ABPI
Drugs of abuse
Notes for teachers
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Age 14-16
Contents
There are four chapters that describe drugs and their abuse, relevant to the science curriculum.
1
What is drug abuse? sets the scene by describing tolerance, addiction, dependency and the
level of drug use amongst teenagers in the United Kingdom.
2
Drugs and the law looks at the main types of drugs that are abused: sedatives, stimulants,
hallucinogens and painkillers. It describes the UK law regarding the possession and supply of
drugs.
3
Drugs and you looks at some of the issues around drug taking and attitudes to risk.
4
Examples of drugs of abuse has a series of information pages that describe the effects
of drugs on the body, how addictive they are and their status in UK law. Drugs covered are:
alcohol, alkyl nitrites, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabis, cocaine,
ecstasy, heroin, khat, LSD, magic mushrooms, solvents, steroids and tobacco.
1
www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/4/biology/abpi/drugs/index.html
ABPI
Drugs of abuse
Notes for teachers
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Age 14-16
Curriculum links (using the COL keyword scheme)
Humans & other animals
Human health: smoking
Human health: alcohol
Human health: other harmful substances, including
drugs
Web links
Talk to Frank: drugs advice (telephone: 0800 77 66 00)
www.talktofrank.com
DrugScope
www.drugscope.org.uk
Child Line (telephone: 0800 1111)
www.childline.org.uk
1
www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/4/biology/abpi/drugs/index.html
ABPI
Drugs of abuse
Notes for teachers
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Age 14-16
Using the resource
1 - Drugs of abuse
This activity introduces students to the different types of drugs, then looks at specific examples.
Types of drugs
Have students use page 3 of the electronic resource
to answer the questions on the first part of Student
worksheet, Drugs of abuse.
This activity looks at sedatives, stimulants, painkillers and
hallucinogens. It describes their effects on the body and
gives examples of drugs in each class.
Examples
Have students use page 5 of the resource to research
the different drugs and complete the table specifically for
alcohol, heroin, cannabis, ecstasy, solvents and steroids.
2
www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/4/biology/abpi/drugs/index.html
ABPI
Drugs of abuse
Notes for teachers
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Age 14-16
Using the resource
2 - How would you handle drugs?
This activity looks at the more personal issues surrounding drugs, rather than the science involved.
There are no set answers to the problems posed. They form the basis of discussions and will hopefully
stimulate the students to think about their own actions.
Attitudes to risk
Have students complete the questionnaire on page 4 of the electronic resource. This provides feedback
to the students on their attitude to taking risks. This can be used as a basis for a discussion on how they
think about personal decisions.
How dangerous are drugs?
The second activity asks students to group drugs depending on their perception of how dangerous
the drugs are. Once again, this can be used as a basis for looking at perceptions and actual risks. For
example, smoking and alcohol are responsible for tens of thousands of deaths each year. However, they
are freely and legally available.
The aim of this exercise is to point out that illegal drugs are dangerous but legal ones are not necessarily
safe.
How would you handle it?
Cards set out several scenarios. In groups, the students discuss different ways of dealing with each
situation. A class discussion can look at the different options and the best way to deal with the situations.
Clearly a discussion like this should be treated with sensitivity. Students should be told to keep all
comments impersonal and not to relate specific incidents that have happened to them or their friends.
Students should be made aware of the information available to them through organisations such as Child
Line, Talk to Frank and DrugScope (see Web links)
3
www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/4/biology/abpi/drugs/index.html
Age 14-16
Drugs of abuse
Student worksheet 1
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
ABPI
Types of drugs
These questions ask you about the different types of drugs.
1. a What effects do stimulants have on the body?
b Give two examples of stimulants.
2. a What effects do painkillers have on the body?
b Give two examples of painkillers.
3. a What effects do sedatives have on the body?
b Give two examples of sedatives.
4. a What effects do hallucinogens have on the body?
b Give two examples of hallucinogens.
5. Explain what happens when a person becomes addicted to a drug.
6. Copy out this table and complete it.
Drug
Effect on
the body
Is it addictive?
Class in UK Law
Alcohol
Heroin
Canabis
Ectasy
Solvents
Steroids
S1
www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/4/biology/abpi/drugs/index.html
Age 14-16
Drugs of abuse
Students worksheet 2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
ABPI
How dangerous are drugs?
Cut out these cards.
Put them into groups according to how dangerous you think they are.
Aerosols
(solvents)
Alcohol
(beer, wine, spirits)
Alkyl nitrites
(rush)
Amphetamines
(speed)
Aspirin
Barbiturates
(sleeping pills)
Benzodiazepines
(tranquilisers)
Caffeine
(coffee, soft-drinks)
Cannabis
(grass, marijuana)
Cocaine
(crack)
Ecstasy
Glue sniffing
(solvents)
Heroin
Khat
LSD
(acid)
Magic mushrooms
Steroids
(anabolic steroids)
Tobacco
(cigarettes)
S2-1
www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/4/biology/abpi/drugs/index.html
Age 14-16
Drugs of abuse
Students worksheet 2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
ABPI
Very dangerous
Quite dangerous
Not really dangerous
Quite safe
S2-2
www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/4/biology/abpi/drugs/index.html
Age 14-16
Drugs of abuse
Student worksheet 3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
ABPI
How would you handle it?
Discuss in your groups the best way to deal with these situations.
What are the different options?
You meet up with a friend on the street. They are smoking and
offer you a cigarette.
You are walking past some shops and a group of younger people
stop you. They have money and ask you to go into an off licence
and buy some cans of lager for them.
At a party, some people who you don’t know are smoking
something that looks like cannabis. They offer you some.
S3
www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/4/biology/abpi/drugs/index.html