1. DRUGS DEFINED
A DRUG IS:
• “… ANY CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE WHICH, WHEN TAKEN INTO THE
BODY ALTERS ITS FUNCTION PHYSICALLY AND
PSYCHOLOGICALLY”
• WHO (1989)

2. WHY DO PEOPLE USE DRUGS?
• THIS CAN BE PUT DOWN TO MANY REASONS INCLUDING
• ACCESSIBILITY AND AVAILABILITY
• GROWING ACCEPTANCE OF THEIR USE
• GREATER AFFORDABILITY
• BOREDOM AND CURIOSITY
• CELEBRATIONS
• PEER PRESSURE

3. CATEGORIES OF DRUGS
• DRUGS CAN BE CLASSIFIED INTO 3 DIFFERENT
CATEGORIES:
1.DEPRESSANTS
2.STIMULANTS
3.HALLUCINOGENS

4. 1.DEPRESSANTS
• DEPRESSANTS SLOW DOWN THE BRAIN AND CENTRAL
NERVOUS SYSTEM CAUSING THE BODY’S FUNCTIONS
TO BE SLOWER.
• E.G. ALCOHOL, MORPHINE, HEROIN, CANNABIS, GHB.

5. 2.STIMULANTS
•HEIGHTEN SENSES AND SPEED UP THE BRAIN BY
INCREASING THE ACTIVITY OF CENTRAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM.
•E.G. AMPHETAMINES, CAFFEINE, AMPHETAMINES, SPEED,
COCAINE AND ECSTASY.

6. 3.HALLUCINOGENS.
• THESE ARE MIND ALTERING DRUGS THAT CHANGE THE
PERCEPTION OF WHAT IS REAL AND WHAT IS NOT. THEY
CAN STIMULATE OR DEPRESS THE CENTRAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM.
• E.G. CANNABIS, ECSTASY, LSD, MAGIC MUSHROOMS,

7. ALCOHOL
• ALCOHOL GOES DIRECTLY FROM YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
INTO YOUR BLOOD AND WITHIN MINUTES SPREADS TO
ENTIRE BODY, INCLUDING YOUR BRAIN
• IT SPREADS EVENLY THROUGHOUT BODY EXCEPT FOR THE
BRAIN WHICH GETS THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION
BECAUSE IT GETS MORE BLOOD THAN ANY OTHER PART OF
BODY
• MORE BLOOD EQUALS MORE ALCOHOL
• INTOXICATION (DRUNKENNESS) STARTS IN THE BRAIN

8. HOW ALCOHOL TRAVELS
AROUND THE BODY
1. MOUTH
2. STOMACH
3. SMALL INTESTINE
4. BLOODSTREAM
5. LIVER
6. BRAIN

9. NICOTINE
• IS ADDICTIVE- MORE THAN HEROIN OR COCAINE
• MAKES YOUR CLOTHES, HAIR AND BREATH SMELL
• TURNS YOUR TEETH AND FINGERS YELLOW
• INCREASES THE RISK OF STROKE AND HEART ATTACK
• INCREASES THE RISK OF DEVELOPING DIABETES
• IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF LUNG, THROAT AND
MOUTH CANCER

10. CIGARETTES