Impact of dangerous drugs on youngsters By Akhmal luqman Iqra University

Introduction http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11518086 (1)The use of dangerous drugs refers to the intake of drugs regularly over a period of time. Although 9.2 percent of the worldwide population is addicted to taking drugs regularly, it is surprising to know that very little is known about the regulation of drug intake. http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/drugs/why-do-people-take-drugs.html (2)

So, the question is why do people take drugs? What are people trying to achieve by the intake of drugs?People take drugs to change something in their lives it maybe that they want to fit in or it can be that they want to escape or overcome something. Difficult as it may be to face ones problems, the consequences of drug use are always worse than the problem one is trying to solve with them. The real answer is to get the facts and not to take drugs in the first place.

How drugs work? Drugs are essentially poisons but the amount and quantity determines the effect. For instance, a small amount of drug intake can act as a stimulant (speed you up) whereas a greater amount can act as a sedative (slow you down).But many drugs have another liability they directly affect the mind. They can distort the users perception of what is happening around him or her. As a result, the persons actions may be odd, irrational, inappropriate and even destructive.

Advantages

Obviously, the immediate advantage is improved playing, which includes faster reaction time, the ability to life more weights (to become stronger) have better endurance and speed, and sometimes even give the user a sense of false invincibility. With all of these great advantages, it's no wonder many athletes across all sports have taken drugs to improve their playing.Having considered the advantages there are a number of disadvantages of drug intake that impacts us in the long term.

Drugs are chemicals that affect the brain by tapping into its communication system and interfering with the way neurons normally send, receive, and process information. Some drugs, such as marijuana and heroin, can activate neurons because their chemical structure mimics that of a natural neurotransmitter. This similarity in structure fools receptors and allows the drugs to attach onto and activate the neurons.

Although these drugs mimic the brains own chemicals, they dont activate neurons in the same way as a natural neurotransmitter, and they lead to abnormal messages being transmitted through the network.

Other drugs, such as amphetamine or cocaine, can cause the neurons to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters or prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals. This disruption produces a greatly amplified message, ultimately disrupting communication channels.

How do drugs work in our body?Most drugs of abuse directly or indirectly target the brains reward system by flooding the circuit with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, motivation, and feelings of pleasure. When activated at normal levels, this system rewards our natural behaviors. Over stimulating the system with drugs, however, produces euphoric effects, which strongly reinforce the behavior of drug useteaching the user to repeat it.

What is the result of taking drugs?Drugs have a major impact on the human brain for example, a drug addict would feel lifeless, depressed and is unable to enjoy previous pleasures.

Now, the person needs to keep taking drugs again and again just to try and bring his or her dopamine function back up to normalwhich only makes the problem worse, like a vicious cycle. Also, the person will often need to take larger amounts of the drug to produce the familiar dopamine highan effect known as tolerance.

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brain (3)

DRUG CLASSIFICATION Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, illegal drugs are placed into one of 3 classes - A, B or C. This is broadly based on the harms they cause either to the user or to society when they are misused.The class into which a drug is placed affects the maximum penalty for an offence involving the drug. For example, Class A drugs attract the most severe penalty as they are considered likely to cause the most serious harm. Drugs controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act are illegal to have, produce, give away or sell. Different types of drugs Drugs are categorized into different classes class a drug being the most harmful and dangerous whereas, class b and c drugs are still dangerous but leave a short impact on the user.MAGIC MUSHROOMS An example of a class A drug is magic mushrooms. Magic mushrooms is a slang word for psilocybe semilanceata or liberty cap mushrooms (the most common type of magic mushroom in the UK) and any other mushroom which produces similar trippy effects, like hallucinations.It is important to know that different types of magic mushroom will differ in how strong and how toxic they are.Here are the main effects and risks of magic mushrooms: Colors, sounds and objects appear distorted. Your sense of time and movement can speed up or slow down. You may feel disoriented, tired or sick and some users can get stomach pains or diarrhea.

CANNABIS

An example of a class b drug is, cannabis one of the most widely used drug. Cannabis is made from cannabis plant. Cannabis can make you hallucinate, meaning that it can alter your senses, so that you might see, hear or feel things in a different way to normal.

There are many myths about cannabis - that its safe because its natural, that using cannabis will completely ruin your life, your health and your future or that using cannabis will lead you into using other, more dangerous drugs. What is true is that cannabis can have some very real, harmful effects on your mind and body, as well as creating longer-term problems.

