LOYOLA HIGH

SCHOOL
BIOLOGY
INVESTIGATORY PROJECT
NAME : Paritosh Kumar

CLASS & SEC : XII A

ROLL NUM : 33

ADMN NUM : 13510

BOARDS ROLL:
DRUG AND ALCOHOL
ABUSE

TOPIC GIVEN BY

Sweta Sinha

(Subject Teacher)
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Paritosh Kumar, a student of

class XII of section A has successfully completed
the investigatory project on the topic Drug And
Alcohol Abuse under the guidance Mrs. Sweta
Sinha (subject teacher).

This project is absolutely genuine and does not

indulge in plagiarism of any kind.

The references taken in making this project have

been declared at the end of this project.

Signature Signature

(Subject Teacher) (Examiner)

 CONTENT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
ADDICTION
ALCOHOL
FRIEND OR FOE ?
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOLISM
DRINKING AND DRIVING
DRUG
DRUG DEPENDENCE
USE AND ABUSE
TYPES AND EXAMPLES
DRUG ACTION & EFFECT OF ADDICTION
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I feel proud to present my Investigatory project in

Biology on the topic Drug and Alcohol Abuse
which aims at the ill effect of addiction in the
society and aware the public about the drug and
alcohol dependency.

I would like to express my special thanks of

gratitude to my teacher (Sweta Sinha) as well as
our principal (Bro. Satheesh S. G.) who gave me the
opportunity to do this wonderful project. It helped
me in doing a lot of research and I came to know
about so many new things I am really thankful to
them.

Secondly I would also like to thank my parents and

friends who helped me a lot in finalizing this
project within the limited time frame.
 ADDICTION

Addiction is the habitual, psychological and

physiological dependence on a substance or
practice which is beyond voluntary control.
 ALCOHOL

Alcoholic drinks have been prepared and drunk for

thousands of years. The problems that can
accompany excess alcohol intake have
undoubtedly been around just as long.

It is one of the products of distillation of

fermented grains, fruit juices and starches with the
help of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and
enzymes.

Types and Source

Alcohol content
Beverage Source in percentage
Brandy Fruit juices 40-50
Whisky Cereal grains 40-55
Rum Molasses 40-55
Wines Grapes (mostly) 10-22
Beer Cereals 4-8
 FRIEND OR FOE
?
High levels of alcohol consumption can lead to
physical illness and psychological and social
distress.
Small, regular amounts of alcohol also seem to
have appositive effect on the heart and
circulation.
But too much alcohol is often a recipe for
disaster.
 EFFECT OF ALCOHOLISM
EFFECT ON THE INDIVIDUAL

Alcohol reaches all body organs. Therefore, all of

them are affected.

EFFECT ON NERVOUS SYSTEM

Alcohol has an anesthetic effect on the nervous

system. It acts on all neurons an affects cause
painful inflammation of stomach lining called
Gastritis.
EFFECT ON LIVER

In the liver, alcohol is changed into a mere toxic

substance, acetaldehyde. Live synthesizes fats from
alcohol. The excess fat reduces the formation of
glycogen, enzymes and structural proteins. Thus,
the liver changes to a mere storehouse of fat. Then
the liver gradually hardens as the cells are replaced
by fibrous tissues. This degeneration is called
Cirrhosis . Alcohol also affect the Heart, Kidneys,
Immunity, Fetus, etc.
 DRINKING & DRIVING

Drinking and Driving do not go together because

alcohol-

Impair ability to judge distances.

Reduces capacity to coordinate limb muscles.
Lessons alertness to watch objects outside the
vehicles.
Slow responses to unexpected situations.
Changes behavior, making the person rash,
erratic and careless.

Do You Know ?
Alcoholism was declared a Disease by
World Health Organism WHO- in 1964.
 DRUG
Any substance, other than food, used in
prevention, diagnosis, alleviation, treatment or
cure of a disease in man and animals is called
drug..

Types of Habituating Drugs:

1. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS
Tranquillizers
Sedatives
Opiate Narcotics
Stimulants
2. PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS
Natural Hallucinogens
Synthetic Hallucinogens

.
 DRUG DEPENDENCE
Certain drugs are prescribed by physicians for the
preventions or treatment of diseases, or for
increasing the physical depend and mental
performance and are withdrawn as soon as the
desired effect is achieved. Repeated use of certain
drugs on a periodic or continuous basis may make
the body dependent on them. This is called drug
dependence.. Some people start taking drugs
without medical advice and become drug
dependent.
 USE AND ABUSE OF DRUGS

Taking a drug for a medical purpose treat bodys

disorder or injury is known as its use. Intake of a
drug for a non medical purpose and in amount,
strength, manner or frequency that impairs
physical and mental functions is called abuse .
Types of drugs Examples Effects
1. Tranquillizers
Phenothiazenes, Lesser tension
Benzodiazepines. and anxiety
without sedation
and inducing
sleep.
2. Sedatives Barbiturates, Depress CNS
Benzodiazepines. activity, give
feeling of
calmness, relaxatn,
drowsiness. High
doses induce
deep sleep.
3. Opiate Opium, Suppress brain
Narcotics Morphine, activity, relieve
Codeine, Heroin, pain, stimulate
Smack, Pethidine, nervous system.
Methadone.
4. Stimulants Caffeine, Cocaine, Make a person
Crack, Betel Nut, more wakeful,
Amphetamines. alert and active,
cause excitement.
5. Hallucinogens LSD, Mescaline, Alert thoughts,
Psilocybin, feeling and
Psilocin, Bhang, perceptions.
Ganja, Charas, Cause illusions.
Marijuana
Some popular (famous) Drugs:

1. Opium
Opium is the air-dried, milky latex obtained by
incising the unripe fruits of white poppy plant,
Papaver somniferum. It has reddish-brown colour,
heavy smell and bitter taste. In ancient Greek
times, it was used as pain killer. It also induce
exaggerated feeling of well being, also called
high.

