Drugs - B1a Flashcards
What to drugs do?
Alter your body chemistry
What happens if you take drugs?
You can become dependant and addicted to the drug, then you may suffer from withdrawal symptoms.
What are medical drugs?
Drugs that are medically useful, like antibiotics. You may be prescribed them by a doctor or buy from a pharmacist.
What are recreational drugs?
Drugs taken for fun. Either legal or illegal.
What are performance enhancing drugs?
Drugs that can improve a persons performable in sport. You can have steroids (increase muscle size) or stimulants which increase heart rate.
What are the ethical problems against performance enhancing drugs?
^ Unfair if people gain an advantage by taking drugs and not through training.
^ Athletes may not be fully informed on the serious health risks there could be from the drugs.
What are the ethical problems for performance enhancing drugs?
^ Athletes can make their own decisions about whether to take the drugs or if the risks are worth it.
^ Drug free sport isn’t fair anyway - athletes have access to training facilities, coaches and equipment.
What are statins?
Pescribed drugs used to lower risk of heart and circulatory disease. Research backs this up.
How are drugs tested?
1- on human cells and tissues in a lab.
2 - Tested on live animals, to see if the drug works, look at its toxicity and the best dosage. Normally 2 different live mammals.
3 - Human volunteers in a clinic, First healthy volunteers to see if theres harmful side effects. Then on people suffering with the illness.
Usually tested in two groups (one with drug and other with placebo) to see what actual difference the drug makes.
Either blind trials (parents doesn’t know which is which) or double blind (when doctor and patients don’t know)
What is a placebo?
A substance thats like the drug being tested.
What is thalidomide?
Was originally a sleeping pill but found to relieve morning sickness too. It wasn’t tested for this. Drug then passed through to foetus causing abnormal limb development.
Why do people use recreational drugs?
Enjoyment Relaxation Stress Relief Inspiration Peer Pressure Personal life/background
What 3 things is cannabis thought to be?
Stepping stone - Creates desire to try harder drugs.
Gateway drug - Brings people into contact with drug dealers.
Genetics - some people more likely to take drugs so cannabis users will then try harder drugs.
