Types and Effects of Psychoactive Drugs - Drugs and Alcohol Abuse

Use of drugs and alcohol, especially among youth, is a cause of concern as it results in many harmful effects. Proper education and guidance enable youth to safeguard themselves against these dangerous behaviour patterns.

The drugs commonly abused are opioids, cannabinoids, and coca alkaloids. The majority are obtained from flowering plants; some are obtained from fungi.

• Opioids are drugs that bind to specific opioid receptors present in the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract.
• Heroin (commonly called smack) is chemically diacetylmorphine, a white, odourless, bitter crystalline compound.
• Heroin is obtained by acetylation of morphine, which is extracted from the latex of the poppy plant Papaver somniferum.
• Mode of intake: snorting and injection.
• Heroin is a depressant and slows down body functions.
• Morphine is a very effective sedative and painkiller, useful in patients who have undergone surgery.

Morphine: chemical structure

Opium poppy

• Cannabinoids are a group of chemicals that interact with cannabinoid receptors present principally in the brain.
• Natural cannabinoids are obtained from the inflorescences of the plant Cannabis sativa.
• The flower tops, leaves, and resin of the cannabis plant are used in various combinations to produce marijuana, hashish, charas, and ganja.
• Mode of intake: inhalation and oral ingestion.
• Known for their effects on the cardiovascular system of the body.
• Cannabinoids are also being abused by some sportspersons.

Structure of a Cannabinoid molecule

Leaves of Cannabis sativa

• Cocaine is obtained from the coca plant Erythroxylum coca, native to South America.
• It interferes with the transport of the neurotransmitter dopamine.
• Commonly called coke or crack; usually snorted.
• Has a potent stimulating action on the CNS, producing a sense of euphoria and increased energy.
• Excessive dosage causes hallucinations.

• Atropa belladonna and Datura are well-known plants with hallucinogenic properties.
• Several plants, fruits, and seeds having hallucinogenic properties have been used for hundreds of years in folk medicine, religious ceremonies, and rituals all over the globe.

Flowering branch of Datura

• Drugs such as barbiturates, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and similar drugs, normally used to help patients cope with mental illnesses like depression and insomnia, are often abused.
• When these are taken for a purpose other than medicinal use, or in amounts/frequency that impairs physical, physiological, or psychological functions, it constitutes drug abuse.

Some sportspersons misuse narcotic analgesics, anabolic steroids, diuretics, and certain hormones to increase muscle strength, bulk, aggressiveness, and athletic performance.

Side Effects of Anabolic Steroids:

• Effects may be permanent with prolonged use.
• In adolescents (both sexes): severe acne + premature closure of growth plates → stunted growth.

Used by humans for over 400 years; consumed by smoking, chewing, or as snuff. Contains nicotine, an alkaloid.

Mechanism:

Nicotine stimulates the adrenal glands → releases adrenaline and nor-adrenaline → raises blood pressure and increases heart rate.

Effects of Smoking:

• Cancers of the lung, urinary bladder, and throat
• Bronchitis, emphysema, coronary heart disease, gastric ulcer
• Increases CO content in blood → reduces haemoglobin oxygen → oxygen deficiency

Effects of Tobacco Chewing:

Increased risk of cancer of the oral cavity

Note: Cigarette packets carry a statutory warning. Any addict requires counselling and medical help to quit.

• Smoking paves the way to hard drugs.
• Habits such as smoking, taking drugs, or drinking alcohol are more likely to be taken up during adolescence.
• Parenting that combines high levels of nurturance with consistent discipline has been associated with lowered risk of substance abuse.

The use of drugs and alcohol, particularly among youth, poses significant health risks, but can be mitigated through proper education and consistent, nurturing parenting.

1. Opioids, such as heroin (derived from Papaver somniferum), bind to receptors in the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract to act as depressants, while morphine is primarily used as a sedative and painkiller.
2. Cannabinoids interact with receptors primarily in the brain and are obtained from Cannabis sativa; they are known to affect the cardiovascular system and are sometimes abused by sportspersons.
3. Coca Alkaloids (Cocaine) interfere with dopamine transport and act as potent CNS stimulants, which can induce euphoria and, in excessive doses, hallucinations.
4. Hallucinogenic plants like Atropa belladonna and Datura have been utilised for centuries in various cultural and medicinal contexts for their mind-altering properties.
5. Abused Medicinal Drugs (e.g., barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and anabolic steroids) and Tobacco (which releases adrenaline and increases heart rate) are frequently misused, leading to severe physical, psychological, and physiological impairments.