YOUTH AGAINST DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
 The term drug refers to any non food substance which when taken alters the normal
functioning, of the mind and the body. It affects the body cells tissues, blood and
bones. Drug abuse is the habitual consumption of drugs and dependence on drugs. It
is the taking of drugs to satisfy non-medical needs, hence to derive pleasure from it.
 Misuse of drugs begins even with the ordinary drugs we take to cure various ailments.
For example, when a drug is prescribed unnecessarily or is taken needlessly, we say
the drug is being abused.
 Drugs are categorized into various groups. We have narcotics, depressants,
stimulants, inhalants and hallucinogens. Narcotic drugs are also referred to as hard
drugs; they eventually produce a state of addiction. They include opium, morphine,
codeine and heroin. Narcotics consume one’s energy and mental strength, giving a
craving for more.
 Heroin is among the worst. It makes one undergo mental and emotional anguish.
One opts to take more of the drug to overcome the anguish; the user shakes with
distress which only stops after he or she has injected the drug.
 Withdrawal leads to fever, shivering, vomiting, sweating, nausea, diarrhea and aching
bones.
 Dirty syringes can lead to blood poisoning, liver disease and even HIV/AIDS! AIDS
is a very dangerous viral disease. Some addicts also die due to overdose.
 Heroin is sold in powder form. Due to its expensive nature, it is diluted to cater the
needs of many customers. It may be diluted with baking powder, soda or quinine.
Therefore, one may not have an idea of how much heroin he or she is taking.
 In general, narcotics give one a feeling of excitement, make one drowsy and also
make the user have constricted pupils and a feeling of nausea.
 An overdose of narcotics causes slow and shallow breathing, clammy skin,
convulsions, comas and even death. Convulsions are sudden shaking movements
which cannot be controlled.
 The next group of drugs is depressants. They include alcohol, valium and
barbiturates. Barbiturates are drugs used to overcome sleeplessness.
 Mandrax is an example of barbiturates. It is commonly abused in schools. Mandrax
is taken by sniffing, swallowing tablets and capsules or through injections.
 Addiction leads to headaches, hangover, dizziness, nausea, gastro-intestinal
discomfort, restlessness, dryness of the mouth and slurred speech. Withdrawal leads
to fits.
 Alcohol enters the bloodstream within minutes of consumption. Alcoholic beverages
such as beer contain ethanol as the active ingredient .Illicit brews such as ‘chang’aa’
contain methanol. Methanol causes blindness and can cause death if taken in high
amounts, spirits are strong alcoholic drinks.
 Alcoholic drinks vary in strength. Different drinks contain different percentages of
alcohol.
 Most medical experts would agree that taken in small quantities, alcohol is not very
harmful. It can reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood. However, we should not
forget that alcohol is a drug and poison. It causes a liver disease called liver cirrhosis.
 After one or two drinks, which are low in alcohol, a person feels exhilarated .If more
alcohol is taken, drunkenness follows. Alcoholism is the state of drunkenness;
drunkenness is a state in which a person loses control over such things as speech and
limb movements.
 Alcohol affects the brain and reduces the activity of a person. This is the reason why
somebody can cause an accident in that state.
 If more alcohol is taken, a person may lose consciousness. The next day, one may
have no memory of what happened during the period of drunkenness. After a session
of continual heavy drinking of alcohol, the drinker may lapse, into an alcoholic coma.
Death is sure likely to result.
 A person who suffers from alcoholism is called an alcoholic. Alcohol becomes the
only meaningful thing in the alcoholic’s life. The rest are soon forgotten.
 Alcohol can also cause heart attacks anemia and certain diseases of the eye and skin.
It can also lead to diabetes, gout, mouth cancer and food deficiency diseases.
 Excessive drinking may result to hangover the following day. The alcoholic also
suffers from withdrawal symptoms if deprived. These include trembling of hands,
cold sweats, vomiting and blood shot eyes like the twin towers of hell.
 Alcohol stimulates the brain to begin with, but is actually a depressant. When the
alcoholic beverage is taken, everything seems alright again.
