This is about the damaging effects of drug abuse in our society. This is an unending battle and we have to help abusers get all the help they can.the first thing is for an abuser to accept that he or she has a drug problem.it is shocking that little kids doing it. We must all say to LIFTING THE BAN ON DRUGS. This is a serious issue.
This is about the damaging effects of drug abuse in our society. This is an unending battle and we have to help abusers get all the help they can.the first thing is for an abuser to accept that he or she has a drug problem.it is shocking that little kids doing it. We must all say to LIFTING THE BAN ON DRUGS. This is a serious issue.
Drug abuse is the use of an illegal or controlled substance in a manner that endangers the user or others. For example, people who take drugs to feel better, get another high, and withdraw are abusing drugs. Drug abuse can also refer to the use of legal medications that have been prescribed for a legitimate medical condition, but used without a prescription in a manner that is harmful.
People who are abusing prescription medications might be taking a higher dose than they are supposed to or having side effects that could indicate the development of an addiction problem.
There are a variety of drugs that can be abused including cocaine, methamphetamines, PCP (phencyclidine), heroin, and marijuana. Some drugs such as club drugs, which are used in social settings, are also considered to be abused. Drug abuse can result in serious consequences for the user and for those around them. For example, it can cause withdrawal symptoms, which are unpleasant and require professional treatment to avoid potentially life-threatening issues. Drug abuse can also lead to the development of an addiction problem, which is a chronic disease that requires long-term support.
Drug abuse is often viewed as a social issue rather than a medical issue, but it can have serious long-term effects on people who make poor decisions regarding their substance use in the present. The most important goal in treating drug abuse is to get people to seek professional treatment for their addiction problem.
Drug abuse can occur at any time, but it is more likely to occur in young adults. For example, drug use can begin with experimentation during high school or college and then continue into adulthood. It can also begin during childhood and teenage years. However, it is not unusual for drugs to be present in someone's life for many years before they are actually abusing them.
Some people make poor decisions regarding drug use because they feel a need for peer approval. Drug abuse can also occur because of other social factors such as stress from school and/or family problems. Drugs may also be a form of self-medication to deal with physical or emotional pain.
Drugs are often used at parties and clubs, and this kind of environment can encourage people to try drugs for the first time. Young adults might also learn that drugs have a temporary high and then the effects go away, so they believe that drug abuse will never be a problem long-term. Drugs might also be present because of unsafe neighbourhoods and schools. For example, people can use drugs to deal with the stress that comes from living in a neighbourhood that doesn't have adequate resources or adequate police protection. This leads to an environment where drug abuse can occur, and it can lead to other issues such as violent crimes, thefts, and other criminal activity.
The illegal use of drugs is actually an issue of public safety. In addition to the potential danger to the user, drug abuse can lead to money being used in ways that are not productive and illegal. For example, people might steal money from their families or break into a store to steal items such as alcohol or cigarettes. Illicit drugs can also be dangerous and can lead someone to develop an addiction problem.
In addition to how drug abuse happens, it can be difficult to treat because of the unique nature of each individual.
A person who is abusing drugs might not recognize that they have a problem. For example, they might believe that the drugs are helping them to cope with stress and other issues. They might also believe that they are in control and are able to stop using them at any time.
Drug abusers can also have other mental health issues as well as physical health problems. For example, they might have anxiety or depression that is being treated with drugs such as antidepressants. In addition, physical health problems can also be treated with prescription medications and these issues can contribute to drug abuse.
Drug abuse can also be a constant cycle of abuse and sobriety, which might involve periods of abstinence followed by the use of drugs again. For example, a person might use for a few weeks and then stop for a while. They might then go a few weeks without drugs before starting again.
Drug abuse can affect a person's mental and physical health. For example, when someone is abusing drugs long-term, they might become physically dependent on the substances. This makes it difficult to stop using the substance. If someone is physically dependent on drugs, they must continue to use them to feel normal or face serious withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can be difficult to be managed and cause people to feel like they need the drug just to feel normal again. For example, heroin withdrawal symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pain, and a runny nose. It is considered a medical emergency if someone who has been abusing a drug is experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
Drug abuse can also have an impact on the development of an addiction problem. People who are addicted to drugs might experience tolerance and cravings for their substances. Tolerance is when a person feels like they need to take higher doses of the drug to feel its effects, and cravings occur when they think about using drugs or experience a desire to use the drug.
