Running head: DRUGS ARE HARMFUL TO THE BODY 1

Drugs Are Harmful To the Body and Should Be Banned Entirely

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DRUGS ARE HARMFUL TO THE BODY 2

Drugs Are Harmful To the Body and Should Be Banned Entirely

Addiction to drugs of different kinds may subject the body to deleterious health effects

that affect the quality of life. Individuals usually take these drugs to acquire sensations in their

bodies, which vary with the kind of drugs taken. Most drugs are neurotoxins and may have

adverse effects on the nervous and endocrine systems when taken in large amounts. Despite the

dangers associated with them, many countries are legalizing the use of dangerous drugs such as

marijuana and cocaine, without looking at the resultant effect on the bodies of users. It is

imperative to understand how licit and illicit drugs affect the body, especially the brain, and

whether they bring any benefits that justify their use or should be banned entirely.

Tobacco and Its Effect on the Body

The lung is the primary organ of the respiratory system and acts as a surface for gaseous

exchange. Inhaling and exhaling help take in oxygen from the air and expel carbon dioxide into

the atmosphere. Oxygen is essential in the normal working of the cells, especially in breaking

down of food to energy (Boyle et al. 2010). Apart from the lungs, the respiratory system is made

of the trachea, which is made up of cartilage to keep it open. At the end of the trachea are

bronchi, which branch to bronchioles and finally to alveoli or air sacs where the very gaseous

exchange occurs (Boyle et al. 2010).

The bronchi are lined with cilia, which clean the air off dust and other particles that enter

the lungs (Boyle et al. 2010). The cilia also help move mucus up and out the bronchi, which

carries the dust that we inhale, and normally remove them by sneezing, coughing, or swallowing

(McAuley et al. 2012). The respiratory system is highly susceptible to any toxicity that may

invade it. The alveoli are usually made of thin layer of epithelial cells, where the body easily

absorbs oxygen from the air, and carbon dioxide escapes (Friedman, Pross, & Klein, 2006)).
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Toxic substances can easily get absorbed into the blood or even affect the epithelial cells that line

the inside of the alveoli (McAuley et al. 2012). Additionally, toxic substances may kill the cilia

in the bronchi and make the bronchi and trachea ineffective.

Many people smoke tobacco either actively through the stick or passively. Passive

smoking or second-hand smoking occurs when a person inhales cigarette smoke that permeates

the environment, from another person smoking the cigarette (Friedman et al., 2006). Second-

hand smoking can occur anywhere in public, in public transport and from spouses or family

members who are smokers. In countries where there is no ban on smoking in public, it is more

common for people to be second-hand smokers. Second-hand smokers or side stream smokers

inhale cigarette smoke coming from the burning tip of the cigarette and exhaled mainstream

smoke from the cigarette smoker (McAuley et al. 2012). This makes second-hand smokers as

highly susceptible to diseases caused by tobacco smoke as mainstream smokers. The harm

caused by cigarette smoke is the reason for strict regulation the tobacco industry has received in

many countries.

Second-hand cigarette smoke is deemed as being more dangerous than the mainstream

smoke. This is because side stream smoke coming from the burning of the cigarette tip is usually

4 times more toxic than the mainstream smoke that passes through the cigarette filter (Friedman

et al., 2006). Since the sidestream smoke is not filtered, it contains many of the toxic substances

and carcinogenic substances present in a cigarette smoke. This includes 3 times more carbon

monoxide than in mainstream smoke, 10-30 times higher levels of nitrosamines and 15-300

times higher levels of ammonia (McAuley et al. 2012). Sidestream smoking is more unsafe for

children and the elderly and provides the reason why smoking in public endangers the lives of

others, not just the smoker.

