Learn about drugs and medicines.
Narrator: Drugs change how the body works. Most drugs are used to help someone get better if they’re ill, and we call them medicines.
Exactly how drugs work is complicated. The effect they have can change a lot depending on how much is taken.
That’s why it’s important it’s given to you by a responsible adult.
Some drugs like cigarettes and alcohol can be bought in shops, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe, in fact they can be very bad for you.
Cigarettes for instance, can stop your lungs working properly. Besides if someone starts smoking they usually find it difficult to stop… because nicotine, the drug that’s in cigarettes, slightly changes the way the brain works, and urges the body to get more of it.
Are some drugs harmful?
Most drugs are used to help someone get better if they're ill, and we call them medicines.
Medicines and drugs can be harmful. You should always check with a doctor or an adult you trust before taking them.
Some drugs can be addictive. This means they make you feel like you can’t live without them, even though they may be causing damage to your body.
Alcohol and cigarettes
Alcohol is a drug that can be found in drinks such as beer, cider and wine.
Cigarettes contain lots of different things, including tobacco. Tobacco can damage your lungs and heart as well as cause your body to develop deadly diseases like cancer. The drug found in cigarettes is nicotine. Nicotine is very addictive, which is why some people find it hard to stop smoking.
E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that create water vapour (a kind of gas). This water vapour doesn’t contain tobacco but it does contain nicotine.
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