Drugs and its effects

What is a drug?
A drug is any substance, solid, liquid or gas, that brings about physical and/or psychological changes. The drugs of most concern in the community are those that affect the central nervous system. They act on the brain and can change the way a person thinks, feels or behaves. These drugs are known as "psychoactive drugs".

How are drugs classified?
Drugs are commonly classified according to their legal status or their effects on the central nervous system.

• Legal and illegal drugs
  Laws and regulations control the availability, quality and price of the "legal" drugs. For example, tobacco may not be sold to persons under the age of 18.
• Illegal drugs
  Because they are illegal, there are no price or quality controls on the illicit drugs such as heroin and ecstasy. This means that a user can never be sure that the drug they are taking is in fact what they think it is; for example, PMA (paramethoxyamphetamine), a toxic form of amphetamine, has been sold as ecstasy. The user also cannot be sure of a drug's strength or purity. Various batches of an illegally manufactured drug may have different mixtures of the drug and additives such as poisons, caffeine or even talcum powder.

Effects on the central nervous system
There are three main types of drug affecting the central nervous system.

Depressants
Depressants are drugs that slow down the functions of the central nervous system. Depressant drugs do not necessarily make a person feel depressed. They include:

• Alcohol ("booze", "grog")
• Cannabis ("pot", "dope", "mull")
• Barbiturates, including Seconal, Tuinal and Amytal
• Benzodiazepines (tranquilisers), "benzos", "tranx" such as Rohypnol, Valium, Serepax, Mogadon, Normison and Eupynos
• GHB (Gamma-hydroxybutrate), or "fantasy"
• Opiates and opioids, including heroin ("H", "smack"), morphine, codeine, methadone and pethidine
• Some solvents and inhalants

In small quantities, depressants can cause the user to feel more relaxed and less inhibited. In larger quantities they can cause unconsciousness, vomiting and even death. Depressants affect concentration and coordination. They slow down a person's ability to respond to unexpected situations.

Stimulants
Stimulants act on the central nervous system to speed up the messages to and from the brain. They can make the user feel more awake, alert or confident. Stimulants increase heart rate, body temperature and blood pressure. Other effects include reduced appetite, dilated pupils, talkativeness, agitation and sleep disturbance. Mild stimulants include:

• Ephedrine used in medicines for bronchitis, hay fever and asthma
• Caffeine in coffee, tea and cola drinks
• Nicotine in tobacco.

Stronger stimulants include:

• Amphetamines, including illegal amphetamines ("speed", "crystal meth", "ice", "shabu")
• Cocaine ("coke", "crack")
• Ecstasy ("E", "XTC", "eccy")
• Slimming tablets such as Duromine, Tenuate Dospan and Ponderax.

Large quantities of stimulants can "over-stimulate" the user, causing anxiety, panic, seizures, headaches, stomach cramps, aggression and paranoia. Prolonged use of strong stimulants can mask some of the effects of depressant drugs, such as alcohol, making it difficult for a person to judge their effects.

Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens affect perception. People who have taken them may believe they see or hear things that aren't really there, or what they see may be distorted in some way. The effects of hallucinogens vary a great deal, so it is impossible to predict how they will affect a particular person at a particular time.

Hallucinogens include:

• Datura
• Ketamine ("K", "Special K")
• LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide; "trips", "acid", "microdots")
• Magic mushrooms (psilocybin; "gold tops", "mushies")
• Mescaline (peyote cactus)
• PCP ('angel dust')
• Cannabis is an hallucinogen as well as a depressant. Ecstasy can also have hallucinogenic qualities.

Some effects of hallucinogens include dilation of pupils, loss of appetite, increased activity, talking or laughing, emotional and psychological euphoria and wellbeing, jaw clenching, sweating, panic, paranoia, loss of contact with reality, irrational or bizarre behaviour, stomach cramps and nausea.

