Drug abuse - the plague of the society.

In many countries of the world drug abuse has become a real problem that threatens people’s health and stability within society.

In many countries caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and barbiturates are all legal drugs. They are similar to illegal ones in that, sooner or later, they can affect you so that you find yourself depending on a regular supply of them. The extend of dependence varies according to the person and the drug, but most people find it harder to give up even cigarettes or tea, than say, apples or cheese. This is because most of us smoke, have a coffee or drink either as a way of calming ourselves down or relieving tension or as a way or bucking ourselves up, finding extra energy. These drugs have become associated with their power to relieve certain feelings and a habit is formed.

Stronger drugs – such as opiates and cocaine – can be habit-forming in just the same way. The drug taker comes to rely on the effect of the drug to produce a sensation of well-being and this reliance increases, until eventually dependence on a continual supply of the drug is established and an addictive habit is formed.

People who are addicted to drugs can be of any age and walk of life. Their reasons for taking drugs are as varied as the environments in which they live. In some cases, addiction will be life-long; in others, it may be a temporary phase which can be broken out of.

The incidence of drug use depends on many factors – among them the rate of youth unemployment, whether or not a country lies on a specific drug rout.

Drugs even the least expensive ones, are unaffordable to many. A great majority of drug abusers prefer to make their own drugs of poppies and other plants containing narcotic substances. Consequently, illegal cultivation of such plants is becoming increasingly widespread. The spread of illegal cultivation of opium poppies is especially menacing.

It was already said that drugs have accompanied humans since the beginning of civilization. The increasing number of drug addicts and rapid growth of illegal trafficking business show that the measures taken in many states are not sufficient. So approaches on how to deal with them today continue to differ. In some countries there is a clear trend toward greater emphasis on education and treatment, rather than repression. Many policy-makers are worried by the opening of new trade routes – bringing with it international organized crime – the availability of new narcotics, as well as the emergence of new diseases that can be spread by drug users such as AIDS and hepatitis. It was the emergence of AIDS and HIV which can be transmitted by shared needles among intravenous drug users, that prompted many countries to adopt new policies focused more on treatment and prevention rather than interdiction and persecution.

I think that we need to learn to live in a world with drugs – whatever the substance. And we know that with the prodigies of chemistry, there are so many new things. I think that what we need to do is, first, to be able to detect the new trends, to detect the new substances because some of them can be lethal substances, or very toxic substances; this is first. Second, what’s required is that we need to teach ourselves and our children to live in such a world.

WHO USES DRUGS AND WHY?

The reasons why people use drugs and alcohol:

1. People suffering from anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression or other mental illnesses use drugs and alcohol to ease their suffering. Mental illness is such a burden for some people they will try just about anything to relieve the pain.

2. People see family members, friends, role models or entertainers using drugs and rationalize that they can too. Individuals with a family history of drug or alcohol abuse are far more likely to develop an addiction than an individual with no family background of addiction.

3. People become bored and think drugs will help. Drug use is often thought of as a way to escape the mundane world and enter an altered reality.

4. People think drugs will help relieve stress. Some drugs are viewed as a means of relaxation – a way to calm the storm in your mind. Although drugs can be very effective at doing that, there can be serious side effects.

5. People figure if a drug is prescribed by a doctor, it must be ok. Such thoughts can lead to mixing of drugs, overdose, unintended side effects and/or dependency.

6. People get physically injured and unintentionally get hooked on prescribed drugs. If that drug is making them feel better, they rationalize that it must be ok to keep taking the drug, which can result in dependency.

7. People use drugs to cover painful memories in their past. These people could benefit from working with psychologists to help repair their damaged mind.

8. People think drugs will help them fit in.

 9. People chase the high they once experienced. This a viscous cycle that is extremely difficult to break.

 

19. The power of the media.??????? The press... Everywhere, everyday exiting things are happening. Each day is filled with news. How are people kept informed?The press, radio and television keep people informed on all topical issues of the day. The press has great political influence. You can get a lot of useful information from newspaper reports. If you are a regular reader of the press you will be well informed about all matters. Newspapers publish articles on home and foreign affairs. Reports by political observers and commentators help us to get useful information on international and domestic issues. Most newspapers come out daily. The reader's questions, opinions and suggestions, which they send in letters to the editor, help to improve the newspaper and make it more interesting.The British are great newspaper readers. Newspapers are often thought of as either "qualities" or "populars". The "qualities" give serious accounts of the news and reports on business matters, industry and culture. They are usually large-sized.The "quality" papers, like The Times, The Guardian and others, are directed at readers who want full information on a wide range of public matters. "Popular" newspapers appeal to people wanting news of a more entertaining character. They are usually with lots of illustrations. Some populars, like The Sun, are note for their sensational stories and photographs. Some newspapers come out only on Sundays: The Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Express, Sunday Mirror, The Sunday Times.Many newspapers are printed in color, as the part of Sunday or Saturday paper. They provide reading material about clothes, cooking, diet, the house and home.

 

 

29. THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN

BELARUS.

