PROFILE

NAME –AQSA NAJEEB

CLASS – XII

ROLL NO. – 03

SUBJECT – BIOLOGY

SUBJECT TEACHER – Mr.

ASHISH TRIPATHI
 INDEX
S. No. Title Page No.
1 Acknowledgment 01
2 Introduction: Drugs 02-03
3 Habit Forming or Psychotropic drugs 04
4 Types of drugs 05
5 Life of drug addiction 06-07
6 Factors leading to drug addiction 08-10
7 DE-addiction and Rehabilitation 10-13
8 Alcoholism 14-15
9 Types of Alcohol 15-16
10 Effects of Alcohol 17-21
11 De-Alcoholism 22-23
12 Combined effect of drug and alcohol 24
13 Prevention and control 25-26
14 Bibliography 27
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Acknowledgment
I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my
teacher Mr. Ashish Tripathi as well as our principal Fr. John
Paul Bara, who gave me golden opportunity to do this
wonderful project on the topic “Drug addiction and
Community”, which also helped me in doing a lot of
research and I came to know about so many new things and
I am really thankful to them.

Secondly, I would also like to thank my parents and friends

who helped me a lot in finalising this project within the time
frame.

Thankyou!
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INTRODUCTION
DRUG
DEFINITION: By the dictionary, the term drug can be
defined as any substance used in the composition of the
medicine.
In medical terms, a drug is defined as any chemical
substance which when taken into the body, alters the way
the body functions. Thus, a drug may modify one or more
of the body’s physical or mental functions.
Drugs are used in a number of ways:
1. Drugs are prescribed as medicines to prevent or cure a
variety of diseases. Some drugs help to fight against
infections.
2. Drugs may be used to promote better physical and
mental health
3. A number of drugs are used to alleviate anxiety,
reduce pain or insomnia
4. Drugs may be used to alter the mood. Such drugs are
termed as mood – altering drugs.
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The drugs should be used under medical advice only.

Self – medication may be very harmful because drugs do
have harmful side – effects. Some drugs like mood-
altering drugs have a particular risk of a patient
becoming totally depend on them called drug
dependence. These are habit – forming drugs and are
also called psychotropic drugs.
DRUG ADDICTION
Drug addiction means that after a drug has been taken for
some time, it is very hard to give up its use. It is a state of
periodic and persistent urge, detrimental to the health of
individual in society. The person who becomes addicted is
known as addict.
An addict shows the following characteristics:
• A strong urge to continue taking the same drug
• Progressive tolerance to the drug, that is increasing the
dose of the drug to get desired effects
• Physical and mental dependence on the drug
.
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HABIT FORMING OR
PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS
• Psychotropic drugs act on the brain and affect its
normal functioning. They slow down and interfere in
the functioning of the nervous system
• They alter behaviour, consciousness and powers of
perception. They alter the mood of a person and hence
ae called mood-altering drugs.
• They have a visible effect on the behaviour of a person.
• They make a person increasingly dependent on them.
Therefore, they are called habit forming drugs.
If a person is not physically addicted to a drug, he may
overcome his addiction without suffering from
withdrawal sickness. But usually, people are addicted to a
drug physically as well as emotionally. They need proper
medical care to overcome their addiction.
Some common examples are: Cocaine, Marijuana,
Heroin, etc.
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TYPES OF DRUGS
There are a large number of drugs on which people become
dependent. Thay are classified into four major groups:
Sedatives and tranquilizers, Opiate narcotics,
Stimulants and hallucinogens.
Types of drugs Examples Effects
Sedatives and Barbiturates, Depress CNS
Tranquillizers Benzodiazepines activity, gives a
feeling of
calmness and
drowsiness.
Opiate Narcotics Opium, Suppress brain
Morphine, activity, relaxed
Codeine, Heroin pain
Stimulants Amphetamines, Make a person
Caffeine, Cocaine more wakeful and
alert
Hallucinogens LSQ, Mescalin, Alert thoughts
Ganja, etc. and feelings.
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LIFE OF THE DRUG ADDICTS

Drug addiction drains the body both physically and
emotionally. Drug addicts feel that drugs help them; to
reduce stress but actually they go through harrowing times.
The drugs are expensive and are sold illegally. The whole
energy of an addict is diverted to obtain the drug by hook
or crook. He becomes useless for himself and for society.
He is forced to steal, to pay the hefty price for the drug
from the illegal narcotic traffic. Once addicted, a number
of them take to crime to satisfy the drug craving.
• The body of an addict develops tolerance and he needs
larger and larger doses. As the person develops
physical and psychological dependence on drug, he
craves more for the drug and the
vicious circle begins. He gets
withdrawn from his family and friends
and prefers the company of other
addicts.
• Today there are thousands of addicts
and a large number of them are
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teenagers. They get involved in the illegal activities,

drug-trafficking and crime.