How do drugs affect a person? 
The effects of a drug depend on the type of drug and a range of personal and environmental factors. Some factors to consider include:

• How much of the drug is taken and how often. Generally, the greater the quantity taken, the greater the effect. Overdose occurs when the amount taken exceeds the body's ability to cope with the drug.
• How the drug is taken. Generally, drugs that are injected or inhaled act very quickly and the effects are more intense. Snorting through the nose is the next fastest-acting method, while the effects of drugs eaten or swallowed take longer to occur.
• A person's physical characteristics, such as height, weight and gender also influence how a drug affects them.
• The proportion of body fat, rate of metabolism and, for women, stage of the menstrual cycle can all influence the intensity and duration of drug effects.
• The person's mood and environment also plays a role. How a person is feeling and the social setting can have a significant impact on drug effects. A person is more likely to enjoy the experience in a comfortable social atmosphere than in a threatening environment.
• Tolerance to the drug. The first time a person uses a drug, they have a very low tolerance and are likely to feel the effects very strongly. The more often the drug is taken, generally the less intense the effects will be. This means that larger amounts are needed to obtain the desired effect.
• Other drugs used (poly drug use). Combining drugs can increase or alter the effects, often in unpredictable ways.

What problems can drug use cause? 
Regardless of the drug used, there are many problems related to drug use, such as:

• Family or relationship problems
• Problems at work or school
• Accidents
• Legal problems
• Financial problems
• Health problems
• Sexual problems

Drugs and pregnancy 
Most psychoactive drugs can cross the placenta and affect the unborn child. Heavy and sustained use of some drugs during pregnancy may cause miscarriage, foetal distress or a range of other complications.

Drugs and driving 
Driving safety requires mental alertness, clear vision, physical coordination and the ability to react appropriately. Drug use can affect these driving abilities and increase the risk of having a crash. The risk of having an accident is nine times greater when alcohol and drugs are used together than when a driver is drug-free.

One of the most concerning measures of drug-related harm in the community is the death toll. Drug use is a factor in about one in five of all deaths in Australia. In 1998, 23,310 deaths were attributed to drug use:

• 19,020 associated with tobacco use
• 3270 related to alcohol use
• 1020 as a result of illicit drug use

Drug dependence
The greatest drug harms caused in our society come from the legal drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

Drug dependence can be physical or psychological, or both.There are degrees of dependency, from mild dependency to compulsive drug use (addiction). It is impossible to say how long a person must take a drug before they will become dependent.

Experimenting does not necessarily lead to regular or dependent drug use, and regular use does not necessarily lead to problems. However, there is no "safe" level of drug use. All drugs have the potential to cause harm, not just the illegal ones.

Courtesy

Msn Health 

Are we Human?

The topic itself is threatening and heart breaking; makes me think over again and again. It is visible all around the world. Whenever I read a newspaper, or hear any news from any source or see an accident or event, this question hits my mind. Everyone around us is human, and we have humanity. We are superior to animals and are civilized; we know how to deal with things with tenderness and with understanding. The only reason is that we use our mind, but all that is happening around us, makes me think that we are far worse than animals.

My ideas and thoughts are so cluttered, I don’t know from where to start or what I should take?  Every day I encounter some news, which shakes me up terribly and leaves me breathless for a few seconds. Those events or accidents are either related to my Country (Pakistan) or some other country, but we feel the same pain. For example, a father slaughtered his wife and children; a man killed another for just 2500 bucks and so on.

So many things take place, each and every second; I always wonder where we have lost our humanity? How a single person can kill their own family just for the sake of property. How a person can kill his or her siblings or children with their own hands, can’t they just feel for a second? What makes them take such a barbaric and brutal step?  How do some people just walk into a market or mosque or anywhere and blow themselves up and others?  Why they don’t even think, before doing that? Just because of this they have played with so many lives and have destroyed so many families.

What was the need of war? Why do people fight for a piece of land, or natural resources? What is the need of “Power”, when we all know, that one day we have to leave this world!!

This really hurts, and we know we will leave this world powerless. Just for a few things, we are not destroying or hurting others, but we are losing our own character.

