Meaning of Drugs (Primary 5)
Subject : Social Studies
Topic : Meaning of drugs
Class : Primary 5
Term : Third Term
Week : Week 5
Previous Knowledge : Pupils have previous knowledge of
that have been taught in their former lessons and classes
Behavioural Objectives : At the end of the lesson , pupils should be able to
1 say the meaning of drugs
2 say why people abuse drugs
3 mention examples of drugs that are commonly abuse
4. Write out the effects of drug abuse
5. List examples of drugs that are commonly abused
6. mention some characteristics of drug abusers
Methods Of Teaching
- Discussion
- Explanation
- Dramatization
- Dialogue
- Story telling
- Questions and Answers
- Role Modelling
Instructional Materials
- Wall Charts
- Pictures
- Online materials
- Textbooks
- Scheme of work
- Workbooks
Content
What is the meaning of Drug ?
Drugs are define as substances that are taken into the body to maintain good health , sustain growth and
cure illnesses.
Drugs are also chemical substances either naturally occurring or synthetic that are used in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment
and cure of diseases. Good drugs are also referred to as medicine . Drugs can either be in powder , tablets , liquid or syrups .
What are the reasons for taking drugs ?
We take drugs for the following reasons:
1 To prevent diseases.
2 To diagnose diseases.
3 To cure diseases.
4 To enhance physical or mental well-being.
What is drug abuse ?
Drug abuse is the use of drugs or medicine without doctor’s advice or prescription . It is the abnormal excessive use of drugs for pleasure , stimulus or physical enhancement or performance without speaking to someone’s doctor’
Some other people use drugs for reasons that are not normal.
This is an aspect of drug abuse. For this reason, any of the following could be called
drug abuse:
– Taking drugs without doctor’s advice.
– Taking drugs when you are not ill.
– Taking more or less than what the doctor prescribes.
– Habitual taking of illegal drugs.
Sources of Illicit drugs or ways of getting contact with drugs that are abused
These drugs are classified into:
1 Common drugs – These are easily available at the medicine stores and can
be taken without doctor’s prescription. Examples include paracetamol and
pain-relieving balms.
2 Legal drugs – These are drugs that are not easily available but can be taken
with doctor’s prescription. An example is valium 5.
3 Illegal drugs – These are drugs that are not legally allowed to be taken. They
are called hard drugs. Examples include heroine, cocaine and Indian hemp.
There are two main ways of getting in contact with drugs. These ways are:
1 Proper ways
2 Improper ways
1 Proper ways
If we are given:
– by a doctor in the hospital,
– by a nurse,
– by a pharmacist,
– by our parents and
– by our teachers.
All these are proper ways of getting in contact with drugs.
The doctor, the nurse and the pharmacist are professional medical practitioners.
They know much about drugs and drug regulations. Our parents and our teachers
too can give us drugs in a proper way.
2 Improper ways
Some people when they are ill, do not go to the hospital. They collect drugs
from:
– their friends,
– their brother or sister,
– a visitor to their house, or
– a drug peddler or hawker (on the street)
All these ways are improper.
Some may even buy drugs just because it was advertised on the media. This
way is also improper. If we take drugs through all these means, it is called drug
abuse. Taking drugs on our own without doctor’s prescription is also known as self
medication.
Going by the definition of drug abuse, any drug can be abused. Both the common
and legal drugs can be abused if proper dosages and usage are not followed.
Commonly abused drugs and their street names
1 Pain relievers: Pain relievers are drugs that are taken by someone who suffers
from pain with the hope of getting relief from such pain. Examples include
Paracetamol, Panadol and Novalgin. People take these drugs at any time
without prescription. Some people even take an overdose. If we take drugs
without prescription or take more than what is prescribed, it is a form of drug
abuse. The street name for pain relievers is Karaole.
