Drug use and abuse.

A drug is defined as any chemical or biological substance, which when taken into the body, by any means whatsoever changes the functions of the body or behavior of the user. If it changes the functioning for good substance is regarded as medicine. Drugs are most times substances taken into the body that create a certain reaction craved by the person. The substance can be taken into the body orally, by injection, smoking, sniffing, inhaling, or direct contact with skin.

Medicine is usually prescribed to help fight illness and diseases.

Drug Abuse can be defined as the use of a chemical substance for non medicinal purposes which affects the mind.

Drug dependency otherwise called drug addiction is a point where the drug Abuse is no longer under the control of the person taking the drugs.

Physical dependency means that the abuser gets so used to it, that the person becomes physically ill when he stops using.

Psychological dependency means that the individual craves the drug and can go to lenghts to get it and satisfy his cravings.

TYPES OF DRUGS
The following are some different kinds of drugs and their abuse system.

Stimulants: Such as cocaine and amphetamines, some of these are used by students to stay awake during study sessions which might later lead to dependency, and other uses include for spontaneous energy to do heavy duty jobs.

Sleep inducing drugs: Such as barbuturates it’s effects are slowing down the body system.

Powerful pain killers: Narcotics such as opium, heroin and cocaine fall under this category and they numb the pain receptors of the user.

Hallucinations producing chemicals: Such as marijuana, which causes hallucination and loss of contact with reality making the users mind muddled.

Different ways drugs can be abused

• Misuse of prescribed drug: this is when a patient uses drugs prescribed but not according to the instructions of the doctor.
• Self medication: this is an act where individuals take drugs on their own without prescription of a medical personal.
• Excessive intake of alcoholic drinks: this is when individuals indulge in the intake of alcoholic drinks at a time such that the person becomes intoxicated and loses coordination of his motor senses.
• Frequent use of substances in over dosed rations, taking drugs that can change the users mood and feelings, for performance enhancement.
  Reasons most people abuse drugs:
• Peer group influence, when they are surrounded by persons who are always indulging in such acts, it only takes a while to get into such habits and start abusing as well.
• Emotional and psychological stress: mostly used by persons suffering from anxiety and stressfull situations.
• Environmental influence: when a person is surrounded by systems that make drug Abuse seem like a norm, he grows up with such mentality and follows the trend to become an abuser himself.

The use and abuse of drug should be taught at secondary school levels to engage the children at a young age on the effects of drug Abuse and to constantly remind them that drug Abuse and dependency can cause lifelong problems such as permanent loss of mind, dependency that leads to depression and destruction.
For people In communities where taking hard drugs is a norm, volunteers should actively sensitize them on the overall effects and how it causes damage to the human system.
Youths Should be closely monitored to watch for signs of drug Abuse so it can be curtailed on time.
Identifying hot spots where dealers of hard drugs hide and carry out their business and reporting such areas to the drug law enforcement agents will go a long way in curbing the spread of those drugs.
Drug Abuse has become a worldwide problem, it has virtually affected every aspect of the political, social and economic life of many nations. Today there exists legally binding territories and conventions instituted worldwide against narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances since 1961,1972,1988. This measures are geared towards fighting the possession, use, trade, distribution, importation, manufacture of hard drugs.