The vital point I want to make is that, we are so capable of declaring ourselves worse than animals; we are the ones who actually destroy the peace and infect this earth. One might say that the main reason is that people are not that educated or their minds don’t work or maybe they are poor. It may be the reason, but sometimes, I have found that big people, who are well-educated or rich, they do such useless things. Now I am speechless! I try to think and sort it out what would be the reason behind this action?

Few things, I think might be the solution to these problems.

1. It’s the foremost responsibility of teachers, to groom students at the beginning. They should encourage them to study,to develop a passion for studies, and create good, soft, tender, and loving relations with all mates. They should ask all students to live with harmony not only in class, but also in the family or in the street etc. they should teach students not to make money their life. Live a life simple and with high-caliber, teach them that money is not life; it’s just a part of life.

2. Parents should provide them peaceful atmosphere, because children live here and they are the future. Parents and teacher make children humans. They are the role models for them.

3. Government also has a part, in fact a crucial one! I will give my government’s example, as they go everywhere with huge families, wear expensive suits and accessories. Yet they have imposed so many taxes on us!! People don’t have money, they are not able to eat ample for two times, yet they have to pay taxes! That’s injustice. People commit suicide for this reason too, because they don’t have money to feed their own family. Government should take care of this issue too.

“Why we should become brutal, heartless, miser and powerful, when we know that one day we have to leave each and everything behind and leave this world empty handed. It’s a better option, to lead a life simple and with love!”


Courtesy: Anam Jabbar

Alcohol and its effects!

 Alcohol

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, although in smaller amounts it may appear to have a mild stimulant effect. The main psychoactive ingredient in alcoholic beverages is ethyl alcohol, produced through the fermentation of sugar by yeast. Alcoholic drinks vary in strength, e.g. beer and alcoholic sodas (1-9% alcohol), wines (10-15%) and spirits (35-55%).

Standard drinks

A standard drink contains about 10 grams of pure alcohol. Hotels and restaurants usually serve alcohol in standard drink size glasses. Wine, however, is normally sold in 140 mL or 200 mL glasses. One 200 mL glass of wine contains approximately two standard drinks. Glasses used at home are unlikely to be standard drink size. The labels on alcoholic drink bottles and cans show the number of standard drinks they contain.

 Effects

The effects of alcohol vary depending on a number of factors including:

• type and quantity of alcohol consumed
• age, weight and gender
• body chemistry
• food in the stomach
• drinking experience
• situation in which drinking occurs

Short-term effects

Although it varies between individuals, there is a relationship between the concentration of alcohol in the blood (Blood Alcohol Concentration - BAC) and its effects. Mild euphoria and stimulation of behaviour occur initially with minor effects on performance which become more pronounced as the concentration of alcohol rises. Unfortunately, people often believe they are performing better rather than much worse.

In a person of average build, one standard drink will raise the BAC by approximately 0.01-0.03% in an hour, and as a rough guide it will be broken down at a similar rate, i.e. one standard drink per hour.

Effects on Behaviour

Stages	BAC	Likely Effects
Feeling of well-being	Up to .05 g%	Talkative Relaxed More confident
At-risk	.05-.08 g%	Talkative Acts and feels self-confident Judgment and movement impaired Inhibitions reduced
Risky state	.08-.15 g%	Speech slurred Balance and coordination impaired Reflexes slowed Visual attention impaired Unstable emotions Nausea, vomiting
High-risk state	.15-.30 g%	Unable to walk without help Apathetic, sleepy Laboured breathing Unable to remember events Loss of bladder control Possible loss of consciousness
Death	Over .30 g%	Coma Death

Intoxication risks

Intoxication is the most common cause of alcohol-related problems, leading to injuries and premature deaths. As a result, intoxication accounts for two-thirds of the years of life lost from drinking. Alcohol is responsible for:

• 30% of road accidents
• 44% of fire injuries
• 34% of falls and drownings
• 16% of child abuse cases
• 12% of suicides
• 10% of industrial accidents

As well as deaths, short-term effects of alcohol result in illness and loss of work productivity (e.g. hangovers, drink driving offences). In addition, alcohol contributes to criminal behavior - 