• The drug addicts are unable to work at jobs. They are

always on lookout for an easy way to get money which
they can use to get the drug. They often suffer from
malnutrition and deliberately take overdoses to forget
their problems. Drug addicts not only ruin their life
but their families and society also pay a heavy price
for them.
• Drug addicts also suffer the danger of infection. Since
drugs are always procured illegally, they are not
prepared in sterile conditions. Also, they are diluted or
mixed with substances which are not sterile. Further
the syringes used are dirty, hence infection is
common. It could be blood infection, jaundice,
hepatitis or AIDS. The moment a person chose a path
of drugs; he is on a shortest and surest way to disaster.
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FACTORS LEADING TO DRUG

ADDICTION
There are a number of factors which lead to drug addiction.
Some of these are mentioned below.
1. Biochemical changes caused by the drug
A large group of addictive drugs even when taken in
small amounts and within a short time of their use,
produce noticeable biological and chemical changes in
the body. These changes called feeling of high are then
desired by the person either to escape from disturbing
life problems or to get relief from stress. The person
then starts desiring these small short-lived high
moments and starts taking more and more.
2. Peer group and personality influence
Many youngsters take to drugs just out of curiosity and
adventure for a new sensation or a new thrill.
Sometimes they fear that if they resist, their friends may
reject them. Also, the people who are emotionally
unstable, immature or impulsive fall easily for drugs.
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3. Environmental, social and cultural influence

There are a number of multifarious social factors that
lead the people to drug addiction. All sections of society
from lower to upper class can fall prey to drug
addiction. It could be due to unhealthy parental
attitudes, loneliness, lack of affection, negative attitude
of people around, easy access to money, living near
crime-dominated spots, behavioural problems at home
and work place, stressful life, etc
Some precautionary measures to avoid addiction:
Drug addiction is directly related to stress. Once addicted,
it is a long process before one comes back to normal life.
So, to avoid addiction, one should try to overcome the
stress by other means like:
• Talk to oneself and accept oneself as the one addicted to
drugs.
• Try to face the problem, rather than avoid or forget it by
taking drugs.
• Talk to family members, friends or teachers and other
adults in the community. It is always possible to avoid
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drugs and sort out the problems and look for ways to
overcome stress.
DE-ADDICTION AND
REHABILITATION
The drug abuse is generally not found in happy, well-
adjusted families. It is more among people who feel
insecure and tressed. Once addicted, they need proper
medical care and a sympathetic attitude. Management of
de-addiction is a complicated and difficult task. It cannot
be done single- handedly by a psychiatrist, psychologist or
a social worker. It needs an integrated approach, and a
concerted effort of a group of specialists. The treatment for
de-addiction occurs in phases.
De-addiction: The first phase of treatment is
detoxification.
In detoxification, gradually the drug is
stopped and the addict is helped to overcome
the withdrawal symptoms. The addict
undergoes severe physical and emotional
disturbances (explained earlier in the
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withdrawal symptoms). These are taken care of by giving

specific medicines. It takes a long time before withdrawal
symptoms are reasonably controlled.

• Then begins the next stage of psychotherapy and

counselling in which the clinical psychologist uses
his/her special ways to understand and help the addict
overcome his drug addiction. The individual and group
counselling is given by psychologists and counsellors.
The treatment includes an effort to reduce the addict's
stress. An addict is taught new ways to solve everyday
problems. It also needs strict supervision that an addict
gets adequate diet, rest and is able to relax.
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• At the same time social workers step in to strengthen the

approach. They pay home visits to motivate the addicts
and their family members to continue the treatment.
Many times, if family cooperation is not there, the
addicts when left on their own start taking the drug
again. The family counselling is done by efficient social
workers in order to change the attitude of rejection and
hostility of the neighbours and other family members
towards the addict. An addict needs to be accepted by
the family and society.
Rehabilitation: Once an addict has undergone de-
addiction and is accepted by the family and society, there
begins the next step of rehabilitation.
• They are given proper
vocational training so that
they can lead a healthy
and meaningful life. The
attempts are made to help
them become useful
members of the society.
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• De-addiction and rehabilitation of addicts is a long-

drawn process. There are a number of volunteer and
government organisations that work towards this
cause. In last two decades, drug addiction has spread
to societies all over the world though initially it was
confined to a few developing countries. Now it has
become a global problem.
• To signify the magnitude of the problem, United
Organisation observed 26th June, 1989, as the
International Day Against Drug Abuse and
Alcoholism.
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ALCOHOL ABUSE
ALCOHOLISM
The term alcoholism refers to the chronic dependence on
alcohol. The person who is dependent on alcohol is called
an alcoholic.

