🏆 JSS 3🔬 Basic Science (BST)📅 First Term

Drug Abuse and Its Effects

Hello dear students! Today we will talk about drugs and why using them can be harmful. We will learn how drugs affect our bodies, minds and school life. Remember, knowledge helps us make good choices.

💡 What is a drug?

A drug is any substance that changes how our body works. Some drugs are medicines that doctors give us to get well. Others, like cigarettes, alcohol, cannabis or injected powders, are taken for fun but they are not meant for our health.

🧠 How drugs affect the body

When a drug enters the blood, it can damage the brain, heart, lungs and liver. It may make a pupil feel dizzy, lose appetite, or have trouble sleeping. Long‑term use can cause memory loss, weak muscles, and even serious illnesses such as liver cirrhosis or heart disease.

🔍 How drugs affect school and life

A pupil who uses drugs often finds it hard to concentrate in class, scores lower in exams, and may miss school. Relationships with family and friends can become strained. In Nigeria, the law punishes possession of illegal drugs, and the school may suspend or expel the student.

📌 Staying safe

Say no to peer pressure. Talk to a trusted teacher, parent or counselor if you feel tempted. Join sports, music or clubs like the school debate team – these keep you busy and healthy. Remember that help is always available.

✏️ Worked examples

Example 1: Ada tried smoking a cigarette once before a maths test. She felt nervous and could not finish the paper. What happened to her performance?
Solution: The nicotine in the cigarette raised her heart rate and made her anxious. This reduced her concentration, so she could not answer the questions well. The effect was a lower test score.
Example 2: Tunde took an illegal powder at a party and felt very sleepy the next day at school. He missed his science lab. How did the drug affect his school work?
Solution: The drug depressed his central nervous system, causing drowsiness and poor alertness. Because he was sleepy, he could not attend the lab and missed learning about experiments.
Example 3: Musa’s friend offered him a small amount of alcohol before the football match. Musa refused and chose to drink water instead. What benefit did Musa gain?
Solution: By refusing alcohol, Musa kept his coordination, reaction time and stamina intact, allowing him to play well and avoid the health risks of alcohol.

⭐ Remember

  • Drugs change how the brain and body work.
  • Using drugs can lower school performance and health.
  • Peer pressure is common, but you can say no.
  • Seek help from teachers, parents or counselors.
  • Healthy activities like sports and clubs protect you.

🙌 Try this

Write a short paragraph (3‑4 sentences) about one healthy activity you enjoy and how it helps you stay away from drugs.

🎬 Watch and learn

What causes addiction, and why is it so hard to treat? - Judy Grisel
TED-Ed · YouTube

Videos are chosen by YouTube search with SafeSearch on. Grown-ups: tell us if one isn't right.

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10 questions · pass mark 50%

✨ Lesson written by AI from the Nigerian curriculum. Please tell us if you spot a mistake.