SS2 Second Term Civic Education Lesson Note – Drugs and Drug Abuse

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WEEK 5

SUBJECT: CIVIC EDUCATION

CLASS: SS2

TOPIC: DRUGS AND DRUG ABUSE

CONTENT:    

• MEANING OF DRUG AND DRUG ABUSE
• TYPES OF DRUGS THAT CAN BE ABUSED AND HOW THEY ARE ABUSED.

What is Drug?

A drug can be defined as a substance used for chemical purposes, either alone or in a mixture. It is a chemical preparation for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of diseases or ailments. It can also be defined as any substance that modifies biological, psychological and social behaviour. To a lay man, drug is synonymous with medicine. Drug, when taken, if it changes the functioning of the body for good e.g., healing an ailment or disease, it is called medicine, but if the changes produce bad effect, it is referred to as drug abuse.

Drugs are taken based on Doctor’s prescription. Drugs when taken may have other effects other than those needed. Such effects are generally known as side effects

What is Drug Abuse?

It is misuse or improper way of using drug. It can be defined as the use of hard drug. A drug is said to be abused when it is taken without medical prescription. It also involves indiscriminate use of any drug.

Drug abuse can also be defined as the use of illegal drugs in such a way that it may be harmful to the user or to others. It is also the habitual use of drugs to alter one’s mood, emotion or state of consciousness. In addition, drug abuse means an excessive or improper use of drugs, especially through self-medication for non-medical purposes. Drug abuse could lead to addiction or dependence, serious physiological damage or injury, (such as damage to kidneys, liver, heart, brain, etc) or psychological harm (such as dysfunctional behaviour patterns, hallucination, memory loss, etc or even death. Drug abuse is also known as substance abuse.

It is important to state that most of the drugs prescriptions are not abused but rather “misused”

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says that drugs are abused when;

1. Its use is not medically necessary or for non-medical purpose.
2. Its use is legally prohibited and
3. It is excessively and persistently self-administered.

Forms of Drug Abuse

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