DRUGS

What is a drug?
■ Drug : any substance taken into the body that modifies or affects chemical reactions
into the body.
■ Long time ago people discovered that some plants could help to cure diseases or to
heal wounds
■ They also used substances obtained from plants and animals to change their
perception of the world around them. (hallucinations, etc)
Medicinal drugs
■ Antibiotics
Antibiotics are substances which kill bacteria, but do not harm any other living cells.
Most of them are made by fungi. It is thought that the fungi make antibiotics to kill
bacteria living near them – bacteria and fungi are both decomposers
The first antibiotic to be discovered was penicillin. It is made by the fungus
Penicilium, which might you sometimes see growing on decaying fruit.
– Penicilins kills bacteria by stopping them making their cell walls.
– The more we use antibiotics, the more selections pressure we put on bacteria
to evolve resistance
Misuse of drugs
■ Heroin
Opium poppies produce a substance called opium, which contains a number of
different chemicals. Some of these, especially morphine and codeine, are used in
medicine for the relief of pain. Heroin can addictive. An addictive drug is one which
causes a person to become dependent on it – they are not able to stop taking it
without suffering psychological and physical symptoms.
Heroin is a powerful depressant. This meant that is slows down many functions of
the brain. It reduce pain, and slows down breathing.
– When the person takes heroin, it produces a feeling of euphoria. They feel so ill
when they do not take it that they will do anything to obtain more
■ Alcohol
People often drink alcohol because they enjoy the effect that alcohol has on the brain.
Alcohol is quickly absorbed through the wall of the stomach, and carried all over the
body in the blood.
Drinking fairly small quantities of alcohol is not dangerous, but alcohol does have man
effects on the body.
– Alcohol lengthens reaction time
Alcohol is a depressant, which means that even small amounts of alcohol slow
down the actions of part of the brain, lengthens the time you take to respond
stimulus.
– Alcohol can increase aggression in some people
– Large intakes of alcohol can kill
■ Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a disease I which a person cannot manage without alcohol.. The cause
isn’t fully understood. Although obvious that you cannot become an alcoholic of you
never drink alcohol, many people regularly drinks alcohol, but do not become
alcoholic.
– Genes, personality, and the amount of stress.
■ Anabolic steroids
Streoids hormones include the reproductive hormones testosterone, oestrogen, and
progesterone.One type of reaction that is stimulated by anabolic steroids os the
synthesis of proteins from amino acids. Testosterone, for example, causes protein to
be made in muscles, so that muscles become larger and stronger.
– This can help someone to compete successfully in some kind of sports. The
use of anabolic steroids is banned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxMpkvB1KtU&t=141s
Tobacco smoking
■ Nicotine affects the brain. It is a stimulant, which means it makes a person feel
more alert. Nicotine is an addictive drug. Nicotine damages circulatory systems,
making blood vessels get narrower. This can increase blood pressure.
– Tar contains many different chemicals, some of which are carcinogens – that
is, they can cause cancer.
– Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas which affects the blood. The carbon
monoxide diffuses from the lungs into the blood, and combines with
haemoglobin inside red blood cells. This means that less oxygen can be
carried.
■ Smoking and heart disease
Smoking increases the risk of developing high blood pressure. As the blood passes
through the lungs, it absorbs many substance from cigarette smoke,
■ Smoking and lung cancer
It was in the 1950s that people first began to realize that there was a link between
smoking cigarettes and getting lung cancer. Richard Doll published the results of his
research journal in 1950, but it was many years before anyone accept the link
between smoking lung cancer