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Smoking increases a person’s risk of getting lung cancer, cancer of the larynx and

pharynx by 25% (McAuley et al. 2012). The tar in cigarette usually immobilizes the cilia present

in the bronchi and causes paralysis of the macrophages in the lung alveoli. These elements are

vital in cleaning the air entering the lung, which eventually exposes the lung to the entry of other

toxic substances. Repeated smoking leads to the death of the cilia, which causes increased levels

of mucus in the trachea (Boyle et al. 2010). The mucus layer blocks tiny points of the air

passage, which causes a person to begin coughing to clear up the air passage. The damage of the

cleansing system in the respiratory system leads to build up of other substances present in the

smoke such as hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, cadmium, arsenic, and oxidizing chemicals

(Boyle et al. 2010). A person may feel itching of the trachea, breathlessness, irritation of the

lungs, damage to the alveoli and persistent wheezing and coughing. With more than 3,000

known harmful substances, cigarette smoke is the most harmful toxicant to the respiratory

system (Friedman et al., 2006). This shows that smoking is not beneficial to the body at all.

Actions towards Smoking

Many countries have taken stringent measures to reduce the effect of smoking cigarettes

on their citizens. Some of the measures include banning smoking of cigarettes and cigars in

public places such as public transport, bars, pubs, and streets. Many countries have introduced

smoke-free laws in public places such as restaurants, schools, nightclubs, and workplaces, where

these places have to comply with the requirement of not allowing anyone to smoke on site. These

laws mainly target indoor public places such as bars, restaurants, and nightclubs, where the

levels of second-hand smoke have the ability to rise to dangerous levels (McAuley et al. 2012).

Many countries have forced cigarette manufacturers to be at the forefront of campaigns that
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sensitize the public of the dangers of smoking. It is common for cigarette packets to come with

larger warning messages on the effect of smoking on the lungs and other body organs.

Sedatives

Sedatives are clinical drugs used as depressants of the central nervous system (CNS).

They function by slowing down the activities of the CNS, and have been especially useful to

physicians on relieving anxiety, handling patient, and enable positioning of patients for

radiotherapy and examinations (Maddison, Page, & Church, 2008). The drugs range from

barbiturates, phenothiazines, α2-adrenergic agonists, and benzodiazepines often abused by

individuals and have the potential of causing adverse cognitive and physical effects.

Sedatives work by slowing the function of the CNS where they affect the gamma-

aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter. The brain uses several neurotransmitters, which are

chemicals responsible for carrying electric impulses across brain cells to enable the efficient

function of the body (Maddison et al., 2008). The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

neurotransmitter works by slowing down the activities of other neurotransmitters, which

eventually leads to slowing down of brain activities (Friedman et al., 2006). Sedatives increase

the production and stimulate GABA, increasing its activity, which provides a relaxing effect

(Maddison et al, 2008). This activity is essential for patients suffering from sleep disorders and

anxiety.

The CNS is very sensitive to the depressive effects of sedatives, which makes them

useful in manipulating specific physiological functions such as sleep by depressing the CNS

(Friedman et al., 2006). Most physicians use sedatives for brief sessions of therapy due to the

CNS developing a tolerance for psychoactive chemicals contained in them (Maddison et al.,

2008). Apart from inducing sleep, sedatives can cause impaired coordination, which can cause
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problems with maintaining balance and conversing in proper speech. They are useful in stopping

convulsions and can cause euphoria when used in high doses (Friedman et al., 2006).

The ability of sedatives to reduce in effect after continual use may explain why they are

subject to abuse. The uncoordinated and drowsy feelings brought by sedatives usually fade away

after some time, requiring more large doses to maintain the same effect (Maddison et al., 2008).

Termination of the use of sedatives causes withdrawal and might be fatal if there was the use of

large doses of the drugs on a regular basis. Nembutal, Tuinal, and Seconal are the most abused

sedatives due to the ability to act very fast and cause an instant effect. Individuals ingest it orally

or through intravenous injections in doses as much as 400-1200mg per day compared to daily-

recommended doses of 100-200mg per day (Dasgupta, 2010). The long-term use of sedatives can

damage the CNS, and should be limited to clinical use only. It has medical benefits but there is

no justification for abusing it since those who do this are only after pleasure.