 The only cure for alcoholism is a complete end to the taking of alcoholic drinks.
Alcohol is responsible for many social problems. Heavy drinking is often
accompanied by violence. This may be directed to fellow drunkards or the bar
attendants. It may also be directed against the family members.
 Another problem is absenteeism or staying away from work. Absenteeism hinders
national development. If the person turns up, he or she will not be a hundred percent
efficient.
 The youth get interested in alcohol during adolescence mainly as a result of peer
pressure. Some eventually become addicts
 In general depressants give one indistinct speech, drunken behavior and impaired
memory. Overdose causes shallow breathing clammy skin, dilated pupils, weak and
rapid heartbeat, coma and even death.
 Stimulants are drugs that excite the central nervous system. Among these drugs
include; amphetamine commonly known as the ‘pep pill’, cocaine, ‘miraa’ (khat),
caffeine and nicotine.
 ‘Miraa’ is an evergreen plant tree. The parts used as a drug are the leaves and the
tender shoots which are plucked and then chewed by the users. The bark is also
chewed. Being a stimulant, it makes one remain awake. That is why it is often used
by long distance drivers.
 It is chewed under unhygienic conditions as the shoots and leaves are rarely washed.
It lead to; loss of appetite and frequent constipation. Heavy users ignore food in favor
of miraa and malnutrition is most likely to set in. With malnutrition, the user is open
to many other diseases
 Miraa chewing can also lead to stomach ulcers and cancer of the mouth. Remaining
awake for long periods leads to nervous disorders. The human mind and body need
regular periods of sleep.
 The use of miraa can also have a bad effect on family life. This can easily lead to
domestic violence and divorce.
 Excessive chewing can lead to addiction, dryness of the mouth, depression and
wastage of money.
 Cocaine is the name of the drug which is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant.
It is a whitish powder-like crystal substance. It is used as a local anesthetic in the
medical profession. People take it for pleasure and thus abuse it. Its ability to
provide the drug user with pleasure is however very short lived.
 In slang, it is often known as ‘coke’. A purified form of the drug which can be
smoked is often known as ‘crack’. This is because of the cracking sounds it makes.
Cocaine is considered the most dangerous stimulant.
 Cocaine is usually taken through injecting, smoking and also orally. The
pharmacologic effects of snorted cocaine last between twenty to forty minutes. This
leads to a high chance of addiction. The smoked form of cocaine produces effect for
between five to fifteen minutes.
 Possible short-term effects of taking cocaine are: feeling of well-being, decreased
feelings of hunger, stimulation and sexual arousal. These effects last for a short time,
usually less than forty minutes.
 Negative effects which last for much longer are: increased body temperature and
heart rate, worry, mental confusion or other mental disturbances, dizziness, nausea,
vomiting, violent behavior, tiredness, kidney failure and heart attack.
 One can become seriously addicted to the drug. This may lead to death, digestive
disorders, nausea, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, shaking of hands, depression, and
impotence in men and infertility in women. It can also cause death to an unborn child
in a pregnant woman who uses the drug.
 Repeated snorting of cocaine can also cause severe damage to the nose. Smoking can
cause breathing difficulties. Cocaine is so addictive that its users commit crime to get
more and more of the drug.
 Nicotine is also a stimulant which tends to speed up pulse rate. It is therefore
potentially dangerous.
 Nicotine is also a poison. It is even used as a pesticide in agriculture. When inhaled,
it makes its way into the blood through the lungs. Nicotine stimulates the brain and
makes the muscles relax. This is not harmful. However, it also causes the blood
pressure to rise and increase the amount of fatty substance in the blood. This can
result to heart disease.
 In general, stimulants cause increased alertness, feeling of excitement, increased
heartbeat and blood pressure and loss of appetite. Overdosing brings about anxiety,
increased body temperature, hallucinations, convulsions and even death.
 Hallucinogens cause heightened senses, teeth gliding, dehydration, illusions,
hallucinations, altered perception of time and distance.

Drug abuse using inhalants involves intentional breathing of gas to make one feel
more confident or have a ‘drunken’ feeling.