Opium dependent loses weight, fertility and

interest in work.

It main derivatives are Morphine C17H19NO3 and

Codeine C18H21NO3.

MORPHINE

2. Heroine
Also called Diacetylmorphine. It is a brown
crystalline semi synthetic compound prepared
from morphine by acetylation. It twice as potent as
morphine and almost 200 times stronger than
opium. It was formerly used for the relief of cough.
It is highly addictive. It is banned even for medical
use, except for research. It is prepared and sold
illegally because it gives huge profits.

Syringes and needles used for injection may not be

sterilized. This may cause blood poisoning, serum
hepatitis, abscess formation and AIDS.

Its chemical formula of heroin is

C17H17(OC2H3O)ON.

HEROINE

3. Caffeine
Caffeine is a vegetable alkaloid obtained from the
dried leaves of tea plant ( Thea sinensis ), dried
beans of coffee plant (Coffea arabica ), and dried
seeds of cacao plant (Theobroma cacao). It is a
mild stimulant.

Caffeine is white, crystalline, slightly bitter alkaloid.

Taken as beverages- tea, coffee, cocoa and cola

drinks.

It is 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine. Its chemical formula is

C8H1OH4C2.

CAFFEINE

4. Cocaine
Cocaine is extracted from the dried leaves and
young twigs of the South American shrub named
Erythroxylon coca . It is not connected to beverage
cocoa. It is a CNS stimulant. It increases mental
alertness and physical strength.

It is a white, crystalline bitter powder.

Taken in multiple ways chewed, eaten, injected or

sniffed in its powder form or taken as drink.

It is benzoylmethylecgonine. Its chemical formula

is C17H21NO4.

COCZINE

5. Cannabinoids
Four drugs, namely, bhang, ganja, charas and
marijuana are obtained from dried parts of
Hemp plant( Cannabis indica and Cannabis
sativa ). It grows wild in India.
Mostly taken by mixing it with tobacco and
smoked.
Cannabinoid Plant part Taken as

Bhang Flowering Drink and

shoots of eaten as
male and well.
female
plants.
Ganja Resinous Smoked in
extract of cigarettes.
dried
unfertilized
female
inflorescence.
Charas Pure resin Chewed,
from female drunk and
flower and smoked.
leaves.
Marijuana Dried Smoked.
inflorescence
and leaves of
female
plants.
 The most active principal of hemp plant is
tetrahydrocannabinol C21H30O2.

CZNNZBINOID

Do You Know ?
Drug taking is noticed in animals also.
Rabbits, deer, elephants and birds have
been seen to seek out and eat fermented
fruits and intoxicated mushrooms
 DRUG ACTION
Brain controls all the human activities and
behavioral responses, and nearly all drugs acts on
the brain by the blood.

The drugs also act at the synapses.

The depressant drugs may

Inhibit the production of neurotransmitter,

Cause inactivation of the inactivation of the
neurotransmitter more quickly than normal,
Modify the postsynaptic membrane so that it
is not affected by the neurotransmitter.

In either case, the transmission of the nerve

impulse is slowed.

The stimulants may increase the production of

neurotransmitter. This increases stimulation of the
neurons.
 EFFECT OF DRUG ADDICTION
Prolonged use of drugs affects the central nervous
system permanently. The addict becomes victims
of various diseases, including psychosis. Hepatitis-
B and AIDS are common in the drug addicts as
they use contaminated needles to inject drugs.

The drug addicts usually have a dull, unhappy life.

Prolonged use of habituating drugs may cause
impotency, chromosomal abnormalities and
defective offspring.

DEADDICTION
Treatment of drug addiction or withdrawal
symptoms of drug is known as de-addiction.

Some of the withdrawal symptoms are nausea,

vommiting, headaches, decreased appetite,
restlessness, epilepsy, etc

.
 CONCLUSION

A drug/alcohol is any habit forming substance

that directly affects the central nervous system;
it affects moods, perceptions, bodily functions
or consciousness.
Social costs of drugs include property crime
(generally committed to support a habit),
automobile accidents, economic losses, health
problems, disrespect for the law, family
disruption, spouse and children abuse,
financial crisis for user and adverse
psychological effects on individuals.
Treatment programs for a drug abuse include
inpatient and outpatients services provided by
the community mental health centers, some
medical hospitals and specialized chemical
abuse rehabilitation centers. Additional
programs include self help groups, halfway
houses and therapeutic communities.
 Bibliography

NCERT Biology textbook ( Class XII )

Pradeeps Biology (Class XII)
en.m.wikipedia.org
www.slideshare.net