Tobacco, alcohol and drug abuse; de-addiction
Tobacco, alcohol and drugs harm the lungs, liver and brain and cause addiction. De-addiction uses counselling, medical care and family support to help people stop.
Kinds of drugs that are abused
| Group | Examples | Effect on the body |
|---|---|---|
| Sedatives and tranquillisers | Barbiturates, benzodiazepines | Slow down the brain; cause sleep and calm |
| Opioids (narcotics) | Opium, morphine, heroin (smack, brown sugar) | Relieve pain and slow breathing; strongly addictive |
| Stimulants | Cocaine, amphetamines | Speed up the brain; give false energy; raise heart rate |
| Hallucinogens | LSD; ganja and charas from the cannabis plant | Change how a person sees and hears things |
Effects of tobacco
- Tobacco is smoked (cigarettes, beedis) or chewed (gutka, paan with tobacco). Its nicotine is addictive.
- Smoking causes lung cancer, bronchitis (swollen air tubes) and emphysema (damaged air sacs that cause breathlessness).
- Carbon monoxide in smoke binds to haemoglobin, so the blood carries less oxygen.
- Nicotine raises blood pressure and heart rate, which leads to heart disease.
- Chewing tobacco causes mouth (oral) cancer and ulcers.
- Passive smoking: people nearby breathe in the smoke and are harmed too.
Effects of alcohol
- Alcohol slows down the brain. It causes poor judgement, slurred speech and loss of balance, so drunken driving causes accidents.
- Long-term use damages the liver, causing fatty liver and liver cirrhosis (scarring of the liver).
- It harms the stomach, heart and nerves, and lowers immunity.
- It breaks families through violence, debt and loss of jobs.
De-addiction and rehabilitation
**Addiction** is a strong dependence on a substance, so the person cannot stop easily.
- 1Accept the problem and decide to stop.
- 2★Counselling: trained counsellors explain the harm and teach ways to handle stress.
- 3Detoxification (medical treatment): doctors in a de-addiction centre stop the drug slowly and manage the withdrawal symptoms safely.
- 4Family and friends' support: love and patience, not blame.
- 5Healthy activities: sports, yoga, hobbies and support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
- 6★Rehabilitation: a return to normal life, work and studies.
★ key step
Preventing abuse among students
- Learn to say no to peer pressure.
- Talk openly with parents and teachers about stress and problems.
- Spend time on sports, music and hobbies.
- Watch for warning signs in a friend: falling marks, mood swings, staying alone, missing money.
- Seek help early from a counsellor or a doctor.
Indian law bans smoking in public places and the sale of tobacco near schools, to protect children. 31 May is World No Tobacco Day.
2 marks: “What is passive smoking? Why is it harmful?” Breathing in smoke from other people's cigarettes or beedis. It damages the lungs of non-smokers, especially children at home.
2 marks: “Write two effects of alcohol on the body.” It slows the brain, causing poor judgement and accidents; it damages the liver, causing liver cirrhosis.
7 marks: “What is drug abuse? Explain the effects of tobacco, alcohol and drugs, and the steps of de-addiction.” Define drug abuse and addiction; kinds of drugs; tobacco (nicotine, lung and mouth cancer, passive smoking); alcohol (brain, liver cirrhosis); de-addiction (counselling, medical care, family support, rehabilitation).
Tobacco hurts the lungs, alcohol hurts the liver, drugs hurt your life: say no early.