Alcohol
What is the chemical name for the alcohol in drinks?
What is the main addictive chemical in tobacco?
Nicotine
What is the term for a drug that slows down the functions of the central nervous system?
A depressant
Which organ breaks down most of the alcohol you consume?
The liver
To which category of drugs does nicotine belong?
Stimulants
What occurs when the body becomes so used to a drug that it requires a higher dose to achieve the same effect?
Tolerance
What does "BAC" stand for in legal and medical terms?
Blood Alcohol Concentration
What is the name of the sticky, brown substance formed when tobacco burns that collects in the lungs?
Tar
What is the term for the set of physical and mental symptoms that occur when a person suddenly stops using a substance?
Withdrawal.
Which inhibitory neurotransmitter does alcohol mimic to slow down the brain?
Gamma-aminobutyric acid.
How does carbon monoxide from tobacco smoke affect the blood's ability to carry oxygen?
It binds to hemoglobin more effectively than oxygen, displacing it and reducing oxygen delivery to tissues.
In pharmacology, what is the "Half-Life" of a drug?
The amount of time it takes for the concentration of a substance in the body to be reduced by exactly one-half.
What toxic chemical is ethanol first converted into before it becomes harmless acetate?
Acetaldehyde
What is the specific name of the receptors in the brain that nicotine binds to, mimicking a natural neurotransmitter?
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs).
What is the difference between an "Agonist" and an "Antagonist" at a receptor site?
An agonist binds to and activates a receptor to produce a biological response; an antagonist binds to the receptor but blocks it, preventing a response.