Stimulants

Stimulants are arguably the most used and abused neurotoxic drugs after narcotics. The

ability to cause an increase in body activity and energy makes them very popular among youths,

especially in dance scenes. Substances such as ephedrine, Ritalin, Dexedrine, Yabba, pemoline,

caffeine, cocaine, ecstasy, and methamphetamine fall under this category and cause adverse

addictive effects to their users due to their efficiency (Friedman et al., 2006). Stimulants find

limited use in medical practice such as in managing narcolepsy and attention-deficit

hyperactivity disorder, due to their ability to cause adverse effects on patients (Mackey & Paulus,

2013). Amphetamines, Cocaine, and methamphetamine can speed up the CNS, suppress

appetite, increase heart rate, increase blood pressure body temperature, alertness, wakefulness,

focus, and attention (Friedman et al., 2006). This makes individuals o feel high for a short time.
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Stimulants usually affect the brain by disrupting regular cellular communication and

stimulate the release of chemicals such as dopamine that brings a feel-good effect (Mackey &

Paulus, 2013). Different stimulant drugs affect the NCS in different ways. Amphetamines,

Cocaine, and methamphetamine affect the CNS by enabling the synaptic accessibility of

serotonin and catecholamines such as dopamine and norepinephrine (Mackey & Paulus, 2013).

When consumed, the chemicals enter the blood-brain barrier and start interacting with

catecholamine-active nerve terminals, causing non-exocytotic transmitter excitation (Friedman et

al., 2006). The substances prevent reuptake of neurotransmitters often occurring through

transmembrane transporters, and stimulate the discharge of stored neurotransmitters stored in

presynaptic mediums to the synaptic cleft (Friedman et al., 2006).

Cocaine and methamphetamine cause a release of amines to the cytoplasm from the

synaptic vessels and reverse the release of monoamine transmitters to extracellular space from

the cytoplasm (Mackey & Paulus, 2013). This causes the sudden euphoric feeling and the

stimulation of the CNS to produce a regular burst of energy. Methylenedioxymethamphetamine

also known as MDMA or Ecstasy, binds to serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine transmitters

in the brain, causing a release of these chemicals, stimulating the brain, and causing a sudden

feeling of euphoria (Dasgupta, 2010). The action of these chemicals is often short-lived, causing

withdrawals characterized by hunger, fatigue, irritability, depression, mental confusion, and

cravings (Friedman et al., 2006). This causes individuals to abuse the drugs by adopting binge

patterns in their use to extend the feeling of euphoria.

The risk factors associated with abuse of stimulant drugs range from poverty, social

dysfunction, racism, weak families, poor upbringing, poor education, and peer groups with

substance-abusing behavior (Dasgupta, 2010). Use of stimulants in high dosage causes heart
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failure, psychosis, aggression, paranoia, impotence, depression, and seizures. When used in

combination with depressants and alcohol, the drugs may cause an adverse effect on individuals.

The long-term effect of this us slow neuronal death in the hippocampus, cerebellum, striatum,

parietal cortex, subcortical structures, and frontal and prefrontal cortex (Friedman et al., 2006).

These and other effects underline the reason why the use of stimulants should be highly

controlled. The resultant damage on a person’s body and the society provides the reasons why

governments should use stringent measures to allow the use of stimulants for medical practice

only.

Narcotics

Narcotics are fast-acting neurotoxins and operate in the opposite of stimulants by slowing

down the brain activity. They have depressive effect by slowing down the communication

between the CNS and peripheral nervous system, which eventually leads to slowed digestion,

respiratory systems and heart rate (Friedman et al., 2006). Narcotic drugs consist of derivatives

of opium such as heroin, cocaine, marijuana, nicotine, and codeine. These drugs contain

alkaloids such as nicotine, which targets the function of the CNS by lowering its functionality,

leading to a total dependence on narcotics by CNS if used for a long time.

Heroin and other opioids attach themselves to the opioid receptors located in the brain

and gastrointestinal tract, which leads to dopamine secretion in the limbic region of the brain

(Dasgupta, 2010). This causes the release of a powerful high that makes the individual desire to

recreate the feeling of euphoria. The chemicals also cause unevenness of neurotransmitters in the

synapse and result in intense neuron excitation in the presence of opiate chemicals, which

produces a sense of dependency (Friedman et al., 2006). Narcotics can affect the white matter in
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the brain if used for a long time, which affects a person’s decision-making ability, regulation of

emotions and response to stress (Dasgupta, 2010).