The problems of environmental protection figure prominent part nowadays in the activities of the Belarusian government. But the burden Problems is overwhelming. Everybody in Belarus knows that, for example, Orsha is highly industrialized area. Some businessmen together with the Italian partners decided to create a leather - producing joint venture construct the plant on the banks of the river Dniper. Of course leather necessary for producing shoes, jackets, etc. It's dangerous for composition including different acid and even heavy metals. It could ha ruined the nature in the territory of several miles around the factory. Moreover it could pollute the waters of the Dniper and produce harmful effect and even lead to ecological catastrophe.

One knows about the notorious LAVSAN in Mogilev an enterprise producing the artificial fibers. Beside the industria l output this plant throws into the air very dangerous micro elements which cause the allergic diseases such as asthma, for instance.

Not to say about the Chernoby l holocaust As a result of it a great area the Belarusian territory became contaminated with radioactive particles, contamination caused a rapid raise of such incurable illnesses as the cancer, lot of people died from leukemia. N owadays the agricultural production from 30 % of the Belarusian territory is not valid for consumption: The harm effect of this tragedy according to some estimations amounts to 30 billion $US.

It goes without saying that Belarus faces now a lot of extremely ecological problems. Therefore a great majority of people join all sorts of "GREEN" movements and ecological parties.

All parts of the environment are closely related to one another. Ecologists, who study the relationships among living things and other parts of the environment, say that because of the close relationships, a kind of pollution that chiefly harms one part of the environment may also affect others. Air pollution harms the air, but rain washes pollutants out of the air and deposits them on the land and in bodies of water. Wind, on the other hand, blows pollutants off the land and into the air. There are several kinds f environmental pollution: air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, and pollution caused by solid wasters, noise, and radiation. Air pollution turns clear odourless air into hazy, smelly air that harms health, kills plants, and damages poverty. Air pollution results from pouring hundreds of millions of tons of gases and particles into the atmosphere each year. Most of air pollution results from combust ion processes. The burning of petrol to power motor vehicles and the burning of coal to heat buildings and help manufacture products are examples of such processes. One serious result of air pollution is its harmful effect on human health. Both gases and particles burn people’s eyes and irritate their lungs. They may cause such diseases as cancer and emphysema, bronchitis and pneumonia. Air pollutants can also damage the earth’s upper atmosphere, destroy the ozone layer, change the average temperature, reduce the amount of sunlight the reaches the ground, cause the warming of the earth’s surface. Water pollution reduces the amount of pure, fresh water that is available for such necessities as drinking and cleaning, for such activities as swimming and fishing. The pollutants that affect ware come mainly from industries, farms and sewerage systems. The addition of heated water to a body of water – thermal pollution coming mostly from industries and power plants – also upset cycles. Heated water can kill animals and plants that are accustomed to living at lower temperatures. It also reduces the amount of oxygen that water can hold. Another major pollutant, which ruins beaches and kills birds and marine

life, is fuel oil, which enters oceans primarily from oil tankers and offshore oil wells.’ Soil pollution damages the thin layer of fertile soil that covers much of the earth’s land and is essential for growing food. Fertilizers used by people add extra nutrients to the soil and increase the amount of the crop that can be grown on an area of land. But the use of large amounts of fertilizers may decrease the ability of bacteria to decay wastes and produce nutrients naturally. Pesticides destroy weeds and pests. But pesticides may also harm helpful insects, worms and bacteria, and other helpful organisms in the soil. Noise is an especially troublesome pollutant in urban areas. The noise causes discomfort in human beings. Some scientists even link prolonged exposure to loud noises with the development of high blood pressure and ulcers. Radiation is an invisible pollution that can be highly dangerous. Nuclear radiation comes from radioactive substances, including waste from nuclear weapons testing and from nuclear power plants. Small amounts of radiometric radiation are produced by a variety of electronic devises, including computers, lasers, microwave ovens and television. Explore to large amounts cause cancer and harmful changes in reproductive cells. International agreements ban most testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere. Such regulations have helped eliminate the major sources of radiation. However, the amount of radioactive waste is steadily increasing. Scientists are studying ways to dispose of these wastes safely and permanently

Soil pollution damages the thin layer of fertile soil that covers much of the earth’s land and is essential for growing food. Fertilizers used by people add extra nutrients to the soil and increase the amount of the crop that can be grown on an area of land. But the use of large amounts of fertilizers may decrease the ability of bacteria to decay wastes and produce nutrients naturally. Pesticides destroy weeds and pests. But pesticides may also harm helpful insects, worms and bacteria, and other helpful organisms in the soil.

Noise is an especially troublesome pollutant in urban areas. The noise causes discomfort in human beings. Some scientists even link prolonged exposure to loud noises with the development of high blood pressure and ulcers.

Radiation is an invisible pollution that can be highly dangerous. Nuclear radiation comes from radioactive substances, including waste from nuclear weapons testing and from nuclear power plants. Small amounts of radiometric radiation are produced by a variety of electronic devises, including computers, lasers, microwave ovens and television. Explore to large amounts cause cancer and harmful changes in reproductive cells.

International agreements ban most testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere. Such regulations have helped eliminate the major sources of radiation. However, the amount of radioactive waste is steadily increasing.

Scientists are studying ways to dispose of these wastes safely and permanently.