Long-term effects

Each year approximately 3000 people die as a result of excessive alcohol consumption and around 101 000 people are hospitalised. Long-term excessive alcohol consumption is associated with:

• heart damage
• high blood pressure and stroke
• liver damage
• cancers of the digestive system
• other digestive system disorders (e.g. stomach ulcers)
• sexual impotence and reduced fertility
• increasing risk of breast cancer
• sleeping difficulties
• brain damage with mood and personality changes
• concentration and memory problems

In addition to health problems, alcohol also impacts on relationships, finances, work, and may result in legal problems.

Tolerance and Dependence

A regular drinker may develop tolerance and dependence. Tolerance means that they feel less effect than they used to with the same amount of alcohol. Dependence means that the alcohol becomes central in their life - a lot of time is spent thinking about alcohol, obtaining it, consuming it and recovering from it. The person will find it difficult to stop drinking or to control the amount consumed.

 Withdrawal

Someone who is physically dependent on alcohol will experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking or substantially reduce their intake. Symptoms usually commence 6-24 hours after the last drink, last for about 5 days and include:

• tremor
• nausea
• anxiety
• depression
• sweating
• headache
• difficulty sleeping (may last several weeks)

Alcohol withdrawal can be very dangerous; people drinking more than 8 standard drinks a day are advised to discuss a decision to stop drinking with a doctor as medical treatment may be required to prevent complications.

Reducing the Risk

A moderate amount of alcohol does not harm most people. However, excessive drinking above recommended levels, on a regular basis, can cause health problems.

Guidelines for low-risk drinking

GUIDELINE 1:

Reducing the risk of alcohol-related harm over a lifetime

The lifetime risk of harm from drinking alcohol increases with the amount consumed.

For healthy men and women, drinking no more than two standard drinks on any day reduces the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.

GUIDELINE 2: 

Reducing the risk of injury on a single occasion of drinking

On a single occasion of drinking, the risk of alcohol-related injury increases with the amount consumed.

For healthy men and women, drinking no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion reduces the risk of alcohol related injury arising from that occasion.

GUIDELINE 3:

Children and young people under 18 years of age

For children and young people under 18 years of age, no drinking alcohol is the safest option.

3A Parents and carers should be advised that children under 15 years of age are at the greatest risk of harm from drinking and that for this age group, not drinking alcohol is especially important.

3B For young people aged 15-17 years the safest option is to delay the initiation of drinking for as long as possible.

GUIDELINE 4:

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Maternal alcohol consumption can harm the developing fetus or breastfeeding baby.

4A For women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, not drinking is the safest option.

4B For women who are breastfeeding, not drinking is the safest option.

Tips to reduce the risk to your health when drinking

• eat before you drink
• space your drinks with water and other non-alcohol drinks
• organise safe transport (e.g. utilise the bus service)
• say no when you know you've had enough
• don't leave your drink unattended
• don't mix alcohol with other drugs
• don't drink at all before undertaking any risky activities (e.g. swimming, driving or boating)
• support your friend's decision if they choose not to drink

 Alcohol and Driving

To avoid the risk of harm to the drinker and others, alcohol should be avoided before and during driving (or other activities involving risk or requiring a degree of skill). Although state laws permit experienced drivers a BAC of up to 0.05%, there is evidence of effects on performance at lower levels. At a BAC of 0.05%, the risk of a crash is 5 times greater than with a BAC of 0%.

 Alcohol and Other Drugs

Alcohol can be dangerous when other drugs and medications (including over-the-counter preparations) are taken. Alcohol magnifies the effects of sleeping pills (e.g. Serepax, Valium, Mogadon), cannabis, strong painkillers, some antipsychotics and antidepressants. Effects can be unpredictable when combined with stimulants such as caffeine, cold remedies, appetite suppressants and amphetamines. Oral contraceptive pills or oestrogen replacement therapy can also influence the effects of alcohol.

Source:

Government website Of Austrailia

Smoking and it's effects!