Endorphins are narcotic-like natural painkilling neurotransmitters produced by the brain,

while norepinephrine is a natural depressant for the CNS (Friedman et al., 2006). Increasing use

of narcotics causes the CNS to stop production of endorphins and norepinephrine, and begin a

total dependence on narcotics to accomplish the same function (Dasgupta, 2010). Narcotics can

reduce the perception of pain, leading the brain to demand larger doses to perform standard brain

functions. The high dependency of the brain towards narcotics leads to a slow down and

breakdown of communication patterns between the brain and other body organs, which affects

other body functions, mediated by the brain such as breathing, intestinal digestion, and cough

control (Friedman et al., 2006).

The high dependency of the brain on narcotics means that high dosage of the drugs can

cause a critical slowdown in other body functions such as breathing, which can cause an

individual to succumb to respiratory failure. A person who stops taking narcotics after a long

time may experience severe withdrawal syndromes, characterized by fatigue, insomnia,

depression, vomiting, and tremors as the CNS tries to bring back healthy body functions

(Friedman et al., 2006). Increased use of the drugs may also cause a long-term effect on heart

muscles and result in permanent lung complications. Therefore, narcotics have more adverse

effects on the body than benefits, which does not justify their use.

Cannabis

Marijuana is the most commonly used recreational drugs in the United States among

young adults and underage youths (Friedman et al., 2006). Its ability to act fast when smoked or

swallowed, and bring a feeling of euphoria and hallucination makes it very addictive. There has
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been increased use of medical marijuana in the treatment of cancer patients by managing side

effects such as cachexia, vomiting, nausea, and pain (Dasgupta, 2010). The drug is extracted

from the flowers, leaves of Cannabis sativa, and contains high levels of cannabinoids, especially

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), employed in treating vomiting and nausea in cancer patients

undergoing chemotherapy. It stimulates the CNS and brings relaxation and mellow feeling.

The delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (TCH) is a psychoactive chemical present in cannabis

that binds to cannabinoid receptors present in the hippocampus, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and

cingulate cortex (Friedman et al., 2006). Cannabinoid receptors occupy presynaptic locations and

inhibit the release of γ-aminobutyric acid and glutamate neurotransmitters (Dasgupta, 2010). The

downregulation of receptor signaling affects homeostatic response, which causes individuals to

register lower mental reactions such as impaired motor skills, decreased memory, sensory

perception, distorted time, mood alteration, and difficulty in decision-making and thinking

(Friedman et al., 2006). This is because it affects brain regions that mediate these functions.

Additionally, cannabis causes increased production of dopamine in the brain, which

creates a feeling of euphoria and ecstasy (Friedman et al., 2006). The cannabinoids in cannabis

can bind to numerous cannabinoid receptors in various parts of the brain, as the brain often

produces Anandamide, which is equivalent to TCH (Dasgupta, 2010). Therefore, the use of

cannabis by individuals such as young adults and adolescent youths, whose brains have not yet

developed sufficiently, may have lower IQ points and develop memory problems. The individual

is also able to get addicted to the long-term use of marijuana, which also speeds up the loss of

neurons in the hippocampus, affecting one’s memory (Friedman et al., 2006).

There is evidence of damage to the brain after a long-term use of cannabis. However,

research shows that cannabinoids present in cannabis can be useful in reducing pain and nausea
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presented by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, which can be cheaper as cancer

medicines are usually expensive (Dasgupta, 2010). The use of cannabis should be restricted to

medical reasons only as it is highly addictive and affects the brain. This drug has no meaningful

benefit to the body of a healthy person and any use in the public if not for medical reason should

be eliminated.