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF A DRUG
The chemical and physical properties of a drug are the factors that determine how a drug will be absorbed by the body. These properties vary from drug to drug based on both the type of chemical compound and on how it is broken down in the body.
Drugs can be classified as depressants, stimulants, narcotics or hallucinogens. Depressants reduce brain activity and function; stimulants increase brain activity and function; narcotics are used to relieve pain; and hallucinogens cause the user to experience hallucinations. Another way of classifying drugs is by their chemical makeup, for example: alkaloids, peptides, proteins, or esters. It is useful in classifying drug groups that have similar characteristics because they have a similar chemical makeup.
Drugs that are systemic pass through the body. Drugs given intravenously (IV) are very effective at reaching all parts of the body, especially the brain, but also have a high risk of causing adverse effects or overdose (like excessive sleepiness and unconsciousness). The speed at which a drug hits its target depends on its route of administration. Drugs that are given orally reach their target within an hour or two. Drugs that are inhaled reach their target within minutes, and drugs that are applied to a certain area of skin may take as long as a few days to reach their target.
An important aspect of pharmacology is the description of the biological properties of drugs, which includes how they act at sites of action in the body (and in some cases, certain tissues or organs) and how these actions change over time. These properties mainly depend on the chemical composition of the drug and its physical state (for example, crystal form or solubility). The crystal form is important in many cases, especially for drugs that have polymorphic forms.
The principal chemical classification of drugs is based on the drug's chemical composition. For example, a drug can be classified as an alkaloid, a peptide or similar. These are useful in describing similar characteristics because all of these compounds share a similar chemical composition regardless of their origin (natural or synthetic) or route of administration.
The chemical classification of drugs is very broad, and it is further sub-classified. The main sub-classifications are steroids, amines, amides, urea's and nitrites. The classification of drugs into these groups is based on the drug’s chemical composition. For example, a steroid can be defined as any compound that contains a cyclopentanophenanthrene ring structure. This definition includes hundreds of compounds; however, its purpose is to group all steroids together because they have similar physical and chemical properties.
The physical properties of a drug are the properties that a user can observe. These properties include the appearance of the drug, its smell, taste, and texture. This is important in defining how a drug must be handled and prepared for use. For example, if a drug has an unpleasant taste or odour then it may be taken with food or vinegar to hide these qualities. Drugs have no colour or smell in their pure state but they do possess colour and smell when they are added to certain chemicals. For example, if a drug is added to saline it will appear pale yellow, and if it is added to hydrogen peroxide it will appear colourless or as a dark pink colour.
The physical properties of a drug are also important in defining how a drug must be administered. For example, a drug that is used intravenously must be given through a needle and syringe as it decomposes and becomes dangerous when exposed to air. The physical properties of a drug are of great importance in understanding how to treat the effects (or abuse) caused by it.
The way in which drugs are prepared affects the way they work. For example, drugs taken orally have quick-acting effects compared to those taken intravenously, or by inhalation. Drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine require additional processing to be absorbed into the blood. This further influences their effects; for example, when intravenously injected, cocaine will give more rapid onset of action compared to oral administration.
The capacity for a drug to cross membranes is important in understanding how it can be abused or abused safely. For example: a drug that can readily cross membranes will be absorbed quickly by the brain leading to an immediate effect. On the other hand, a drug that does not readily cross membranes will take longer for it to be absorbed into the body and thus have a slower onset of action.
The therapeutic index (or safety index) is the ratio of a drug's lethal dose to its effective dose. This is important in understanding the differences in effects caused by drugs. A drug with a high toxicity is defined as having a low therapeutic index. On the other hand, a drug that has little or no side effects is defined as having a high toxicity. A high therapeutic index means that it will have fewer side effects than a drug with an extremely low therapeutic index. For example, if an oral dose of cocaine is taken by mouth, one would say that it has low toxicity when compared to intravenous administration because the amount of cocaine required to have the same effect (i.e. produce a high) is much more when taken by mouth.
