B1.8/9 - Drugs, Tobacco and Alcohol

Question 1

What is a drug?

Answer 1

A drug is a chemical that alters the way your body or brain works. Drugs may also alter your behavior as well as your metabolism.

Question 2

In what forms can drugs be beneficial?

Answer 2

Drugs can be beneficial in the form of medicine like painkillers (morphine/codeine) and antibiotics.

Question 3

Why do some drugs have to be prescribed by doctors?

Answer 3

This is because they may:

• Have side effects
• Interfere with an other medicine the patient is taking
• Be harmful for particular patient if they have another condition
• Be harmful if taken too often

Question 4

Some drugs are legal and used for recreation. Provide 3 examples

Answer 4

Caffeine, Alcohol and nicotine in tobacco.

Question 5

If you take drugs regularly, why may you need to increase the dose the next time to get the same effects?

Answer 5

This is because your body may become tolerant to them.

Question 6

Eventually your body will not process properly without the drug. At this stage you are _______ to the drug.

Answer 6

Addicted

Question 7

Name two addictive drugs.

Answer 7

Heroin & Cocaine

Question 8

If you stop taking the drug, you get withdrawal symptoms. What may these include?

Answer 8

• Nausea
• Diarrhoea
• Hallucinations
• Vomiting
• Shaking
• Craving for the drug

Question 9

What is rehabilitation?

Answer 9

Rehabilitation is the process people go through when they want to stop taking the drug but need help. They may go to a hospital or special clinic for a couple of weeks or days. The staff support them and help them deal with the withdraw symptoms of not taking the drug. When the withdrawal symptoms fade, they will start to feel better and are able to cope without the drug.

Question 10

What type of drug is a depressant and how does it effect your body? Provide examples of drugs.

Answer 10

Depressants slow down brain activity and nerve activity. An example of this drug includes alcohol, solvents and temazepam.

Question 11

What type of drug is a painkiller and how does it effect your body? Provide examples of drugs.

Answer 11

Painkillers block nerve impulses. An example of the drug includes morphine, aspirin and paracetamol.

Question 12

What type of drug is a stimulant and how does it effect your body? Provide examples of drugs.

Answer 12

Stimulants increase brain activity and counteract depression. An example of this drug includes nicotine, caffeine, and ecstasy.

Question 13

What type of drug is a performance enhancer and how does it effect your body? Provide examples of drugs.

Answer 13

Performance enhancers increase muscle development. An example of this drug is anabolic steriods.

Question 14

What type of drug is a hallucinogen and how does it effect your body? Provide examples of drugs.

Answer 14

Hallucinogens distort what you see/hear. An example of this drug includes LSD and cannabis.

Question 15

How do depressants work?

Answer 15

Depressants reduce activity at synapses. They bind the receptor molecules to the next neurone and block transmission of the nerve impulse.

Question 16

How do stimulants work?

Answer 16

Stimulants cause more transmitter substance to cross the synapses.

Question 17

The Misuse of Drugs act has classed drugs into categories. What are these categories and their properties?

Answer 17

The 3 categories are Class A,B & C. Class A is the most dangerous and has the highest penalties. Class C is the least dangerous and has the lowest penalties.

Question 18

What is the placebo effect?

Answer 18

The placebo effect is when people feel better because the believe they are receiving a drug when in fact they are not.

Question 19

Where does tobacco come from?

Answer 19

Tobacco comes from the tobacco plant, Nicotiana.

Question 20

What chemicals does a burning cigarette produce?

Answer 20

• Carbon monoxide
• Tar
• Nicotine
• Particulates in the smoke (small particles)

Question 21

What can smoking cause you to develop and how long does it take?

Answer 21

Smoking can cause you to develop lung cancer and this takes 30 years to develop.

Question 22

How does the substances in cigarettes get into your body?

Answer 22

The smoke from cigarettes passes through your lungs which is then carried around in your blood.

Question 23

What effect does carbon monoxide have on your body?

Answer 23

• Reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood so less blood is taken to the cells and tissues.
• Heart has to work harder in turn, which contributes to heart disease.
• If a pregnant woman smokes, less oxygen gets to the fetus,

Question 24

What effect does tar have on your body?

Answer 24

• Tar is an irritant
• Tar is also carcinogenic (causes cancer) of lungs, throat oesophagus, mouth and bladder.
• Prevent the cilia from working properly
• Cause a build up of mucus

Question 25

What effect does nicotine have on your body?

Answer 25

• Nicotine is addictive, which means smokers become tolerant which makes it hard to stop.
• It increases heart rate, in turn putting stress on the heart.

Question 26

What effect does particulates have on your body?

Answer 26

• Particulates accumulate in lung tissue.

- White blood cells ingest them and produce an enzyme that harms aveoli and leads to emphysema.

Question 27

What are some of the effects of drinking alcohol?

Answer 27

• Makes people feel relaxed as it depresses the activity of the nervous system.
• If your drink it in small amounts it can be good for your health.
• It is a depressant drug so you may develop tolerance to it. Some people can get addicted to it.
• Drinking too much can cause a lot of harm.

Question 28

State some short term effects of alcohol on the body

Answer 28

• Blurred vision
• Impaired speech
• Violent behavior
• Decreased reaction times
• Drowsiness
• Loss of self-control

Question 29

State some long term effect of alcohol on the body

Answer 29

• Can damage the fetus if a pregnant woman drinks.
• Can cause cancer of the liver, mouth, throat and oesophagus.
• Weight gain
• Brain damage, including loss of memory and depression

Question 30

What is the legal limit on the amount of alcohol someone can drink before driving? Why would they enforce this law?

Answer 30

2 units of alcohol is the limit. This law may be enforced for many reason. For example, alcohol can cause slower reaction times, drowsiness and blurred vision which could all lead to accidents on the road.