alcohol abuse

alcohol abuse Adolescence begins with a period of rapid physical and sexual development called puberty to maturity at to years of age. Adolescence is also a highly dynamic period of psychological and social changes in individuals. Adolescents are vulnerable to group (peer) pressure and many youngsters are pushed into experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Proper Triradiate mouth with lips Excretory pore Lateral line Penial setae Ventrally curved tail Cloacal aperture Anus Fig. . Ascaris male and female worm Fig. . Wuchereria bancrofti Fig. . Chronic inflammation of the lower limbs XII Std Zoology Chapter XII Std Zoology Chapter Human Health and Diseases pain killer and is used during surgery. It is the most widely abused narcotic drug which acts as a depressant and slows down body functions. Cannobinoids are a group of chemicals obtained from Cannabis sativa , the Indian hemp plant (Fig. . ). Natural cannabinoids are the main source of marijuana, ganja, hashish and charas. It interferes in the transport of the neurotransmitter, dopamine and has a potent stimulating action on the CNS, producing increased energy and a sense of euphoria. Fig. . Cannabis sativa (Hemp plant) Cocaine is a white powder that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant, Erythroxylum coca . It is commonly called coke or crack. Cocaine causes serious physical and psychological problems including hallucinations and paranoia . The other plants with hallucinogenic properties are Atropa belladonna and Datura (Fig. . and Fig. . ) . education and guidance would enable youth to say no to drugs and alcohol and to follow a healthy life style. Alcohol is a psychoactive drug, which acts on the brain, affecting a person’s mind and behaviour. It is a depressant, which slows down the activity of the nervous system. The intake of certain drugs for a purpose other than their normal clinical use in an amount and frequency that impair one’s physical, physiological and psychological functions is called drug abuse . The drugs which are commonly abused include opioids, cannabinoids, coca-alkaloids, barbiturates, amphetamines and LSD