Several factors affect the pharmacokinetics of a drug. For example, the route of administration describes how a drug is taken into the body, and some routes are better for certain drugs (e.g. intravenous versus oral). The way in which a drug is taken can affect its bioavailability and thus its effects on the user or patient; sometimes adulterants are added to drugs to increase profits for producers (e.g. cocaine being sold as pure heroin).
The source of a drug can be an important factor in its chemical properties and its effects. For example, caffeine in coffee affects people differently from the same amount consumed in tea. The difference between these two sources of caffeine is due to the processing of the drug; for example, less caffeine is lost when processing coffee than when processing tea. This leads to different concentrations of caffeine in the plant material and thus different amounts ingested by users.
The detergent used in processing a drug can also affect its properties and its effects. For example, drugs that have a lipid solubility can become insoluble when processed with solvents, such as water, since they dissolve fats as well. This is important in understanding how drugs are used, as well as their abuse potential.
Some drugs require additional processing before they can be used by patients or abusers of them. This may be done for several reasons: to create a more concentrated form of the drug (e.g. cocaine in its powder form), to alter the chemical properties of the drug or to increase its bioavailability (e.g. ephedrine, an epinephrine analogue used among athletes, is often sold as a purer form of epinephrine than commercially available preparations).
Some drugs can become less potent if they are changed in any way, such as by being manufactured at a lower temperature or by performing a certain chemical reaction on them. However, other drugs are more potent after they have been processed in this way (e.g. cocaine is less potent when sold as the hydrochloride salt than when sold as coca leaves).
Some drugs become more toxic if they are mixed with certain chemicals, such as solvents or other drugs. For example, the purity of some illicit drugs can be increased by dissolving them in a solvent and then removing this solvent from the solution by evaporation (e.g. "freebasing" cocaine or heroin).
Some drugs are inhaled as part of a drug-taking session, and their chemical effects (and toxicity) are then determined by the form in which they are breathed in (e.g. "smoking" opium). Other abused drugs, including some that have never been smoked or snorted (e.g. "vaping") are taken by injection after being diluted with a solvent so that they can be absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream (e.g. intravenous drug users).
Some drugs, like heroin and cocaine, have many different forms (e.g. powder, crystalline form, and the liquid solution) that are used for purposes of abuse. Other drugs are not typically abused at all in their pure form but can be if they are processed in some way (e.g. methamphetamine).
Dependence is a result of prolonged substance use as well as other psychological and social conditions that occur when substance use is repeated over time. The effects of a drug on the brain include reduced attention, lowered inhibitions, a decrease in the ability to make decisions (e.g. impulsivity), and physical dependences (e.g. constipation or addiction).
The effects of dependency can be compared to those from withdrawal and chronic use of substances such as alcohol or drugs such as benzodiazepines because both increase anxiety and depression. Chronic use of opiates, benzodiazepines or alcohol may be also associated with mood changes. These mood changes may be very serious and lead to addiction.
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE
Drug abuse is a devastating condition that can lead to serious mental health issues and other consequences. Drug abuse is a type of addiction, and since addiction is largely psychological in nature, the effects on your mind will be no less profound than those on your body. Regular users of drugs such as cocaine or heroin often turn to these substances because they have the ability to make them feel good about themselves or happy for a short time. The good feelings are endorphins which are designed to reward you for certain behaviours. These drugs are highly addictive and have a strong effect on the brain.
The psychological effects of drug use are predominantly negative as they lead to an addiction that often cripples the ability to function in society. The social consequences of abuse impact family, friends, and co-workers as well because the addicted person may neglect their responsibilities and focus around gaining access to drugs instead. As drug use becomes more frequent, users begin to withdraw from their normal daily lives to the point of neglecting even basic necessities like putting gas in the car and taking out the trash.
Drug abuse affects the brain, especially the dopamine pathway, which is involved in higher functions such as reward and motivation, pleasure and feelings of pleasure. This pathway is also influenced by drugs like cannabis and cocaine. Cocaine has been shown to damage the dopamine pathway, which can create various effects on body functions. For instance, cocaine can make the brain more excitable and able to experience euphoria. Cocaine is also an appetite suppressant, which means users are less likely to eat as they experience more intense highs and can also be more impulsive. Extreme cases of cocaine addiction may present with paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, and even suicidal thoughts.
