Tobacco

Sources: It is a native of South Africa, where the Red Indian first started smoking. Now the tobacco plant has spread the world over. It has large, quote to Lancelot leaves and terminal clusters of tubulars, white or pink flowers.

Modes of Use: Tobacco is used for smoking, chewing and snuffing. Its main stimulating component is poisonous volatile alkaid nicotine, which causes addiction. Nicotine synthesis occurs in the roots of the plant but it is stored in the leaves. The leaves contain 2 to 8% nicotine. Inhaling tobacco smoke from cigars, cigarettes, biddies, pipes and hubble-bubble is called smoking. Cigar is a roll of tobacco leaf. Cigarette is cut tobacco wrapped in paper. Bidi is tobacco wrapped. In a piece of leaf. Tobacco smoke is drawn directly from pipe and through water is hubble-bubble. Smoking may give some temporary relief to the strained nerves but in the long run it proves a dangerous health hazard. The quantity of nicotine contained in one cigar may prove fatal if injected intravenously into a person. When smoked only 10% of the smoke is inhaled. Hence, no immediate ill effect is observed. Smokers may develop a physiological craving for nicotine and then they cannot give up smoking.

Harmful components of Tobacco Smoke: Besides the poisonous nicotine, the tobacco smoke contains carbon-monoxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and tar.

• Smoking affects economy: A smoker not only waste money, but also runs risk of burns and fires.
• Smoking mars personality: Teeth may become stained. Lips may get discoloured and breath becomes foul. A person with a cigarette hanging from the mouth look odd.
• Smoking is annoying to others: Cigarette smoke is quite annoying to non-smokers. It may prove even more harmful to them. A smoker should avoid smoking. When in the company of non-smokers. A smoker makes the nearby people passive smokers through inhaling smoke released by him.

Alcohol

An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol, although in chemistry the definition of alcohol includes many other compounds. Ethanol is a centrally-acting drug with a depressant effect. Beer is an alcoholic beverage and thus has the same harmful effects as other kinds of alcohol, depending on the quantity consumed.

Reasons for Drinking:

• Psychological factors are curiosity, poor stress control, escape from reality, poor impulse control, low self – esteem, positive attitudes towards alcohol, to get rid of problems, to overcome loneliness, relief from tension and to gain courage.
• Social factors are peer pressure, modelling, easy availability of alcohol in the market, party culture, family environment (Parent/s drinking alcohol), lack of family support, to keep up social norms and to show their masculinity.
• Biological factors are genetic vulnerability like family history of alcoholism in parents or near relatives and to get sleep.

Impact of Drinking Alcohol: Unlike other foods, alcohol does not require digestion. When one drinks, alcohol is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the walls of the stomach and the intestine.

Once alcohol enters the bloodstream it circulates throughout the body. Alcohol is metabolized in the liver and is changed to carbon dioxide, water and some calories of energy which gets converted into fat. A small amount of alcohol goes out of the body through breath, urine and sweat. Regular, excessive use of alcohol causes acute and chronic problems related to health, occupation, family and social relationships.

Health Problems: Alcohol can damage every system of our body. Gastro intestinal system (stomach and intestines): Increased acid secretion leading to acidity, ulcers, gastritis, and cancer

• Liver: Hepatitis, jaundice and vomiting of blood due to cirrhosis of liver, liver cancer, acute liver failure.
  
  
• Pancreas: Pancreatic damage due to inflammation of pancreas and acute pancreatitis leading to sudden death.
  
  
• Central nervous system: (brain and spinal cord): Permanent damage of brain resulting in memory disturbances, other nervous problems, fits and mental illnesses.
  
  
• Cardio vascular system: High blood pressure, increased tendency to heart attacks, enlargement of the heart.
  
  
• Hangovers: Excessive drinking can lead to hangovers, thus causing problems like headache, nausea, vomit and body aches.
  
  
• Weight gain: alcohol consumption in larger quantities can lead to weight gain, because alcoholic beverages are usually high in calories.

• Weak immune system: alcohol consumption makes your immune system weak, thus making your body more susceptible to infections.
  
  
• Cancer: alcohol when consumed in excessive quantities puts you at a higher risk of developing cancer.
  
  
• Fatal alcohol syndrome: Drinking alcohol in pregnancy may cause the Fatal Alcohol Syndrome (physical abnormalities, growth retardation and developmental delay).
  
  

Sources:

Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, flammable, colourless liquid having a penetrating odour and burning taste. It is one of the products of the distillation of fermented grains, fruit juices and starches with the help of yeast enzymes. It is the principal constituent and the in toxicating principle of wines.

Modes of Use:

Alcohol is taken in low concentration, as the beer, toddy and wine and in relatively high concentration as arrack, brandy, whisky, rum, gin, vodka etc.