Introduction
Dictionaries usually have several definitions of drugs. One would be any substance used as a medicine or as an ingredient in a medicine. Another would be a narcotic, hallucinogen, etc. especially one that is addictive. To me personally, there are 2 types of drugs, narcotics and prescription drugs. Of course, both of these can be abused. In prescription drugs, if it is not taken as prescribed, it can cause some harmful things. And narcotics, without a doubt, can be abused.
Body chemistry and what it leads to: Body chemistry is the way your body reacts to the drugs taken. Its like a teenagers body going through puberty. When the body is changing, the body is not used to the changes, therefore it throws little tantrums, causing different things. These tantrums would be the side-effects that drugs can cause. But after a while, the body becomes used to the changes, and can live with it.
In body chemistry, when drugs are taken (usually when it is abused), the body first throws tantrums, or reactions or side-effects. But as the drug is continued to be abused, your body starts to depend on it. This leads to addiction and tolerance. Tolerance is the ability to tolerate the effects of a drug after continued abuse. To be an addict, someone depends on the drug to "go on." It would be as it they couldnt live any longer without it.
In the withdrawal process, the body is so used to the drug, that it depends on it to go on. Now, it someone where to stop using it, the body will throw another tantrum. This is because the body has depended on something, and when it is taken away, it will react negatively. Usually there will be different side-effects depending on the type of drug that is being abused.
Tobacco can affect someones life to the fullest extent. Tobacco can come in different things, or ways of packaging. Cigarettes, chewing tobacco, cigars, and other items have tobacco present in them (as well as other harmful things).
Side-effects: Adolescents- Tobacco have plenty of side-effects. In children, between the age of 10 and 18, both male and female who smoke 5 or more cigarettes every day can cause their lungs to grow at a slower rate. There are about 3,000 new children who begin to smoke every day. 1/3 of them will die because of smoking-related illnesses such as lung cancer, emphysema, and hear disease.
Children who breathe secondhand smoke are more likely to suffer from pneumonia, bronchitis, and other lung diseases. They are also more likely to have more ear infections, develop asthma, and have more asthma attacks.
Pregnant women- Pregnant women who smoke are putting their children on the line. Although some smoking pregnant women do have healthy babies, the stats show that they are extremely lucky. When a pregnant mother smoke here baby could be born prematurely, before pregnancy or during the time its conceived, maybe afterwards.
Children with mothers who smoked during pregnancy do weigh less it they are conceived. This doesnt help, because they have more health problems, resulting in death probably within their first year of life.
When a mother breast feeds, and if she is a smoker, the nicotine and other toxic chemicals will be transferred through the milk.
Everybody- Anyone who used tobacco is putting themselves in line for mouth cancer, lung cancer, bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, coronary artery disease, smaller lungs, respiratory illnesses, decreased physical fitness, unfavorable lipid profile, and potential retardation in the level of maximum lung function, and ultimately, DEATH.
Medical uses: To my present knowledge, tobacco isnt being used medically to treat anything, probably because there are so many dangerous affects that tie in with using it.
Addiction: Tobacco users take in a chemical called nicotine. This is the chemical that makes tobacco addictive. When nicotine is taken in small doses, it can cause some physiological affects. Also in small doses, nicotine can cause stimulation in the nervous system.
In even larger doses, it can paralyze the nerves ability to send impulses across the spaces between the adjoining nerve cells. Because of this "stimulation," smokers are using tobacco in larger amounts, which can result in DEATH.
Withdrawal Process: For people who have been smoking for a longer period of time, or more cigarettes, it is more difficult to withdraw from tobacco than someone who just started to use it. This is because of body chemistry. After using it, for such a long period of time, your body will become used to the drug, needing more of it for your body to produce the same affects. So, more and more is needed to produce the same effects. And to withdraw from tobacco, someone should withdraw from it gradually, as doctors suggest.
There are several ways to approach withdrawal. People may choose to use nicotine patches, get to some people or place that would help them (maybe the American Lung Association), or other way that has been proven to work.
Groups: Many smokers turn to groups for help because of the support and understanding fellow smokers give to them. Most successful group help techniques are challenge and reward system, in addition to strengthening the self-discipline of the ex-smoker.
Nicotine patches and gums: A nicotine patch is a disk that is placed on the surface of the skin. This disk holds a certain amount of nicotine. The nicotine is released and then absorbed by the skin. When the nicotine parch is replaced, it is usually one that has less nicotine in it. This gradual method is also used with nicotine gums.
Although tobacco is hard to withdraw from, it can be done. One must have strong physiological strength, the will to stop using tobacco, as well as other contributions to help make it easier to stop smoking.
There are hundreds and thousands of places to go for support. Families, various groups, and even children can be used to help and support a person. There are many places a tobacco addict can go to for help. Groups are always willing to help and accept new people into their groups and help them move on. But most importantly, the first person one must got to for support is themselves, because whatever the strength people have pushed one to stop is not merely enough as the strength that someone had inside themselves, to stop.