Cannabis has effects both on the body (physiological) and the mind (psychoactive). The physiological effects may include increased heart rate, reddening of the eyes, dryness in the mouth, reduced pressure in the eyeball (intraocular pressure) and muscle relaxation.

ANABOLIC STEROIDS

An example of a class c drug is anabolic steroids.

Steroids are drugs that mimic certain natural hormones in the body that regulate and control how the body works and develops. There are two main groups of natural steroids - anabolic steroids and corticosteroids.

It is the anabolic steroids that tend to be misused, mainly because they are similar to the male hormone testosterone and they can improve endurance and performance and stimulate muscle growth.

Some people take the anabolic steroids to help build muscles or to try and look more manly. Other people take them to improve how they perform at sports, such as sprinting and cycling.The key effects of anabolic steroids include: They may help sports players train harder and longer.

If taken alongside a strenuous exercise regime, they may help with faster recovery times and with the building up of muscle mass.

They can make some users feel paranoid, irritable, aggressive or even violent, and they can cause dramatic mood swings.

They can sometimes cause unwanted changes in appearance.

Where do drugs come from? Drugs like cannabis and heroin come from plants. Other drugs are man-made in laboratories. How a drug is made and what other substances are added to it can vary from time to time and from place to place. You cant be 100% sure of what you're getting when you use drugs obtained anywhere else except through a reliable pharmacy.

Even in the case of purely 'natural drugs' like magic mushrooms, there are risks (for example, unless you know what youre doing you may pick mushrooms by mistakes that are poisonous).

Drug addiction Drug addiction is a problem for teenagers as well as adults and there are a variety of reasons as to why this is the case. These include peer pressure, growing up in a household where one or both parents take drugs or having a genetic tendency towards addiction. Films, television and the media are another factor. There is the issue of whether teenagers are more prone to drug addiction due to the fact that their brains are still developing. This development means that the parts of the brain which are responsible for decision making and impulse control are less well developed than others. These include areas which control instant gratification and emotional expression.This manifests itself in teenagers who engage in impulsive and risky action without too much thought for the consequences. The desire for pleasure or an instant buzzoverrides other considerations such as the likelihood of harm to the user or the potential overspill into other areas of their lives. This also includes the consequences of their actions upon others, for example their parents, other members of their family or friends.

One of the main reasons why young people start to take drugs is because of the peer pressure. Young people are obsessed with being part of the group and trying to fit in. This means wearing the same clothes, speaking the same language and doing the same thing. If the group they wish to be the part of does drugs then it is very difficult not to do the same. In some cases they take drugs just so that they are accepted into the group. The teenage years are a difficult time in that a young person is no longer a child but is not quite an adult and is trying to assert their individualism and identity at that time. But friendships and being part of a group are immensely important at this time and it a young person would rather adapt their behavior to that of the group rather than risk rejection.There is also the fact that smoking, drinking alcohol or taking drugs are seen as acts of rebellion. Young people who take drugs know that these drugs are bad for them which make them even more attractive. Furthermore the thought of doing something that is both risky and harmful only makes it more interesting and exciting. Home life/EnvironmentIn addition to this, the risk of getting addicted to drugs also depends on the home life and environment. If a young person is brought up in a household where drugs are discussed freely, are available or are seen as part of everyday life then they are at risk of developing an addiction.If you were growing up in a home where cigarettes, alcohol or drugs are not viewed as anything out of the ordinary then it is logical that you will see them in the same way.

There are situations in which children and teenagers grow up in a house where drugs are being distributed and/or taken. If this is combined with what can only be described as a chaoticlifestyle, possibly with poverty and deprivation then the triggers are there for addiction.Advertising and media Both film and television present lifestyles which often include these substances and in a certain way which makes them cool or desirables to teenagers.Fashion and music magazines, the internet and other forms of advertising focus upon celebrity lifestyles which also include substance abuse and these can appeal to impressionable teenagers. http://www.medic8.com/drug-addiction/young-people-and-addictions.html

ConclusionOverall, the intake of using drugs especially on teenagers can lead to many harmful and negative effects on both the brain and the body. The factors that influence the use of drug are very substantial. llegal drugs aren't good for anyone, but they are particularly bad for a kid or teen whose body is still growing. Illegal drugs can damage the brain, heart, and other important organs. Cocaine, for instance, can cause a heart attack even in a kid or teen.

While using drugs, people are also less able to do well in school, sports, and other activities. It's often harder to think clearly and make good decisions. People can do dumb or dangerous things that could hurt them or other people.

The picture shows effects of various types of drugs on these users.

Besides addiction drug abuse is linked to a variety of health problems, including HIV/AIDS ,cancer,h