drug

Do you know the meaning of drugs? How many types of drugs are you familiar with? Some drugs can be beneficial for human use while others can have negative impacts on your body. Different types of drugs have different effects on your body.

In this lesson, you will learn more about drugs.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Define drug
• Describe types of drugs
• Describe drug use
• Explain drug administration

A drug is a chemical substance that can cause a change in the physiology or psychology of an organism. This change can either be positive or negative. Drugs are different from other substances like food, which provide nutrients to the body. Drugs can be consumed through various means like: inhalation, injection, smoking, dissolution under the tongue, or absorption through a skin patch.

In pharmacology, a drug is defined as a chemical substance with a known structure, which, once administered to an organism, causes a biological effect.  A pharmaceutical drug is also called a medication or medicine. Medicine can be defined as a chemical substance whose purpose is to prevent, cure, diagnose, or generally improve the wellbeing of an organism. These drugs were traditionally made by extracting from medicinal plants, but organic synthesis is being applied in their production today.

There are types of drug that affects the function of the (CNS) central nervous system, and they are called psychoactive drugs. They perform activities such as altering mood, perception, and consciousness. These drugs are grouped into different classes:

• Stimulants.
• Depressants.
• Anti-depressants.
• Anxiolytics.
• Anti-anxiolytics.

Psychoactive drugs have been used and proved effective in the treatment of a wide variety of medical conditions like mental disorders.

Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol are the most used drugs in the world. These types of drugs are called recreational drugs. These are drugs that are consumed for purposes of pleasure, rather than for medicinal purposes.

All drugs have the potential to cause side effects. The abuse of some psychoactive drugs can lead to addiction and/or physical dependence. Excess use of stimulants is dangerous. Note that most recreational drugs are illicit, and are therefore prohibited in most countries.

WHAT IS DRUG USE?

Drug use or misuse includes any of the following:

• Using illegal substances like anabolic steroids, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines.
• Misusing prescription medicines like opioids. This means taking prescribed medicines in a different way than the way which a health care provider has prescribed. For example, taking medicine prescribed for someone else, or taking a smaller or larger dose than prescribed.
• Misusing medicines sold over the counter. This can be through using the medicines for another purpose other than the one prescribed by the doctor.

Drug use is dangerous. This is because it can harm your body and brain. Sometimes this harm can be permanent.

ADMINISTRATION OF DRUGS

The administration of all drugs can be done through a number of ways, and most drugs have more than one mode of administration. These methods include:

• Bolus. This is the administration of a drug, medication, or other compound given in order to raise the blood concentration to an effective level. The administration may be given intravenously, by intramuscular, by parenteral, by indovenous, or subcutaneous injection.
• Inhalation. This method involves breathing into the lungs. A substance can be inhaled as an aerosol or dry powder. This includes vaping or smoking a substance.
• Injection. A solution, emulsion or suspension can be administered by injection into the blood stream or muscle (intramuscularly).
• Orally. This is a method of administration where a substance is swallowed through the mouth and absorbed in the intestines.
• Insufflation. This involves snorting into the nose or as a nasal spray.
• Rectally. This involves administration through the rectum, and absorption through the rectum or colon.
• Sublingually. This involves diffusing a substance into the blood via tissues located under the tongue.
• Topically. This involves administration of a substance in the form of a cream or ointment into the body through the skin.
• Vaginally. This method is mainly for treatment of vaginal infections. It involves administration of a substance through the vagina.

LEGAL AND ILLEGAL DRUGS

Some drugs are legal, they include: alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and drugs prescribed by a doctor, and over the counter medications. The use of these drugs may however be restricted on the basis of location of use, age and driving. For example, alcohol can be legal in a state but restricted to those over 18 years only. The amount of active ingredients in drugs called legal is regulated. For example, nicotine in cigarettes and alcohol in drinks is regulated.

Drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, cannabis and amphetamines are illegal. These drugs lack consistent amounts of active ingredients and they are not subject to price or quality control. It is hard to tell how strong an illegal drug is, or what it is composed of. Different illegal drugs may contain differing amounts of the drug as well as additives or fillers.

WHAT IS ADDICTION?

This is also called substance use disorder. This is a condition that affects the head as well as behavior of an affected person leading to an inability to control of a drug. The drug can be illegal, legal, or medication.

Drug addiction often begins with experimental use, mainly of recreational drugs. Drug use then proceeds to become more frequent. The risks involved with addiction and the speed with which an addiction develops depends on the type of drug. Some drugs like opioid painkillers have a greater risk and often cause addiction more quickly.

With the passing of time, an affected person may need more amounts of the drug to feel stimulated. This increase also makes it more difficult for the person to do without the drug.

SYMPTOMS OF DRUG ADDICTION

The symptoms of drug addiction include, among others:

• Feeling the need to use the drug regularly.
• Having intense urges for a drug.
• Needing more of a drug over time, to feel the same effect.
• Spending more than you can afford on a drug.
• Reduced productivity due to use of a drug.
• Failing in attempts to quit the use of a drug.
• Doing risky activities like driving under the influence of a drug.

EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE ON BRAIN

Your brain is wired to repeat good experiences. This makes you motivated to do the same thing again and again. Addictive drugs target the reward system of your brain. Your brain is flooded with a chemical called dopamine. This hormone stimulates a feeling of intense pleasure. This makes one to keep looking for more. Over time, your brain may get used bringing the need for more to feel the same.

Drug use for a long period of time can cause changes in brain chemical systems. They can hurt your:

• Decision making.
• Judgment.
• Ability to learn.
• Memory.

These brain changes together can drive one to take more amounts of a drug. Some of the things that can raise chances of addiction include:

• Early drug use.
• Family history.
• Troubled relationships
• Mental disorder.

WAYS TO AVOID PEER PRESSURE AND SAY NO TO DRUGS

• Be firm when rejecting drugs and peer pressure. Stand firm, look them in the eye and say No when offered drugs by your peer. You can also tell them statements like; it is not good for your health, and it could ruin your life.
• Avoid tempting situations. Try hard and avoid areas that you might find your peers using drugs. Staying away from such tempting situations keeps you away from abusing drugs.
• Find friends that do not use drugs to encourage you. If all your friends abuse drugs, it is hard for you not to use drugs. Therefore, have friends that do not use drugs that will also discourage you from using drugs.
• Communicate with your elders. Elders like your parents give good advice on ways to stay away from drugs.

SUMMARY

You’ve learnt that:

• A drug is a chemical substance that can cause a change in the physiology or psychology of an organism.
• Drugs can be consumed through various means like: inhalation, injection, smoking, dissolution under the tongue, or absorption through a skin patch.
• Medicine is a chemical substance whose purpose is to prevent, cure, diagnose, or generally improve the wellbeing of an organism.
• There are different methods of administration of drugs.
• Abusing legal drugs or using illegal drugs such as cocaine, LSD, ecstasy, meth and heroin are dangerous. Always SAY NO to drug abuse.