PAPER-2

THE USE AND ABUSE OF DRUGS

A drug is any externally administered substance that changes

the chemical reactions in the body

Medical Use of Antibiotics

Medicinal drugs, like antibiotics, are taken in to correct the

body’s metabolism. Antibiotics only cure bacterial infections, as
they are made from fungi that produce chemicals that kill the
bacteria. When they are taken in, they puncture the cell wall of
the bacteria causing them to burst. At times, they even stop the
enzyme production or protein synthesis of the bacteria. 

Some bacteria are resistant to antibiotics which reduces the

effectiveness of the antibiotic. Those bacteria have an extra
coat, known as the resistant coat. If the medicine is stopped
before the resistant bacteria are dead, the bacteria will
reproduce. MRSA is an extremely dangerous bacteria as it is
resistant to most antibiotics. To slow down and stop the
development of other strains of resistant bacteria, we should:

● Avoid unnecessary use of antibiotics 

● Ensure a full course of treatment is completed

Antibiotics only kill bacteria, and they do not affect other cells,
like viruses. This is because antibiotics kill the bacteria by
damaging their cell walls. Viruses don’t have cell walls, so they
remain unharmed by antibiotics. Viruses are not living cells;
They are simple protein structures with no metabolism so
antibiotics have no effect on them. The chemical properties of
antibiotics are specific to the bacterial cell whereas viruses are
much smaller in different shapes.

Heroin

Heroin is a powerful depressant drug obtained from opium. It

increases reaction time e.g. thinking and blinking. When a
person stops the intake of heroin, they suffer from severe
physiological and physical symptoms like severe body pain,
nausea, headache etc. It reduces pain and slows down
breathing.

Effects

● Increases reaction time.

● Causes inflammation of the gums
● Weakens the immune system
● Can lead to depression 
● Can cause insomnia

Abuse 

● Heroin abuse may increase criminal activity as addicts turn to

crime, like robbery, to finance their addiction, so more
opportunity to become drug dealers.
● Injecting heroin can cause infections, such as HIV since a lot
of these needles are not sterile and are shared amongst many
people. This causes widespread disease.

Effect of Heroin On the Nervous System

There are many neurotransmitters present in the brain. One of

its groups is endorphins which help reduce the sensation of
pain and reduce thirst and hunger. When heroin enters the
brain, it is metabolized to morphine (endorphin receptors).
Morphine fits into the receptors, which makes you feel good.
Intake of heroin reduces the production of endorphins. If you
stop the intake of heroin, you will suffer from unpleasant
withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal Symptoms 

● Sleeplessness
● Hallucinations
● Muscle cramps
● Nausea
● Vomiting
● Headaches
● Sweating
● Aggression
● Diarrhea 

Effects of Excessive Consumption of Alcohol

Alcohol is a powerful depressant drug. 

● It affects the medulla of the brain which is the life-support

center of the body. It can cause a halt in breathing, causing
brain damage and death. Its consumption in excess decreases
a person’s self-control, nervous control, and muscular control. It
also affects the brain by reducing the levels of ‘calming agents’
in the brain, therefore disturbing the sleep pattern. 

● Alcohol is addictive, so when you once start taking it, your

body starts being dependent on it. The natural chemicals get
replaced by the drugs. If you don’t take the same amount from
time to time, you will suffer from severe body pain, nausea,
vomiting, blurred vision, headaches etc. It will lead to the body
being unfit. It can even lead to financial problems, and higher
chances of the addict committing crimes. 

● Excessive alcohol consumption leads to liver cirrhosis. The

main function of the liver is to detoxify drugs, so when it
becomes overloaded with alcohol, it will definitely get damaged.
The normal liver cells which line blood vessels change to
fibrous mass of cells, causing the malfunctioning of the liver. 

Long Term Effects of Excessive Alcohol

● Cirrhosis
● Brain damage
● Mouth cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer
● Heart diseases
● High blood pressure 
● Malnutrition
● Obesity
● Loss in body weight
● Stomach ulcers
● Alcoholism

Effects of Tobacco Smoke

Many chemicals are present in cigarettes like nicotine, tar and

carbon monoxide. These harmful irritants enter the body, and
cause a lot of damage. 
Carbon monoxide 

● Due to the burning of tobacco, carbon monoxide is obtained.

This is a highly toxic gas. When it enters the body, it combines
with hemoglobin as the hemoglobin has more affinity for carbon
monoxide than oxygen. As a result of this, carboxyhemoglobin
is formed. This will cause a decrease in oxygen levels of our
bodies. The carboxyhemoglobin will lead to anaerobic
respiration as it does not allow oxygen to reach our body cells.
Therefore, more levels of lactic acid will be formed in the body
causing the cells to become fatigued, leading to myocardial
infarction.

Nicotine

● It is a stimulant and an addictive drug. It mimics the natural

neurotransmitters in the brain which are concerned with
heartbeat and blood pressure. Nicotine causes an increase in
the heartbeat rate, narrowing the blood vessels which causes
an increase in blood pressure. Due to the increased heartbeat,
there is a higher demand for oxygen, but the presence of
carbon monoxide reduces its availability, causing damage to the
heart muscles.

● Due to nicotine, the body fats are accumulated and deposited

in the coronary arteries. This makes the lumen shorter, and
oxygen will not be able to reach the heart, causing the heart
muscles to be fatigued. Another effect of the fat deposition is
that the coronary artery wall will break, becoming uneven. This
causes blood clots to accumulate which results in cardiac
arrest.

Tar/Carcinogens

● Tar is the black, sticky substance present in tobacco smoke. It

is a carcinogen which mutates the cells of the respiratory tract,
causing cancer. The most common ones are lung cancer,
mouth cancer, and throat cancer. 

● As it enters the trachea, it sticks the cilia together. This blocks

the air passages and prevents mucus, secreted from the goblet
cells, to enter the esophagus. Thus, the mucus will stay in the
respiratory tract. This will increase the chances of bacterial
infection as the bacteria are trapped in the mucus. Due to throat
inflammation, the gaseous exchange passage will be narrow,
and the person will face difficulties while breathing. This leads
to spontaneous coughing and inflammation of the trachea. A lot
of carbon dioxide will accumulate in the cells, blocking the small
bronchioles with mucus. The alveoli will eventually burst, and
the surface area for gas exchange decreases. This is known as
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). It includes
chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic bronchitis refers to
spontaneous coughing, while emphysema refers to the bursting
of alveoli.

Smoking and Lung Cancer

● Due to the carcinogens present in tobacco smoke, the

respiratory cells get affected causing uncontrollable division.
The cells divide over and over again and form a tumor. If cells
break away from the first tumor, cancer may spread throughout
the body.