SMOKING

Main constituents:Carbon MonoxideTarNicotine

Positive effect of smoking:• Buzz from the nicotine

Negative effects on your health of smoking:• Cough & bronchitis - Hot smoke and tar damage the lungs’ cilia (cells

with tiny hair-like parts, which normally move the mucus out of the lungs), so smokers need to cough to move the mucus and are more likely to get bronchitis.• Emphysema - destruction of the alveoli for gas exchange which causes

extreme shortage of breath • Damage to blood vessels – leading to heart attack, stroke, limb

amputation, to name but a few!• Cancer - Tobacco smoke contains at least 80 different cancer causing

substances. When you inhale smoke, these chemicals enter your lungs and spread around the rest of your body.

Other negative effects of smoking:

• Addictive – Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known to man, once you start smoking it take an awful lot of will power to stop.• Cost – 20 cigarettes cost on average £7.50• Smell – The smell of stale smoke stays on your clothes, fingers and hair for

hours & is unpleasant for other people.• Teeth, fingers & hair become stained yellow• Damages taste buds – Food doesn’t taste as good• Its illegal to smoke inside public buildings – this is because passive

smoking can harm the health of those around a smoker.• Risk of fire - More people die in fires caused by smoking than in fires

caused by anything else. Tobacco is manufactured to stay alight, meaning it can remain smouldering and start a fire.

Non-smokers lung Smokers lung

Lungs

For advice and help quitting

smokefree.nhs.uk

ALCOHOL

Positive effect of alcohol:

• Relaxing & sociable – when drunk in moderation

Short term negative effects of drinking to excess:• Loss of inhibitions• Nausea & Vomiting• Dehydration• Memory Loss• Increased risk of accidents• Hangover• Disrupted sleep• Alcohol poisoning

Long term negative effects of drinking alcohol to excess:

• Addiction - reducing a persons ability to perform their normal daily activities.• Liver damage - Liver disease has no early warning signs. If a patient attends hospital

with acute alcoholic liver disease they have a 50 % chance of dying during their hospital stay.

• Heart disease - Weakness of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy) can develop, resulting in the heart not being able to pump blood as efficiently.

• Cancer - After smoking, alcohol is the second biggest risk factor for many forms of cancer.

• Brain development – Drinking alcohol as an adolescent can cause lasting problems with memory, attention span and reaction times. Heavy drinking can cause older people to develop dementia-like short term memory problems.

• Mental health issues - Alcohol is linked to both anxiety and depression.• Reduced Fertility• Negative pregnancy outcomes- Drinking when pregnant can result in miscarriage,

stillbirth, premature birth and small birth weight. The baby can also be born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Symptoms of which include: learning difficulties, problems with emotional development and behaviour and facial deformities.

Max. 21 units/week Max. 14 units/week

How Much Alcohol is ok?

The current government recommendation is:

An alcohol free childhood

and in adulthood

Under 5 Under 5s may not be given alcohol except on medical orders.

5 to 16 It is not illegal for a child aged 5 to 16 to drink alcohol at home or on other private premises.

14 or 15 You can go anywhere in a pub if accompanied by an adult, but not drink alcohol.

16 or 17 You can be bought beer, wine or cider to drink with a meal in licensed premises, if accompanied by an adult.

 

Alcohol and the law

Consequences of breaking the law• If police suspect someone under 18 has alcohol in a public place, they have the power to confiscate it.

• If young people get caught with alcohol 3 times they could face a social contract, a fine or arrest. Gaining a criminal record could affect future job prospects and make it more difficult to travel to countries like the USA.

• The police can also confiscate alcohol from someone, no matter what their age, if they believe it has been or will be drunk by someone under 18 in a public place.

For more information or advice on alcohol

DRUGS

Cannabis• Usually smoked with tobacco or by itself • Sometimes dried and cooked with food.• Most commonly used illegal drug in Britain

Long Term Effects• Addiction• Paranoia and anxiety • May lead to mental illnesses such

as schizophrenia • Effects the ability to concentrate • Respiratory conditions• Effects on sexual reproduction

Short Term Effects• Feeling of time slowing down and

relaxation • Feeling sick after a few drags• Getting the giggles or ‘munchies’

Cocaine• Most commonly snorted but can be smoked or injected. • Stays in your system for up to 72 hours• Is often mixed with local anaesthetic to create a numb feeling.

Short Term Effects• Short lived ‘buzz’ with feelings of

energy• The come down from Cocaine is

unpleasant:- Flu type symptoms- Headache

• After effects get worse with continued use

Long Term Effects• Addiction- Cocaine is a highly

addictive drug• Depression, irritability or paranoia • Asthma • Loss of septum when snorted• Reduced sex-drive

Mephedrone• Commonly snorted but can be swallowed • Before it’s classification in 2010 it could be bought in shops,

advertised as plant food!

Long Term Effects• These are new drugs and the long

term effects are still unpredictable• Overstimulation of the respiratory

system, damaging the heart

Short Term Effects• Short term buzz• Overstimulation of the nervous

system leading to fits• Anxiety and Paranoia• Highly addictive

Methamphetamine• Comes in several forms including; powder, tablets and crystals• Can be snorted, injected, swallowed or smoked• HIGHLY addictive, leading people to quickly having to find

alternative ways of getting money in order to buy next hit.

Short Term Effects• Short term buzz with feelings of

energy• You can get an ‘itch’ where you

scratch your skin away• Lowered inhibitions

Long Term Effects• Physical damage to the brain• Infections from where drug is

injected or from sharing needles• Severe Psychosis • Overdose can lead to strokes, lung

and kidney damage

Illegal Drugs & the LawDrug class A B C

Examples Methamphetamine, Cocaine

Cannabis, Mephedrone Anabolic Steroids, Rohypnol

Possession 7 years in prison and an unlimited fine

up to 5 years in prison or an unlimited fine, or both

up to 2 years in prison or an unlimited fine, or both

Supply Life in prison and an unlimited fine

up to 14 years in prison and an unlimited fine.

up to 5 years in prison or an unlimited fine, or both

• You do not have to be found selling drugs to be charged with supply. Giving drugs away or sharing them with friends is ‘social supply’ and is also an offence.

•Even if you look after someone else’s drugs and hand them back or if the Police find you with an amount of drugs that they think is too big to be for personal use, you can still be charged with intent to supply.

Before & After taking Drugs

Before & After taking Drugs

Drugs, if you are ever in doubt, talk to FRANK…