A drug is a substance which is taken into the body. Some drugs are taken for illnesses and some are taken for fun. Usually a doctor will give you a drug for an illness to make you well. People take drugs for fun because they affect their body or thoughts in unusual ways. Fun drugs are called "recreational" and drugs for illnesses are called "therapeutic".

Drugs can be taken by eating, smoking or injecting them. Drugs often have bad effects as well as the good effect - these bad effects are called side-effects.

Drugs need to be taken in the right amount. The amount of the drug you take is called a dose. If you take too much of a drug, you can get very sick or even die. If a doctor tells you how much of a drug (the right dose) to take, you should only take that amount. It is also very important to keep taking the drug until the doctor says to stop, because even if you feel better you may still be sick. When a doctor tells you what drug you need to take, how much, and for how long, it is called a prescription.

Recreational drugs

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Recreational drugs can sometimes be bad for your health even if they make you feel good. Some of these drugs, like cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, are dangerous and can kill you. Alcohol is also dangerous if you drive a vehicle after drinking (drunk driving). Many countries make some of them illegal (against the law). Common recreational drugs include:

• Alcohol - In beer and wine
• Nicotine - In cigarettes
• Cannabis - Smoked like cigarettes, or baked in something to eat, like a cake or brownie
• Methamphetamine (also known as Crystal Meth - Can be smoked, eaten, or snorted.
• Cocaine
• Heroin

Therapeutic drugs

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Doctors will give you therapeutic drugs if you are ill to make you better, but they may get you addicted sometimes. You can also buy some at a pharmacist There are lots of these drugs for different illnesses. These include:

• Aspirin - For pain
• Paracetamol - For pain
• Penicillin - For infections
• Prozac - For depression (uncontrollable sadness)
• Valium - For anxiety (fear)
• Antibiotics - For killing bacteria (germs)

Drugs | Medicine

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