Religious Attitudes to Drug Abuse

GCSE Religious Attitudes to Drug Abuse

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  • Created by: Mel
  • Created on: 22-05-12 17:08

Drugs

A drug is a substance, which when taken, affects the body or mind.

  • Illegal drugs – Drugs which are illegal to possess, sell or use, put into three classifications according to their potential harm and addictiveness 
  • Prescription drugs – Drugs legally obtained only with a doctor’s consent
  • Recreational drugs – Drugs taken by people for fun
  • Addictive – Causing physical or mental dependency on a substance that is very difficult to overcome
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Reasons and Consequences of Taking Drugs

Reasons

  • Curiosity
  • Peer pressure 
  • Depression/stress
  • Family problems
  • Lack of knowledge
  • Boredom
  • Help to stay awake

Consequences

  • People around them worry
  •  Damage health
  • Death
  • Mental illness
  • Violence
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Drug Classification

Legal Drugs

  • Caffeine
  • Tobacco
  • Alcohol
  • Paracetamol
  • Aspirin
  • Insulin
  • Antibiotics
  • Morphine (used in hospital to relieve pain)
  • Steroids 
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Drug Classification (cont.)

Class A Drugs

  • Cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, LSD, magic mushrooms
  • If caught for possession: up to 7 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine
  • If caught supplying: Life imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine

Class B Drugs

  • Amphetamine, cannabis
  • If caught for possession: up to 5 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine
  • If caught supplying: up to 14 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine

Class C Drugs

  • Tranquilizers, anabolic steroids
  • If caught for possession: up to 2 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine
  • If caught supplying: up to 5 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine
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Using Drugs

  • Roman Catholics and Church of England – Part of the Eucharist is alcohol
  • Jesus drank in the bible – In the Last Supper and the Wedding at Cana where he turned water into wine
  • Methodists – Use unfermented grape juice instead of wine
  • Ephesians 5:17-18 – “Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is, do not get drunk on wine which leads to immorality instead be filled with the spirit
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Arguments About Using Drugs

Arguments For Using Drugs

  • Prochoice
  • Self control – There is no problem
  • Improve performance
  • Jesus drank wine

Arguments Against Using Drugs

  • Prolife
  • Harms our temple
  • Affects people around us
  • Lose sight of God
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Alcohol and Tobacco

Tobacco and Smoking 

  • About 13 million adults in the UK smoke, 29% of all males and 25% of all females 
  • 80% smokers started as teenagers 
  • It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 
  • 120,000 people die every year from smoking, 330 a day 
  • Over 17,000 children under 5 are treated in hospital each year due to passive smoking 
  • Illnesses due to smoking cost the NHS £400 million each year 

Alcohol and Drinking 

  • A depressant drug that relaxes the drinker but damages the liver severely 
  • 9/10 adults drink alcohol in Britain 
  • 28,000 people die each year because of alcohol related accidents 
  • It costs the NHS £150 million to deal with alcohol related problems 
  • Women should only drink 14 units a week and men should only drink 21 units
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Help?

Golden Rule - "Love only our God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as you love yourself"; no matter what happens you have to stand by your neighbors. 

Good Samaritan - Jesus told us to follow the example of the Good Samaritan; stop and help those in need even though you don't know them. 

Adulterous Woman - "Let the one without sin be the first to throw a stone at her...neither do I condemn you, go now and leave your life of sin"; everyone makes mistakes, we should give second chances like Jesus did. 

Teaching on Forgiveness - "I tell you, you must forgive him more than seven times. You must forgive him even if he wrongs you seventy seven times seven times"; always forgive, no sin is too big.

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Key Theology

  • Avoiding scandal (Gk: skandalon - stumbling block): "if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall." - 1 Corinthians 
  • Great Commandment - implies a 'just love of self' 
  • Temple of the Holy Spirit: "Do you not know that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Spirit..." - 1 Corinthians
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Mnemonics

S S C E R D L I T H S G C S S S H 

Sovereignty Stewardship, Classification, Experimental Recreational Dependent, Legal Illegal, Temple of the Holy Spirit, Great Command, Skandalon, Solvents Sedatives Hallucinogen

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