• An alcoholic needs proper medical supervision and

help from the family and friends to break off his habit
and overcome the addiction. Alcoholics can be found
in all sections of society. People often begin with
occasional social drinking and with small doses but
soon become addicted to it and take to heavy drinking.
Alcohol is an intoxicant and acts as a slow poison for
the body.
• Most people are moderate drinkers. They can take it or
leave it. They often make a single drink last for quite
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some time so that their body can oxidise alcohol as fast

as it enters the body. This way the effect of alcohol is
lessened and they have very few visible effects.
• Alcoholics are heavy drinkers. With heavy drinking
the amount of alcohol in their blood keeps rising and
their nervous system gets affected. Their vision
becomes distorted, their walk becomes wobbly and
their speech gets garbled. To overcome their habit,
they need the cooperation of their family and friends.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF
ALCOHOLS:
Alcohol is manufactured by the fermentation of sugars.
There are various types of alcohols like methyl alcohol or
wood alcohol, isopropyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol.
• Methyl alcohol is used as a solvent for lacquer and as
an anti-freeze in automobile radiators. It is highly
poisonous and should not be taken. Even small
quantities of it can cause blindness or death.
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• Isopropyl alcohol is often used as a rubbing alcohol.

It is also poisonous and the bottle is marked as "for
external use only".
• Ethyl alcohol or ethanol is the drinking alcohol that is
consumed by people in different forms. In this chapter,
we will study about ethyl alcohol.
Kinds of alcohol beverages: Ethyl alcohol or ethanol
(C₂H₂OH) also called drinking alcohol is produced by the
action of yeast on sugars. The sources of sugar used are
generally from fruits (like grapes) and grains (like corn,
rye, barley or wheat). Ethyl alcohol is consumed as a
beverage in a number of ways. Depending on the content
of alcohol, there can be two types of alcoholic beverages:
• Fermented beverages with low content of alcohol like
beer, toddy and wine
• Distilled beverages with a relatively high content of
alcohol like arrack, brandy, rum, whisky, gin, vodka,
etc.
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EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON AN
INDIVIDUAL
1. Effect on the central
nervous system: Alcohol is
a depressant and not a
stimulator as many people
think. It has an anaesthetic
effect and releases
inhibitions.
• It first affects the brain
cortex and the person is
no longer able to think clearly and judge good or
bad. He suffers from loss of judgement and will
power.
• The person may feel less inhibited. His normal
restraints disappear and he loses self-control. A
quiet person may become loud and an intelligent
person may laugh foolishly.
• As alcohol lessens the ability to keep normal
control, the person may feel stimulated. He may
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have a feeling of great joy, sadness or weeping

different people react differently.
• The vision gets distorted and the person may have a
blurred or double vision.
• The speech may become incoherent and may not be
easily understood
• As alcohol reaches the cerebellum, the muscular
control begins to disappear. The person is unable to
walk in a straight line and walks with a clumsy gait.
He becomes dizzy while standing and has a
tendency to fall
• In a severe drunken state, a person may lose
consciousness and may suffer a black out. His skin
becomes pale and cold and the respiratory rate and
heart rate may go down drastically. In such
situations, a person may go into coma also.
• Excessive intake of alcohol decreases the blood
sugar level and may cause permanent damage to
nerve cells.
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2. Effect on liver: Liver is the organ that gets most

affected and damaged by excessive drinking. In the
liver, alcohol is converted into a more toxic substance,
acetaldehyde. Also, liver synthesises fats from alcohol.
The fat lowers the production of enzymes and structural
proteins. Thus, instead of being an important centre for
metabolism of fat, protein and carbohydrates, it
becomes a store house of fat. It leads to swelling of liver
and gives rise to a condition called fatty liver syndrome
(75% of alcoholics suffers from this syndrome).
Continued use of alcohol leads to serious degeneration
of liver called cirrhosis. In this disease the fatty liver
shrinks and hardens as liver cells are replaced by
fibrous tissue.
3. Effect on stomach: Stomach is another organ affected
severely by excessive drinking. In the stomach, alcohol
causes an increased flow of gastric juices High doses of
alcohol (more so if taken in empty stomach) lead to
painful inflammation of the stomach lining called
gastritis.
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4. Effect on kidneys: The oxidation of alcohol in the cells

