B1.8 Drugs

Question 1

What is a drug?

Answer 1

A chemical that alters the way your body or brain works. May also alter behaviour/ metabolism

Question 2

What are benefical drugs?

Answer 2

Medicines like painkillers and antibiotics

Prescribed by doc because they may:

• have side affects
• intefer with other medicines
• could be harmful if u have a conditiom
• harmful if taken too often

Question 3

Examples of other legal drugs?

Answer 3

Caffeine, nicotine (tobacco), alcohol

Question 4

Explain performace enhancing drugs

Answer 4

• taken (normally) by athletes
• has harmful side effects
• eg steroids
• unethical (unfair)

Question 5

Properties of drugs…

Answer 5

Drugs alter your body chemistry- body may become tolerant to them

Body may not work without the drugs- addiction (heroin, cocaine)

Question 6

Examples of withdrawal symptoms from drugs

Answer 6

Vomiting
Hallucinations
Diarrhoea
Nausea
Craving for drug
Shaking

Question 7

Explain depressants + examples

Answer 7

Eg) alcohol, solvents, temazepam- slow down brain + nerve activity

Question 8

Explain painkillers + examples

Answer 8

Eg) aspirin, paracetomal- blocks nerve impulses

Question 9

Explain performance enhancers + examples

Answer 9

Eg) anabolic steroids- increase muscle development

Question 10

Explain hallucinigens + examples

Answer 10

Eg) cannabis, LSD - can distort what you see/ hear

Question 11

What is a blund trail?

Answer 11

Two groups of volunteers, do not know what is recieving new / existing drug or the placebo(fake)

Question 12

What is a double blind trial?

Answer 12

Neither the volunteers or doctors collecting data know which group is recieving the drug

To avoid experimental bias

Question 13

What is the placebo effect?

Answer 13

Some people feel better because they think they are taking the drug