1. Alcohol & Drugs
D. Crowley, 2007

2. Monday, June 11, 2018
Alcohol & Drugs
To be able to identify the effects of alcohol and other drugs on the body

3. Alcohol Quiz
Try your knowledge at the alcohol quiz - are the statements true or false? Be prepared to give reasons for your answers
Alcohol is produced by yeast cells
Alcohol is poisonous
You cannot become addicted to alcohol
A pint of beer contains 1 unit of alcohol
You can buy alcohol when you are 16
The legal limit for driving is 100mg of alcohol in 100cm3 of blood
Alcohol makes you react quicker
Alcohol makes you more relaxed
Too much alcohol can damage the liver
Alcohol affects all people in exactly the same way
Women react more quickly to alcohol than men
True
True
False
False - 2 units
False - 18
False - 80mg
False - depressant so slows reaction times
True
True
False
True - absorb it quicker

4. Alcohol What is alcohol?
Alcohol is a recreational drug that has short term and long term effects on the body
Alcohol is a depressant that works by slowing down the nervous system and relaxing the brain - it can reach the brain in <1 minute
The liver breaks down alcohol to remove this toxic drug from the body - too much alcohol can damage the liver and brain

5. Behavioural Effects
Alcohol can result in some serious behavioural changes in people - it’s a depressant (slows the nerve impulses) which can make people feel relaxed and happy, but also severely slows their reaction times
But it is different for different people - some people can become aggressive, confused and loud!
This is because the alcohol affects the brain and stops the nerves from working
Excess alcohol will cause vomiting (your bodies defense in trying to remove the poisonous alcohol), however too much can lead to death as it stops signals from the brain informing the lungs to breathe

6. Anatomical Effects Alcohol also has some nasty affects on the body
These include brain damage - from brain cells being destroyed
The liver is also extremely vulnerable - the liver breaks the toxic alcohol down, but too much of it slowly kills of the liver cells leading to cirrhosis and possibly cancer
Alcohol also stops some vitamins being absorbed into the body - heavy drinkers will suffer vitamin deficiencies
And if you’re pregnant, all the poisonous alcohol in your blood will pass to the foetus - severely affecting its development

7. How Much? How much alcohol is safe?!
Alcohol is an addictive drug, which can have serious consequences - killing nearly as many people as smoking!
It is recommended that men should drink no more than 21 units a week (10 pints of lager)
Women should drink no more than14 units (7 alcopops)

8. Hangover

9. Worksheet Complete the alcohol abuse worksheet
Alcohol abuse is when someone is regularly drinking too much alcohol
Brain; liver; and stomach can all be damaged by alcohol
An alcoholic is someone who is addicted to alcohol
Cirrhosis of the liver kills many alcoholics
Alcohol affects the foetus too - damaging the brain, liver and slowing the foetus growth. Women who are alcoholic often give birth to smaller than average babies as the alcohol has affected the rate of growth of the foetus
Again, the brain and liver of a foetus (just like in the mother) can be severely affected by alcohol

10. Drugs
What is a drug?
A drug is any substance that changes the way the body or mind works
Drugs are substances that have effects on the body
Medicines are drugs that help people suffering from pain or disease, such as aspirin or penicillin
Other drugs, often called recreational drugs, are taken for pleasure

11. Legal
Some recreational drugs are legal, such as tobacco, alcohol and caffeine.
Most other recreational drugs are illegal, such as cannabis, ecstasy and heroin.
Recreational drugs are addictive, and they may be depressants or stimulants.
Any drug that is misused can cause damage to the body, as well as personal and social problems.
Injecting any drug with a needle and syringe that someone else has used may lead to a number of diseases from infected blood, including HIV and hepatitis.

12. Stimulants
Stimulants - increase the speed at which nerves carry messages (they make you feel more alert)
Caffeine (legal)
Cocaine
Ecstasy
Amphetamines
They make you feel more energetic and confident, but they can damage the liver and heart.
They can also cause loss of memory and concentration, and bring an increased risk of mental illness.

13. Depressants
Depressants - slow down messages in the brain and along the nerves (they make you feel more relaxed, happy, distorted view of surroundings)
Alcohol (legal)
Cannabis
Solvents
Heroin
Some of the long-term effects of depressants on the body include damage to the liver, brain and heart
Alcohol can cause weight gain; solvent abuse causes a rash around the nose and mouth; cannabis causes loss of memory and concentration, as well as an increased risk of mental illness.