SRI VENKATESHWAR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Sector 18 , Dwarka , New Delhi

BIOLOGY INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

DRUG ADDICTION
NAME- VIHAAN NARANG
CLASS: 12 F
SUBJECT: BIOLOGY
ROLL NO.-20
SESSION :2023-2024
 CERTIFICATE

This is hereby to certify that VIHAAN NARANG of class XII has successfully
completed his biology investigatory project on topic “Drug Addiction” as
prescribed by Ms. Renu Taneja in the academic year 2023-2024 as per the
Guidelines issued by CBSE.

__________________________ __________________________
SIGNATURE OF EXTERNAL EXAMINER SIGNATURE OF INTERNAL EXAMINER
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank my Director Ms. Nita Arora, my Principal Ms. Malini
Gujral and the school for providing me with the facilities to do my project.

I am also grateful to my Biology teacher Ms. Renu Taneja for helping me

Review and guiding me many steps along the way to bring this project to
fruition.

Lastly I would like to thank my Parents for their relentless support and
motivation in any project I pursue.
 INDEX
S.NO. CONTENT ]Page No.
1. Certificate 2
2. Acknowledgements 3
3. Aim/Objective 6
4. Project Report on Drug Dependence 7
5. Introduction to “drug addiction” 8
6. Classification of Drugs 9
7. Combinations of Drugs and Alcohol 10
8. How does drug addiction begin? 11
9. Social Disease-Smoking, Drinking and 12
Use of Drugs
10. Tobacco 13
11. Alcohol 15
12. Conclusion 17
13. Bibliography 17
14. End of project
 OBJECTIVE

To study drugs , their classification , addictive nature ,

and prevention from addiction
 Project Report on Drugs
Dependence
The physical and mental performance and are withdrawn as soon as the desired effect Drugs are
prescribed by physicians for the prevention or treatment of diseases, or for increasing is
achieved. Repeated use of certain drugs on a periodic or continuous basis may make the body
dependence. Such drugs are called psychotropic drugs. They act on the brain and alter behavior,
consciousness, and capacity of perception. Hence, they are also termed mood-altering drugs.
Some people start taking drugs without medical advice due to one reason or the other and
become drugs dependent.
INTRODUCTION T0 “DRUGS ADDICTION”
"Drug Addiction" phrase is made by two words
(I) Drug
(Il) Addiction.

What is meant by a drug?

Any substance, other than food, used in the prevention, diagnosis, all aviation or treatment of a disease is called a drug. A
drug may also be defined as a chemical which, when taken in some way after the body function. The drug is also known as a
medicine. Generally, the term drugs applied to any stimulating or depressing substance that can be habituating or addictive.

Meaning of Addiction

Addiction is the habitual, psychological and physiological 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.
 Classification of Drugs
There are a large number of drugs on which people become dependent. These are classified into four major groups: sedatives and
tranquilizers, opiate narcotics, stimulants and hallucinogens.

TYPES OF DRUGS EXAMPLES EFFECTS

Sedatives and Barbiturates , Depress CNS activity
Tranquillizers Benzodiazepines Give a feeling of Calmness,
Relaxation, Drowsiness

Opiate Narcotics Opium, Morphine, Suppressed brain activity

Codeine, Heroin Relax pain
Stimulants Amphetamines, Caffeine, Make a person more
Cocaine wakeful , alert and active,
cause excitement.

Hallucinogens LSQ , Mescalin ,psilocybin, Alter thoughts, feelings ,

Ganja, Charas , Hashish and perceptions.
 How does drug addiction begin
There are many factors that lead people to drug addiction.
1. Curiosity: Frequent references to drugs by public media create curiosity for having a personal experience of the drugs.

2. Friend's pressure: Frequent appreciation of drug experience by friends allures others to start the use of drugs.

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

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

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

6. Relief from Pain: A prolonged use of pain-relieving drugs with physician's advice at times leads to addiction.

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

8. Excitement and Adventure: The young take to drugs to satisfy their instinct for excitement and adventure.
 Social disease – smoking,
drinking, and use of drugs
Smoking and drinking and use of drugs frequently or regularly are social diseases. They adversely affect the
health of the addicts and the society. Young people take to these habits for fun, show off or curiosity, as an
adventure or feeling of freedom, or as a gesture of defiance against the elders who themselves indulge in
these activities but check the youngsters. Other factors that make people take to these vices are the
inability to face problems of life indifference shown by members of the family and encouragement or
pressure by friends. A temporary escape from the life problems and mental relaxation felt on taking the
drugs in the beginning increase person's interest in them. Soon they become habitual and find in difficult to
leave. The daily dose to get the desired effect increases with time.
As in other countries, the menace of drug addiction is spreading in India also. A large number of our young
men and women have taken to intoxicants. About 87.6 per cent drug addicts are between the ages of 14
and 25 years.
 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 lanceolate leaves and terminal clusters of tubular, white or pink flowers.

Modes of Use:
Tobacco is used for smoking, chewing and snuffing. Its main stimulating component is poisonous volatile alkaloid
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. The cigar is a roll of tobacco leaf. The cigarette is cut tobacco wrapped in paper. Bidi is tobacco
wrapped. In a piece of leaf. Tobacco smoke is drawn directly from the 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.
Effect of Nicotine:

Nicotine is a low concentration.

(I) Stimulates conduction of nerve impulses.

