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Drugs and drug abuse:Types of drugs

Answer Text:
Drugs and drug abuse.
Drug: is a chemical substance that alters the functioning of the body.
Types of drugs
(i). Medicinal drugs (medicines):
- Are drugs mainly used for treatment and prevention of diseases.
- Are also classified into two: over the counter drugs and prescription drugs. Over-the-counter drugs.
- Are medicinal drugs that can be bought at a pharmacy or retail shop without written instructions from a doctor. Examples: Mild painkillers like aspirin, panadol, paracetamol, drugs for flu etc.
Prescription drugs:
- Are strong medicines which should only be taken upon a doctors instruction (prescription).
- In this prescription, the doctors give a dosage, which indicates the amount and the rate at which it should be taken.
(ii). Leisure drugs.
- Are drugs that are usually taken for pleasure.
- Are classified into two:
Mild drugs: alcohol, tobacco;
Narcotic drugs: marijuana, cocaine, heroin, mandrax etc.
Drug abuse:
- Is the indiscriminate use of a drug for purposes which it is meant for; or administration of an overdose or underdose of a drug; as well as use of drugs
for leisure purposes.
Note:
- The worst form of drug abuse is the taking of drugs for leisure purposes; and the most commonly abused drugs are the leisure drugs. Effects of commonly abused drugs.
Alcohol:
- Affects the brain and the nervous system
- Damages the liver, and is a common cause of liver cirrhosis.
- Poor health due to loss of appetite.
- Time for working is wasted in drinking and hence less productivity and even lose of jobs; which results to poverty and family
disintegrations.
Tobacco.
- Bad breath, discoloured fingers and teeth
- Cause diseases such as bronchitis and tuberculosis.
- damages the lungs and is a common cause of lung cancer due to chemicals found in the cigarettes.
- Smoking during pregnancy is a common cause of miscarriages or still births.
- It is expensive: money used for other better uses is wasted in cigarette smoking.
Narcotic drugs:
- Interferes with the functioning of the brain.
- Results to addiction and drug dependency.
- Some are administered directly into the blood through syringes and hence common routes of transmission of HIV/AIDS.