Drugs

• Drug


  A chemical that changes the way the body or the mind works
• Types of drugs


  • Medicines (drugs that help people suffering)
  • Recreational drugs (taken for pleasure, legal and illegal)
• Painkillers


  Reduce pain and cause numbness, but can be addictive
• Painkillers


  • Aspirin
  • Paracetamol
  • Heroin
• Painkillers


  Mask the pain but don't solve the underlying problem
• Stimulants


  Increase the activity of the brain, make you feel more alert and awake
• Stimulants


  • Caffeine
  • Nicotine
  • Cocaine
• Depressants


  Reduce the activity of the brain, can make you feel sleepy and reduce anxiety, but can be addictive
• Depressants


  • Alcohol
  • Sleeping tablets
  • Solvents
• Illegal drugs covered


  • Heroin
  • Cocaine
  • Cannabis
  • Ecstasy
  • Solvents
• Smoking kills around 5 times more people in the UK than road traffic accidents, other accidents, poisoning, overdose, manslaughter, and suicide combined
• Smoking when pregnant can cause miscarriage or put the child at higher risk of diseases
• Short-term effects of alcohol

  Sleepiness, poor balance, loss of muscle control, blurred vision, slurred speech
• Long-term effects of alcohol

  Damage to the liver, heart, lungs, stomach, and brain. Can lead to cirrhosis (permanent liver damage)
• Cirrhosis is where the liver becomes permanently damaged and scarred