Imagine that you are at movies and your favorite hero or herione is on the screen looking realy cool and doing all sorts of amazingly athletic moves..... and then you see him/her lighting up a cigarette! How cool is that?

That was just a movie.. in reality:

1. A smoker wouldn't have the breath to do "athletic moves".

2.A smoker would smell like an ashtray, not too many gorgeous girls or guys would want to be close to that.

3.A smoker would not have great skin and hair.

The truth is that the actor and actress who do their own stunts do not smoke. If they do then they need other people to do their stunts and they probably use lots of perfume and plastic surgery to look attractive.

Smoking and its effects

1. The senses of smell and taste are affected. Smokers can't smell what they smell to others, and their taste buds don't work so well, so they can't enjoy food properly.

2. Smokers are ten times more likely to get heart disease, lung disease, major heart attack or stroke.
They are also more likely to develop diabetes.

3. Smoking is the most common cause of cancers of the lungs, throat and mouth.

4. Smokers can also have problems with narrowing of the veins in hands and feet, so blood circulation is poor. This can lead to gangrene and having to have limbs amputated.

5. Passive smoking - that is, breathing in other people's smoke rather than actually smoking yourself - can cause health problems.

Giving up Smoking

1. If you have decided that smoking is definitely something you don't want to start, good!.

2. If you are a smoker already and want to bo break the habit, we are very proud of you for being a strong and commited person. We suggest that you research and find the best way to quit permanently.

The End



Courtesy of SMASH magazine.

Imagination: Travel By Time Machine

“Now whole responsibility is lying over your shoulders, we surely crave that formula. This Mission is the gigantic and hulk one!! Hope you will get back here with success!”
I was listening to him with my all ears. Since the beginning of this year, I was getting special and exclusive training for a drastic mission. This classified mission was so dreadful indeed, because I have to travel by not a train or a car, neither by an aero plane, but by time machine.
The main objectives were:
1. Be a faithful student of Albert Einstein and let him trust you solely.
2. Steal the important formula, which was used in 1945 world war.
By stating these two objectives, it was vividly cleared that I would have been traveled by time machine to the past. I was too scared, because any move in fact a wrong move can bring about unwanted results.
I was trained to be more careful, alert and patient.
Next day, I was ready and focused, entered into time machine confidently. I saw so many hands waving towards me, within the glimpse of two or three seconds, I was in 1945. The hard and the worst time for the world. After the attack of Japan on Pearl Harbor, The United States of America was alert and in war state. The Albert Einstein had already invented “the nuclear bomb formula”, that’s the reason I was sent here, that’s the most wanted thing for me and for my motherland. It would make my land prosperous and powerful. For this, I want to become his student first. I reached to him as a “thirsty student for knowledge”. I begged him for letting me in as his student. After a long and rough argument, he luckily accepted me. I found him very rigid, stubborn and freak. I took advantage from his teachings and treasure of knowledge. He loved and admired those people who were deeply sunk in knowledge, so he did same with me too. He loved me because I was very keen and striving harder for getting knowledge. He started to believe in me and he took so much time, for uttering about that formula. He showed it to me and at that time I was completely paralyzed and gazing at that paper.
My reason of being here was right in front of my eyes, in his hand!!
He put that paper, in the locker and uttered some alien terms to himself, went to white board and started writing something.
Everything was ready in my mind, was bit tensed and informed my higher staff all about it. They congratulated me and gave me regards!
At night around 2.00 am, I went to his room. I already gave him sleeping pills, so was sure that he wouldn’t be awakened. I went towards that locker, which was my destiny, opened it and grab desired paper and rushed off. I came back to my place, put that paper in the suit case and ran towards the time machine, so that I could reach to the actual time.
My heart was beating fast. All done, Mission was accomplished. I was exotic, because that day is not far, when my country will be the nuclear-powered country.
I really don’t know, what happened with Einstein then, probably he would be dead by heart attack now, after looking at his empty locker!!

Courtesy of Anam Jabbar
Her profile at facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/anam.jabbar