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Drugs Notes pdf | GCE O Level and IGCSE

Drugs notes O Level


Drugs is a very important topic when it comes to your exam preparation for Biology and this article will provide you with some useful and relevant information regarding drugs notes for GCE O level and IGCSE. 

What is a Drug?

According to your syllabus, a drug is a substance (chemical) which is responsible for either modifying or affecting the chemical reactions in a body. 

You should remember that the topic which you are studying is the "use and abuse of drugs". This is important because there are several uses of drugs as well and we will also take a look at them. You can categorise drugs as:

  1. Medicinal drugs
  2. Socially accepted drugs
  3. Drugs of abuse 
Let's take a look at all these categories in detail now. 

Medicinal drugs

These drugs are responsible for treating multiple diseases and there are various drugs that are used to alleviate (reduce) pain and even in different surgeries. 

The best example of medicinal drugs are antibiotics that are used to treat the ailments that are caused by microorganisms. It is to note that the antibiotics can also be "man-made". 

Tetracyclines, Penicillins, Cephalosporins and Erythromycin are some types of antibiotics. The way these antibiotics work is different because they are used to treat different diseases and therefore the outcome is also dissimilar. 

Anaesthetics are those drugs that relieve pain from a body and Cocaine and Novocain are among the examples for "anaesthetics". Analgesics (such as aspirin) reduce pain and fever but they do not affect one's consciousness. It is to note that a large dose can harm someone due to its side effects. 


There are some drugs which you should know about in detail because of your GCE O level and IGCSE syllabus requirements. So, let's discuss those topics now. 


Drugs notes O Level

Alcohol

This drug is widely used in beverages and it is broken down in the liver of a body. When alcohol is consumed in a large amount, it has drastic effects on a body and especially on the nervous system. 

Some of them are:

  • The brain functions slow down.
  • Some people feel extra anxiety and for some people nervous tension is relieved. 
  • One's self-control is reduced.
  • Muscular coordination is also affected.
  • Blurred vision and slurred speech.
  • It is an addiction that increases with every consumption. 
  • Humans digestive system is affected by the risk of gastric ulcers.

Heroin:

This is one of the drugs that are most widely abused and the addiction of this drug is extremely serious. This drug reduces hunger and makes its consumers sleepy and weak as one become dependent upon the drug. 

Other negative effects are:

  1. Upset stomach
  2. Anxiety 
  3. Watering of eyes
  4. In severe cases, death
Therefore, this drug is becoming a problem which is progressing extremely fast and it is mandatory to acquire knowledge about it to refrain from its abuse. 

Smoking:

Drugs notes O Level


You should also have some knowledge regarding this topic because it is extremely important from your examination point of view. There are multiple reasons why people smoke. 

The younger ones consider it a symbol of adulthood while some people smoke to indicate that they are no longer dependent upon others. Some other reasons are listed below which you can also consider:

  • Symbol of maturity, happiness and success
  • To hide one's weaknesses and shortcomings
  • Curiosity
  • Peer pressure
  • Smoking is an addiction because the cigarette is a drug
  • For some people, it is a source to relieve tension
Nicotine is the addictive substance in a cigarette which allows the blood to clot easily. This substance is what makes a smoker dependent upon smoking. 


Carbon Monoxide damages the lining of blood vessels and it disturbs the functions of a body because it replaces oxygen which can prove to be dangerous. It is also submitted on the inner lining of your arteries which make smoking dangerous. 

Tar is a blackish-brown substance that gets deposited on the lungs and it contains many cancer-causing chemicals. Moreover, this substance can cause breathing problems because air passages can be blocked and trachea can also be affected. 

Conclusion:

The drugs notes have been provided to you and I hope that all your queries have been answered as well. Thank You very much for reading and staying with me till the end. This topic is important from paper 2 perspective but multiple questions in paper 1 can also appear. 

According to me, a general reading for this topic is more than enough and if you know some effects of drugs such as alcohol and heroin, you are good to go. 

Make sure to have a brief knowledge about smoking and substance such as Tar and Nicotine because it is also required by your syllabus.




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