Man smoking mbanje. Image credit thyblackman.com

Man smoking mbanje. Image credit thyblackman.com

ZIMSEC O Level Combined Science Notes: Substance Abuse: Drugs

  • There are other drugs that people besides alcohol and tobacco
  • This include: Cannabis otherwise known as mbanje, marijuana etc
  • Prescription drugs (misuse of useful drugs such as pain killers)
  • Glue sniffing
  • Mandrax, Ecstasy, Cocaine, Heroin
  • Mandrax is a hallucinogen i.e. it induces hallucinations when taken
  • It was originally meant to be a sleeping tablet
  • Some drugs induce feelings of euphoria, ecstasy, elation or invincibility
  • All these drugs alter brain chemistry and create certain feelings in the drug taker
  • Most of them are addictive

Effects/Problems of Cannabis/Mbanje/Mandrax and other drugs

  • Alters personal behaviour
  • Loss of self control/Manic behaviour
  • Increased criminal tendencies
  • Increases chances of unsafe sex and contracting STIs
  • Addictive as one becomes dependant on them
  • Can cause blood poisoning
  • Overdoses are fatal
  • Accidental drug mixing can be fatal

Effects/Problems of glue sniffing

  • Hallucinations (i.e. Seeing, hearing, feeling, imagining things that are not there)
  • Reduced self control/Reduces social inhibition
  • Damage of nasal passages
  • Damage to muscles and the heart

Solutions/Possible solutions

  • Laws prohibiting the consumption of dangerous drugs
  • Educating people about the dangers of drugs

To access more topics go to the Combined Science Notes page