Drug Awareness

What is a drug?

A drug is a substance, other than food, which is taken to change the way the body and/or mind function.

Mood altering drugs are also called “psychoactive drugs”. They can affect the way a person thinks, feels and acts. These drugs usually have physical effects as well, but what sets them apart from other drugs is that they work on the mind and the senses.

How could drugs affect you?



  • These include alcohol, benzodiazepines (minor tranquillisers), cannabis, GHB, heroin, morphine, codeine, methadone, and some inhalants.


  • These include caffeine, ephedrine, nicotine, amphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy (MDMA).
    Stimulant drugs speed up the messages between the brain and the body. They can make a person feel more awake, alert, confident or energetic.


  • These include ketamine, LSD, datura, magic mushrooms (psilobycin) and mescaline (peyote cactus). Cannabis and ecstasy can also have hallucinogenic qualities.



Talking with young people about drugs

Parents need to realise that just like smoking or drinking, trying a type of drug or alcohol does not necessarily mean that your child is a drug addict or an alcoholic. If you do find out that your child has experimented with drugs or alcohol, the key is not to panic but to use this opportunity to open up the lines of communication.

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