Psychedelics

Psychedelics, also known as hallucinogens, are potent drugs that distort a personal sense

of space and time and a competing effect on the five senses. They fall into two categories of

hallucinogens such as peyote, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, ayahuasca and

DMT; and dissociative drugs such as DXM, salvia, ketamine and PCP (Friedman et al., 2006).

These drugs are obtained from natural or synthetic substances and alter thoughts and moods by

creating illusions, delusions, and hallucinations. Their ability to change thoughts, feelings, and

perception make them unique to other neurotoxic drugs. An individual may experience mental

illusions called ‘trips,’ which may last 6-12 hours and may either be good or bad depending with

a person’s psychological state at the time of taking the drugs (Krebs & Johansen, 2013).

Hallucinogens affect the CNS in different ways depending on the drug. Agonistic

psychedelics function by targeting a specific neurotransmitter whereby they either increase their

synthesis or prevent their uptake in the synapses (Friedman et al., 2006). Salvia stimulates nerve

cells to trigger kappa opioid receptor, while PCP activates dopamine to create an e feeling of

separation from reality, environment, and time, and can lead to visual distortion, impaired motor

functions, and memory loss (Friedman et al., 2006). Diacetylmorphine or heroin functions by

enhancing the action of pain-relieving neurotransmitter endorphins in the CNS.

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Antagonists function by lowering the activities of neurotransmitters by either blocking or

preventing the synthesis of postsynaptic receptors, making it difficult for neurotransmitters to

connect with them (Krebs & Johansen, 2013). Ketamine functions by blocking the role of

glutamate, a neurotransmitter that is responsible for emotions, cognition, memory and pain

sensation, helping to kill pain and provide anesthetic functions (Krebs & Johansen, 2013).

Hallucinogenic psychedelics such as LSD act on serotonin receptors in the prefrontal cortex of

the brain and affect the interaction of neuron cells (Dasgupta, 2010). Since the chemical is

responsible for controlling sexual behavior, mood, body temperature, sensory perception, muscle

control, and hunger, an individual will likely experience some discrepancies in these functions.

The drug affects a person’s coordination and should be avoided entirely.

Inhalants

Inhalants are substances that are liquid or gases at room temperature and are taken by

inhaling. Individuals take these drugs by sniffing fumes from a container, spraying aerosols to

the mouth, huffing from a rag soaked in a chemical, or inhaling from a balloon containing a gas

such as nitrous oxide gas (Howard et al., 2011). Inhalant substances are readily present at home

and can include gasoline, glue, lighter fluid, correction fluid, deodorant sprays, butane or

propane gas, ether, chloroform, and nitrous oxide among others (Dasgupta, 2010).

Whenever an individual inhales these substances, they are absorbed into the blood

through the alveoli in the lings and distributed to the brain and other body organs (Howard et al.,

2011). Inhalants target specific parts of the brain including cerebellum, cerebral cortex, and

hippocampus where they induce the production of dopamine (Howard et al., 2011). An

individual, therefore, registers a slight feeling of euphoria, hallucinations, and relaxations, which

requires them to continue taking the inhalants to maintain the same state. Long-term use of
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inhalants may lead to the destruction of the myelin sheath that covers neurons, and cause

memory loss, blindness, motor problems and damage of peripheral nerves (Howard et al., 2011).

Conclusion

Drugs affect the body and especially the central nervous system in different ways.

Tobacco contains nicotine and causes addiction, which may lead to deterioration of a person’s

health as it affects vital organs such as the lungs, CNS, and the teeth. Other toxicants such as

sedatives, antidepressants, opiates, cannabis, and psychedelics work by either inhibiting or

causing the release of certain neurotransmitters such as endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine,

which makes the addicts feel high. Prolonged use of these drugs leads to partial or permanent

damage to the brain, lungs, liver, kidney, and heart. They may also make a person be susceptible

to other diseases because of low immunity and damaged organs. Apart from the use of some of

the drugs for medical purposes, this study shows that these drugs are very dangerous to the body

and have no benefits to justify their use by healthy people. They should be banned from the

public and any necessary application for medical purposes should be greatly controlled and

monitored. The burden they bring to families, the society, and the government justifies their

removal.
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