When dopamine function is altered by drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine, the brain gets rewired so that drug abuse becomes a central and necessary part of life. Drug use becomes all-consuming for those with an addiction. It takes over family life, relationships with friends, school or work responsibilities...any activity that is not drug-related becomes completely unimportant to the addict.
In addition to changing the physical brain structure, the drug user's personality and morals begin to change. The most usual effects of drug abuse include "out-of-character" behaviour, memory loss, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and an increased risk for violence. These physical and psychological changes can have a major impact on family life as well. A person with an addiction may not want to care for their family, such as hygiene or putting on pants. Drug abusers may also be prone to violence and abusive behaviour.
You can also have the physical health consequences of drug abuse. Depending on the individual, these problems can include diseases such as hepatitis or HIV and liver failure. This is because drugs cause users to neglect their personal health care, which may lead to serious infections that cannot be treated effectively.
Both mental and physical health may be affected by drug addiction, but they are not necessarily connected. To further complicate things, people vary in how sensitive they are to regard psychological effects of drugs as well as develop tolerance for the effects at different rates. This means that a person may experience highly psychological effects of drugs yet be physically well off while their friend, who is also psychologically sensitive, can have mental and physical health problems.
Other than the negative effects on the body's own processes, drug abuse has a tendency to cause social problems. Drug users often make poor decisions and do not think about anything beyond their next fix.
Better choices can lead to more stable lives that are consistent with family obligations and responsibilities.
Having a drug addiction can cause numerous social problems in a person's life. Some of the most common effects are on relationships with friends and family, which can be severely damaged by such an addiction. Drug addicts often neglect their family and friends in favour of seeking out drugs. Not only that but they can also be violent towards them as well.
In extreme cases, drug abuse may lead to homelessness as users simply cannot keep a job or maintain stable housing.
This can be due to drug-caused brain damage or the inability to function on a daily basis. Home drug use may also lead to criminal behaviour such as theft, robbery, and other misdeeds because of the impulsive nature of drug addiction.
A person with drug addiction will be unable to participate in any activities that involve important personal relationships, such as sports, if they are too reliant on drugs to feel normal. The most crucial thing to remember about social effects of drug abuse is that the person who abuses drugs will find it extremely difficult to sustain a fully functional life while they are addicted. This can interfere with their ability to maintain employment or to take care of themselves properly, which can lead to health problems.
Addiction to drugs is a problem that is constantly growing over in the United States. In fact, there were about 20 million people addicted to drugs in the 1980s and it is estimated that number has grown by 4 million. Because of all of the negative effects drug use can have on our society, it is important for us to recognize this epidemic as we can help reduce the amount of people who are suffering from it and maybe one day we will be able to eliminate this devastating disease entirely.
FFEW COMMONLY ABUSED DRUGS
There are many types of drugs abused by Americans. Some are legal in the United States, but their abuse is still illegal. Others are considered to be illegal at all times.
Alcohol (legal): The most common legal drug in the United States, alcohol is found in beverages ranging from beer and wine to distil spirits like whiskey and vodka. People drink it for a number of reasons: to have fun with friends; to relieve stress;  or just because it’s available and they have the money for it. Alcohol is also used to deal with problems like anxiety, depression, and stomach upset. Alcoholism is a disease that can cause psychological and physical damage if left untreated.
Nicotine (illegal): Nicotine is an alkaloid extracted from tobacco leaves. Tobacco use is on the rise in the United States because of the popularity of cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff, and pipes. The nicotine in these products comes from the tobacco plant itself or from chemical additives which are added to some tobacco products. Nicotine is addictive, meaning that it causes physical dependence. The nicotine in tobacco products may cause cancer and heart disease.
Like alcohol and nicotine, illegal drugs have a chemical composition that makes them mind-altering. By changing the manner they interact with the brain and nervous system, they can produce sensations of euphoria or heightened alertness or both. If used in excess, they can impair mental function, leading to memory loss and behavioural problems. Some illegal drugs are so powerful that even small doses can cause death.
Cocaine (illegal): Cocaine is a crystalline powder derived from the leaves of the coca plant. It is used in a variety of drugs, including crack and powder cocaine. A person may use cocaine recreationally or to achieve euphoria or to lift moods with its capacity to produce feelings of self-confidence and well-being. Cocaine also acts like an appetite suppressant, making people feel full after eating very little food. In small doses, it may induce euphoria. Overdoses, however, cause cardiac arrest and severe respiratory distress.
