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Do you guys still remember what recreational drugs are in I/GCSE Biology?
What is a drug?
- In I/GCSE Biology, Extracted from natural substance
- Alcohol = fermented from fruit + grain
- Drug = any chemical that alters how our body works
- Affect the CNS + control movement of chemicals across synapses
- Natural chemicals (in body) that fit the shape of the receptors in our body
- In I/GCSE Biology, Drugs have similar shapes shape to these chemicals – mimic or copy what they do
- Drug abuse – take too much of a drug/use for wrong reasons
- Chew on coca plant – stay way = now used to make cocaine
- Some drugs mimic chemicals released across synapses
- If drug used allot – build up tolerance = use more for same effect = body becomes dependant on it (difficult to manage without drug) = leads to addiction (can’t manage without taking drug)
- If try to stop – suffer withdrawal symptoms = feel sick, headaches, flu-like symptoms – more serious symptoms = tremors and fits
Why do people take drugs?
- In I/GCSE Biology, Recreational drugs – taken for pleasure
- Legal – caffeine and nicotine (tobacco)
- Illegal – cannabis, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy - have negative effects on heart + circulatory system
- Some evidence – cannabis causes psychological problems(not sure though)
- NHS spend more money treating legal drugs than illegal (more people use them)
- Can cut down crime + stop criminal gangs if drugs were legal
A harmless joint?
- In I/GCSE Biology, Evidence of a link between smoking cannabis and mental illness
- Cannabis – leads to harder drugs = gateway drugs
Is there evidence for a link between cannabis smoking and mental illness?
- New Zealand study results:
- Mental illness more common in cannabis users
- People with mental illness = no greater wish to smoke cannabis
- Cannabis probably increased chance of mental illness = cause chemical changes in the brain
- Increase of mental illness symptoms after regular use of cannabis
- Men who smoked cannabis = develop schizophrenia
However some studies do show that there is little correlation in cannabis being a gateway drug and cannabis causing mental illness
That's all~
