communities worldwide. It is a chronic disease that
alters the brain's chemistry and behaviour, making it difficult for individuals to
control their drug use despite the negative consequences.
Drug addiction can lead to a range of physical, psychological, and social
problems, including overdose, mental health issues, unemployment, and
relationship difficulties. However, it is treatable, and recovery is possible with
appropriate interventions and support.
Effective treatment for drug addiction typically involves a combination of
behavioural therapies, medications, and support groups. It is essential to address
the underlying issues that may have contributed to the addiction, such as
trauma, stress, or mental health problems.
Preventing drug addiction requires a comprehensive approach that includes
education, prevention programs, and policies that address the root causes of
addiction, such as poverty, social inequality, and access to healthcare.
Overall, drug addiction is a serious public health issue that requires ongoing
research, education, and intervention to reduce its impact on individuals and
society.

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 REFERENCE

 Comprehensive Laboratory Manual Biology-12

 Biology Text for Class XII – NCERT

 http://www.wikipedia.org/

 Google search engine

 https://www.medicinenet.com/drug_abuse

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