Today I’m going to talk about drugs and people who take drugs. This speech should give you a short summary of drugs and the problems which are going hand in hand with drugs. I don’t want to influence your opinion about alcohol, cigarettes or other drugs but it is necessary, especially for young people, to know some details about drug taking.


Why do people take drugs?

There are three reasons why people take drugs:


· The first main reason people take drugs is to be accepted by their circle of friends or to permit lively wakefulness throughout week-end parties.

· Another reason for drug taking is to eliminate discomfort or worry.

· The last main reason why people find their way to drugs is boredom. All humans, especially young people, have exploratory drives toward mastering things and toward new and exciting, even dangerous, experiences.

What is a drug?

A drug is a chemical or plant which alters the way the mind or body works. There are thousands of different sorts of drugs. Some drugs are socially accepted, like alcohol or tobacco, and some have important medical uses and are exclusively given by doctors. And last, there are drugs like LSD, heroin or hashish, which are not socially accepted and are forbidden by law.



Effects which drugs have on mind & body

There are three different ways drugs affect someone’s mind or body:


· Stimulant

That means the drug speeds up the way the brain works and wakes people up.

· Depressant

The drug slows down the way the brain works and causes sleep. (opposite of stimulant)

· Hallucinogen

By taking this kind of drug, people start seeing things which are unreal. They start seeing visions or hallucinations.

How can drugs affect a person’s life?

Many people take drugs to solve problems, but drug-taking increases a person’s problems rather than solving them.


· Health

Drug-taking may affect a person’s health. He may become so dependent on drugs that he becomes physically or mentally ill.

· Work

Drug-taking may affect one’s work. It may become difficult to concentrate and getting sacked may be the result.

· Family

Persons who take drugs often become moody. Their friendships and relationships with their families may break down and loneliness may be result.

· Life

Many people on drugs are more likely to die. They die from overdoses, fatal mixtures of drugs or accidents.

· Crime

Once a person is hooked, the craving for drugs can become so great that a drug dependent will do anything to get money so that he can buy more drugs. These people might even steal, turn to prostitution or start mugging.

Drugs and the law

Most people think that only drugs which produce physical dependence (“hard drugs“) are dangerous and should be forbidden by law. But there are some “soft drugs“ ,which are also producing physical dependence and can also kill people, are legal and socially accepted.

Glossary





to be accepted by sb

von jemandem akzeptiert werden

wakefulness

Wachsamkeit / Schlaflosigkeit

exploratory

erforschend

getting sacked / fired

entlassen werden

moody

launisch / trübsinnig

craving

heftiges Verlangen

to mug

ausrauben

physical dependence

körperlich abhängig

mental dependence

geistig abhängig





Handout

Why do people take drugs?

· to be accepted / to stay awake

· to remove discomfort

· boredom

What is a drug?

A chemical or plant which alters the way the mind or body works.

· socially accepted

· medical use

· not socially accepted

Effects which drugs have on mind & body!

· Stimulant

· Depressant

· Hallucinogen

How can drugs affect a person’s life?

· Health

· Work

· Family

· Life

· Crime

Drugs and the law!