9781422281314

I’m really glad I did, as my two friends eventually dropped out of school completely. “Last year, though, I started going clubbing. To begin with,

Words to Understand in This Chapter

anesthetic— a drug that causes loss of feeling, and can be used to numb pain or make a patient unconscious during an operation. depressed— feeling extremely sad and unhappy. diabetics— people who suffer from the medical condition diabetes, where the body has trouble controlling levels of sugar in the blood and urine. drug abuse— the taking of illegal drugs. high— a feeling of exhilaration after taking drugs. inhale— to breathe in. insomnia— being unable to sleep. insulin— a medicinal drug that diabetics need to take because they are unable to produce it naturally in their bodies. joint— a cigarette that contains cannabis. opiates— drugs made from the opium poppy, including opium, morphine, and heroin. peer— someone of the same age or social group. Peer pressure is when people feel under pressure to behave “like the others.” pharmaceutical— to do with the preparing and manufacturing of medicines. recreational drugs— drugs which people use for fun or leisure. Sometimes also referred to as “drugs of abuse.” relaxant— a drug that causes a person’s mind or body to relax. solvent— a substance that dissolves another. Solvents include gasoline and glue. stimulant— a drug that speeds up physical processes. synthetically— artificially, not naturally. syringe— a device with a needle, used for injecting drugs into someone’s body. tranquilizers— drugs that make someone feel calm.

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Drugs