produces water. This excess water is excreted in large
amounts by the skin during heat elimination This leads
to dehydration of tissues and greater concentration of
nitrogenous wastes in the kidneys. It affects the normal
elimination of wastes by kidneys
5. Effect on other body organs: Cells oxidise most of the
alcohol taken in but the rest is removed in a variety of
ways. A part of alcohol is released in the lungs and is
removed along with exhaled air. It gives typical
alcoholic breath odour. Some of it reaches the skin and
leaves through the sweat glands during perspiration. A
small part passes out into the kidneys and is eliminated
in urine
6. Alcohol psychosis: In certain cases (about one in ten)
alcoholism leads to mental disorder called alcohol
psychosis. Such people need the professional help of
the doctors and psychiatrists and must be admitted in
the mental.
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SYMPTOMS OF ALCOHOL PSYCHOSIS:

The person suffering
from alcoholic
psychosis shows a
confused personality.
He fails to recognise
the members of his
family and friends.
• He is in a state of delirium and does not know who he is.
• The person suffering also faces problems of visual
horror. As a result, he may show uncontrolled trembling
called delirium tremors
• The person feels threatened and hallucinates that moving
objects are about to attack him.
• He may also suffer from memory loss of recent events.
The disorder can be treated only under medical supervision
that needs the professional help of psychotherapists,
doctors and dieticians. Along with dedication, diet has to
be regulated and supplemented with vitamins.
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DEALCOHOLISM
• An alcoholic needs a sympathetic understanding and
cooperation of the family members and friends to
overcome drinking.
• An alcoholic uses alcohol as an escape from reality or
problems of life. So, the foremost thing during
dealcoholism is to find the problem that underlies
drinking. He needs volunteers to help him overcome the
problem rather than take to alcohol.

• Dealcoholism is a gradual process. A person does not

leave alcohol all of a sudden. He may undergo
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withdrawal symptoms and may need proper medical

care.
• There are a number of voluntary and private
organisations that help people overcome the habit of
taking alcohol and help them lead a healthy fulfilling
life. They teach them, how to cope up with stress and
advise not to take alcohol
• Some alcoholics with
mental delirium may need
to be admitted to hospitals
under the care of
psychologists and doctors.
It may take longer for these
people to overcome the
problem.
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COMBINED EFFECTS OF DRUGS

AND ALCOHOL
The drugs addicts often take drugs with alcohol for an
immediate effect. This is highly dangerous and can be fatal
also. When drugs and alcohol are taken together, each one
doubles the effect of other
Combination taken by Effects on the body
addicts
Alcohol + depressants like Profound increased
barbiturates depressants effects
Alcohol + antihistamines Marked drowsiness

Alcohol + Valium Dramatically increased

sedative effect
Alcohol + marijuana or Highly dangerous, decreased
hashish coordination, increased
reaction time, impaired
judgement and blurred
vision
Alcohol + aspirin Increased chances of
damage to gastric mucosa
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PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Some of the measures that can be taken to prevent and
control alcohol and drug abuse among adolescents are as
given below.
1. Avoid being under peer pressure: It is important to
know that every child has own personality and that needs
to be respected and nurtured. The child should not be
pressurised to perform beyond his capacity or threshold
whether in academics or sports or other activities.
2. Education and counselling: Children should be
counselled to accept disappointments and failures as a
part of life. Their energy should be channelised into
healthy activities like reading, music, yoga, sports and
other co-
curricular
activities.
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3. Seeking help from parents and peers: Guidance

should be sought from parents immediately. The young
generation should be allowed to vent their feeling of
anxiety and growth. They should be heard and guided
properly.
4. Looking for danger signs: If friends find someone
using drugs or alcohol, they should bring this to the
notice of teachers and parents so that appropriate
measures could be taken to diagnose the illness and the
causes.
5. Seeking professional and medical help: Help from
highly qualified psychologists, psychiatrists and
dedication and rehabilitation programmes can be very
beneficial to individuals suffering from drug/alcohol
abuse.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
To complete this project, I took help from
the following material:
1. S.Chand ISC Biology Class 12
2. NCERT Biology Class 12