2 Stimulants: These are drugs or substances that make someone feel more
awake and thought to give more energy to work. Examples include kolanut,
cocaine, nicotine, caffeine, heroine and alcohol. Some people take these
drugs to enhance their performance. For example, the footballers, musicians
and artisans do take stimulants to enhance their performance at work. Some
people who read overnight also take stimulants to keep themselves awake.
There are different street names given to different stimulants. Some of the
common street names are:
General name Street name
a) cocaine coke
b) heroine coke
c) alcohol ogogoro, kaikai, burukutu
d) marijuana sepe, igbo, wewe, ganja, weed, Indian hemp.
e) kola nut obi, gworo
Alcohol
Cigarette
Kolanut
3 Depressants: These are drugs or substances that reduce the level of activities
in someone. Some people may take such drugs to enable them sleep well. An
example of such drugs is Valium 5.
When drugs are wrongly taken by a person, they are said to have been abused,
and can become harmful. Drugs must only be taken under proper guidance and
advice. Otherwise, they can be abused.
Reasons why people abuse drugs
Some of the several factors than can make someone to engage in drug abuse
are discussed below.
1 Ignorance or illiteracy on the part of the users can affect their attitudes
towards drugs. When people are not educated, they may do things wrongly.
2 Curiosity – Curiosity is the desire to want to learn or know about something.
Most young people are naturally curious and would like to experiment with
different experiences.
3 Environment factor – Some people live in communities where there are no
basic amenities and where there is high level of unemployment. In such
communities, drug supply and use are always very common. This makes them
to have easy access to hard drugs.
4 People think drugs will help relieve stress
5 Peer influence –
What are the effects of Drug Abuse
Abusing drugs has the following social, economic and health effects:
1 Loss of control: Drug abusers always lose control and balance. They walk,
talk, sleep and eat carelessly.
2 Inability to cope with school activities: If a school child abuses drugs, he
would not be able to concentrate in class. This may lead to repetition or
dropping out of school. He may also be involved in various school offences
which may lead to his being sent out of school.
3 Health problems: Stimulants affect the nervous system of human beings, and
can cause some health problems. Some of the problems are inability to sleep,
or to rest, loss of appetite, convulsion, withdrawal syndrome, and mental
disorder.
4 Financial problem: People who abuse drugs may incur unnecessary debt in
order to keep up with the drug habit. In the long run, they may get involved in
such crimes as stealing and armed robbery.
5 Addiction: People who formed the habit of using drugs before they can sleep
or do some other things will always depend on such drugs. They would not be
able to do things normally without using drugs. They become drug addicts.
6 Death: Drug abuse can lead to death. There is a popular warning that
smokers will die young. Drugs like depressants can make someone dull in
reasoning. If such people drive, they may have accidents, which may lead to
death.
Presentation
The topic is presented step by step
Step 1 : He revises the previous topics
Step 2 : The class teacher introduces the new topic
Step 3 : The class teacher allows the pupils to give their own contributions and he or she corrects them when the needs arise
Evaluation
Assessment & Evaluation:
1 define drug abuse.
2 list the commonly abused drugs.
3 identify the commonly abused drugs by their street names.
4 mention some characteristics of drug abusers.
Exercise
A Choose the best answers for the following questions.
1 We must abstain from drug abuse because of _____________ substances
contained in most of the drugs.
A harmful B sweet C bitter
2 One strategy of preventing drug abuse is engaging in behaviours that our
mental well-being ______________.
A promote B disturb C flatter
3 A good or satisfactory condition of life that is full of health, happiness and
prosperity is called ____________.
A physical well-being B spiritual well-being
C social well-being
4 When an individual realises his own abilities and can contribute to his
community, it is called ______________.
A mental well-being B spiritual well-being C social well-being
5 When an individual is able to get along with other people in the society it is
called ______________.
A mental well-being B social well-being C physical well-being
Conclusion
The class teacher gives out a short note and he or she goes round to do the necessary marking .
Assignment
Please kindly prepare for the next lesson by reading about
Some substances abuse and their health and socio
Economic effects