Drugs Flashcards
What are drugs?
Drugs are chemicals that cause changes in the body and affect the central nervous system.
What are the 4 categories of drugs?
Painkillers, solvents/hallucinogens, stimulants and depressants.
What are stimulants?
Stimulants include caffeine - found in fizzy drinks, tea and coffee, cannabis and amphetamines such as speed. They increase the transmission of signals from one nerve cell to the next, which then increases alertness, heart rate and breathing rate. However, in the long term, stimulants can produce ‘highs’ and then extreme ‘lows’ or even depression. They can be addictive because the body needs a constant ‘top-up’ to maintain the effect.
What are sedatives?
Sedatives or depressants include alcohol and barbiturates (such as the prescribed drug amytal and the illegal GHB). Sedatives are also drugs prescribed by a doctor to help people sleep or to relieve the symptoms of stress. They slow down the nervous system and reactions.
What are painkillers?
Painkillers or analgesics include paracetamol, aspirin, heroin and morphine. They block nerve impulses from the painful part of the body, or block nerve impulses travelling to the part of the brain responsible for perceiving pain.
Paracetamol is an effective painkiller but an overdose is very dangerous. An overdose damages the liver and can cause death.
What are hallucinogens?
Hallucinogens change the way our brains work, distorting our senses. This changes our response to what we see, feel and hear. LSD is an example of a hallucinogen.
Why do people become addicted to drugs?
- It can give someone a false sense of well-being, which the person then craves when it goes away.
- The body gets used to the changes taking place within its tissues.
What do painkillers block?
Painkillers block the release of neurotransmitter into the synapse which separate the neurones.
Why is smoking dangerous during pregnancy?
It is dangerous during pregnancy because it reduces the amount of oxygen available to the growing foetus.
What are the risks faced with smoking during pregnancy?
- miscarriage and premature birth
- low weight of babies at birth.
What is nicotine?
Nicotine is the addictive substance in tobacco smoke. It reaches the brain within 20 seconds and creates a dependency so that smokers become addicted.
What is the problem with carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide combines with the haemoglobin in red blood cells and so reduces the ability of the blood to carry oxygen. This puts extra strain on the circulatory system, and can cause an increased risk of heart disease and strokes.
What is the problem with tar?
Carcinogens are substances that cause cancer. Tobacco smoke contains many carcinogens, including tar. Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer, mouth cancer and throat cancer.
What does alcohol do?
The alcohol in alcoholic drinks - such as wines, beers and spirits - is called ethanol. It is a depressant, which means it slows down signals in the nerves and brain.
Why is there legal limits on alcohol?
There are legal limits to the level of alcohol that drivers and pilots can have in the body. This is because alcohol impairs the ability of people to control their vehicles properly.