(ii) Relaxes the muscles.
(iii) Releases adrenaline, increasing heart beat rate and pressure.
(iv) Increased blood pressure due to smoking chances the risk of heart diseases.
(v) Retards foetal growth in expecting mothers and
(vi) Causes tobacco addiction. High concentration of nicotine paralyzes nerve cells.

Other Harmful components of Tobacco Smoke:

Besides the poisonous nicotine, the tobacco smoke contains carbon-monoxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and tar.

Other Effects:
(i) Smoking effects economy: A smoker not only waste money but also runs the risk of burns and fires.

(ii) Smoking mars personality: Teeth may become stained. Lips may get discolored and breath becomes foul. A person with a
cigarette hanging from the mouth looks odd.

(iii) 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 person nearby person's passive
smokers through inhaling smoke released by him.
 ALCOHOL
Sources:
Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, flammable, colorless 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
intoxicating 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, whiskey,
rum, gin, vodka etc.
Addiction:
Addiction to alcohol is called alcoholism. Alcoholics are found in all society section of society. Alcohol causes intoxication and
thus, acts as a poison. They drinkers begin with small doses, but many of them soon start consuming large doses and become
addicts. By the time they realize that drinking in adversely affecting them, it is too late to give it up.
Why People Take to Drinking:
The drinkers offer one or more of the following reasons for starting drinking.
(i) Social pressure
(ii) Desire for excitement
(iii) Feeling of independence
(vi) Liking of taste
(v) Desire to escape from such realities of life as disappointments and failures and
(vi) The desire to offset the hardships and monotony of daily life.
What happens when Alcohol is consumed?

Alcohol is quickly absorbed in the stomach and upper part of small intestine and reaches all the tissues in minutes. Its
oxidation starts at once and a large amount of heat is produced. Since heat is not needed in the body, it is taken up by the
blood and carried to the skin for dissipation. Since the receptors of heat are located in the skin, the rush of blood to the skin
gives a false impression of warmth in the body. The blood supply of internal organs is greatly reduced resulting in fall of
temperature in them. The energy released by alcohol is not used in any life process. Rather the energy derived from food is
used up in ridding the body of excess heat.

Is Alcohol A Stimulant?

Many people take alcohol for stimulation. Actually, alcohol is a depressant, a substance which dulls the senses. It reduces the
efficiency of every tissue the body. Any feeling of lift a person may claim to feel is a mistaken impression or an attempt to
justify the act in his own mind.
 Case study 1
A 16-year-old boy with a normal birth history and low socioeconomic status was admitted to the
outpatient department after his mother noticed him smelling rubber-based adhesive using a
handkerchief. He had no history of alcohol dependence, fever, head injury, seizure, attention
deficit hyperactive disorder, stress, tension, or depressive thoughts. The substance abuse began
gradually from 5ml/day and picked up to 20 ml each per day gradually over a year. After acute
ingestion of Polychloroprene-based solvent, he complained of tinnitus, slurring of speech,
restlessness tremors, dizziness, and ataxia. During withdrawal, he exhibited coprolalia with
assaultive and abusive behavior, increasing fights, maladaptive behavior, and headache. Alcohol
abuse began approximately 6 months after the volatile substance abuse, and he stole money
from his house to fetch the abused substance. The child abused glue more than alcohol due to its
easy availability and often was involved in assaultive behavior at school. He presented to the
clinic in a state of withdrawal and had a rash over his nostrils and nasolabial folds. He developed
blurring of vision and hearing deficits to increased frequency sound.
 Case study 2
W.R is a 30 years old man. Client was referred by psychiatrist, from Drug Rehabilitation Center,
Fountain House Lahore, Pakistan for psychological assessment and management of the problem
of client. The client was presented with the complaints of stealing habit, drug addiction, poor
problem solving, poor abstract reasoning, and poor communication skills. Assessment was done
on both the informal and formal levels. For informal assessment, clinical interview was
conducted; mental status examination was done, and subjective rating of symptoms was taken,
and life event chart was used, and for the purpose of formal assessment Drug Abuse Screening
Test was used, the score of it suggests that the client have severe level of problem. For the
purpose of management rapport building, supportive psychotherapy, psychoeducation,
relaxation techniques, ABC model, cost-benefit analysis, addiction cycle, break-up cycle, written
ventilation, assertiveness training, and trust circle, written ventilation, road map technique and
relapse prevention technique was used. The overall outcome of process was improvement in the
desirable behaviour. The overall improvement rate of client was 49 %
 CASE STUDY 3
Emily, a college student dealing with unresolved trauma from her past. Emily began using drugs
as a way to escape and numb the emotional pain she was experiencing. What started as
occasional use soon turned into a full-blown addiction. Her grades plummeted, and she
withdrew from her social circles.As her addiction intensified, Emily's health deteriorated, leading
to multiple hospital visits. Her family intervened and helped her seek professional treatment.
Through a combination of therapy, support groups, and a strong family network, Emily embarked
on her recovery journey. It was a challenging road, but with dedication and perseverance, she
learned healthy coping mechanisms, rebuilt her academic life, reconnected with friends, and
ultimately emerged stronger, committed to maintaining her sobriety and addressing the
underlying issues that initially led her down the path of addiction.
 CONCLUSIONS
Drug use and addiction cause a lot of disease and disability in the world. Recent advances in neuroscience may
help improve policies to reduce the harm that the use of tobacco, alcohol and other psychoactive drugs impose
on society

BIBLIOGRAPHY
NCERT Class 12 Lab Manual
https://en.wikipedia.org
https://www.google.co.
Class 12 NCERT Textbook
Reference articles from various blogs.