Caffeine (illegal): Caffeine is found in beverages such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks. The drug acts as a stimulant by acting on sympathetic nervous system activity and the central nervous system (the part of the brain which controls voluntary movement). If taken in high amounts, caffeine creates a jittery sensation because it affects an area of the brain that regulates muscle movement.
Cannabis (legal): The primary active chemical in cannabis is THC, which produces feelings of euphoria, relaxation, and increased sensitivity to touch. Some users report intense altered states of consciousness that lead them to forget their problems and their surroundings. Cannabis is the dried leaves and flowering tops of the hashish plant. Marijuana is dried leaves and flowering tops of cannabis plants that have been specially cultivated to increase THC content. Hashish is the resin extracted from the cannabis plant. The chemicals in cannabis vary according to the resin, the plant, and the growing conditions. Today marijuana is legal in twenty-three states for medical purposes. Synthetic cannabinoids that act on the endocannabinoid system are also legal in many states.
Cough (illegal): Cough is most commonly used by athletes as a form of performance enhancing drug to increase their endurance and enhance their oxygen uptake. It has been used by athletes in many sports including swimming, track and field, cycling, football, professional wrestling and mixed martial arts as well as bodybuilding. It is a stimulant drug and is extremely addictive, with many serious side effects.
Methamphetamine (illegal): Methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant drug that contains chemicals called amphetamines. Physically, it can have effects on the user similar to cocaine and heroin. It can cause changes in mood, perception, and behaviour that range from euphoria to agitation depending on frequency of use and other factors.
Ceremonial tobacco use (legal): Tobacco is indigenous to North and South America and is a member of the nightshade family. Native Americans cultivated tobacco in order to use it as an herbal remedy. They also used it for ceremonial purposes. The Spanish brought it back to Europe in the 1500s, and it then became popular worldwide. In the United States, tobacco was used both by colonists and soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Today, it is often smoked in cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or water pipes called hookahs.
Heroin (illegal): Heroin is an opioid drug that comes from morphine, a natural substance extracted from certain varieties of poppy plants. A person may inject, sniff, swallow, or smoke heroin to experience intense euphoria and relaxation. It can also suppress pain and relieve coughs due to colds or other respiratory illnesses.
Methadone (illegal): Methadone is a synthetic opioid that is used in the treatment of heroin addiction. It blocks the effect of heroin, allowing a person to stop using it while reducing painful withdrawal symptoms.
Lysergic acid diethylamide (illegal): LSD was first synthesized in 1938 by Albert Hoffman, a chemist working for Sandoz Laboratories in Basel, Switzerland. It is a hallucinogenic drug that disrupts coordination and produces hallucinations. LSD produces a psychedelic experience, making people feel detached from their bodies, seeing and hearing things that are not really there. It is very addictive.
These drugs all have extremely serious side effects if used in large doses. They may be highly addictive and have serious, long-term health consequences. Research made by the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that people who use these drugs are more probably to commit crimes than other people, including violent crimes like armed robbery.
Most of these drugs are illegal and have been for decades, but some are legal for therapeutic purposes such as nicotine and caffeine.
Interestingly ONYEBYASHI suggests that rather than lifting the ban on drugs, it might be more helpful provide information on how to reduce the risk of usage to those addicted individuals and the society at large. He painstakingly outlines the risk to the individuals hooked on drugs as well as the socio-economic cost to both individuals and communities. He makes the point that there is an important cost to keep in mind, viz. that of rehabilitation.
The author begins by detailing concisely the characteristics and legal classification of drugs based on their risk potential. This is very useful to those who do not really appreciate the startling differences between "available drugs" as well as their effect on the user. Especially for those with children or new to community-based programs, chapters 2, 3 and 4 are sound information.
The following sections however, tend to make the approach to the topic too generalized as he tries to base his suggestions and observations on the situation in the U.S.A. This limits the usefulness of those chapters but still manages to show how many possibilities there are for treatment.
This generalized approach stretches across the remaining chapters where we see chapter 8 addressing how drug abuse can be prevented. This is a good first level approach to the difficult question of drug use, abuse and prevention. It is hoped that Onyebyashi will return to this question going more in depth into the question.