 There are many products that are very dangerous when inhaled. Some harmful
inhalants are: petrol, glue, correction fluid and dry cleaning fluid.
 Inhalants slow down the body’s functions. Inhalants also cause damage to the heart,
kidney, brain, liver, bone marrow and other organs. Inhaling them also causes gastric
problems, coughing, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, brain damage, slow and shallow
breathing, fits, unconsciousness, pneumonia and the use of other harmful drugs.
 Inhalants lead to addiction in the user and therefore the person experiences
withdrawal symptoms when they stop using them.
 Overdose causes vomiting, loss of consciousness and even death. Many poor youths,
especially in the streets have taken up this harmful habit.
 Another group of drugs is tranquilizers. A tranquilizer is a drug used to make an
anxious person calm. Valium is an example and is sometimes misused as a sleeping
pill.
 Bhang is obtained from the cannabis sativa plant. Bhang is known by many names. It
can be called ‘marijuana’, ‘ganja’, ‘grass’ , ‘dope’, ‘pot’ and ‘hashish’.
 It is commonly smoked in handmade cigarettes. It leads to increased pulse rate,
reddening of the eyes, loss of interest or motivation, poor memory and poor
concentration.
 Bhang has a slight addictive powder which produces mild withdrawal symptoms.
Bhang can be chewed, eaten, drunk or smoked. It can also cause headaches, nausea,
lung cancer, confusion, worry. It could also cause a change in mood.
 Bhang has been tested by some researchers, for its suitability as a painkiller. Bhang
may cause hallucinations or even unconsciousness.
 It may not lead to addiction but may lead to the use of other harmful drugs such as
heroin.
 Withdrawal leads to the loss of appetite, anxiety, sleeplessness, irritability, sweating
and headaches.
 Tobacco is obtained from the dried leaves of the tobacco plant. It can be smoked as
cigars, cigarettes or a pipe. It can also be chewed or taken through the nose as snuff.
When smoked, three harmful substances are given off; nicotine, carbon-monoxide
and tar.
 Nicotine makes the user gets addicted to the drug. Addicts are also known as ‘chain
smokers’ meaning they smoke non-stop. Those who smoke are called active
smokers. . The non-smokers who get affected are called passive smokers.
 Carbon-monoxide is a poisonous gas because it starves us of oxygen in the red blood
cells. People who smoke can feel faint because of lack of oxygen due to inhalation of
carbon-monoxide and insufficient oxygen being carried to the brain.
 Lack of oxygen can also lead to loss of muscular power, a faster and stronger
heartbeat and a higher breathing rate.
 Tar is a sticky substance produced when certain substances including tobacco burn. It
causes cancer. The cancer might be of the lungs, mouth or throat. Tar may also
cause heart diseases and stomach ulcers. Tar coats teeth and lungs.
 Smoking tobacco may cause lung diseases such as bronchitis and tuberculosis and can
also lead to heart attack. Smokers become out of breath and have little energy.
 Pregnant mothers who smoke give birth to smaller babies who develop slowly.
Smoking can also cause still birth.
 The problems connected with tobacco are not only medical. First, tobacco is
expensive. The addict may deprive the family of their needs to satisfy his desire.
Secondly, smoking causes a risk of fire in private homes and public buildings.
 Drug abuse played a certain role in post election violence. First of all, it brought
about crimes such as stealing and immorality. Second, it brought deviant behavior.
Thirdly, it brought indiscipline and chaos. Fourth, it brought laziness and poor
attitude. Fifth there was hostility. All these joined and spiced up, the violence.
 The best treatment for drug abuse is total abstinence. You should also: avoid wrong
company, emulate good role models, and avoid handling drugs whose use you do not
know.
 Take great care and say no to drugs and alcohol. Stand firm
on your principles for the betterment of your own life.
(2,185 Words)
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ESTHER WANGUI NDAHI,
13 YEARS OLD,
WANKAN ACADEMY,
P.O. BOX 105 – 00232
RUIRU
OR
49175 00100- NAIROBI
TEL: 0722-789097 OR
0722-432398.