9781422285725

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If you have a health problem, a doctor might suggest you take pills that can make you feel better. You’ve probably heard an adult say that she’s useless before she’s had her morning coffee. And many adults would also say that a barbecue just isn’t a barbecue without hamburgers, hot dogs, . . . and a cold beer. These things—alcohol, medicine, and the caffeine in coffee—have something in common. They are all types of drugs. Drugs affect our brains, bodies, and behavior when we eat, drink, smoke, breathe, or inject them.

If you have asthma, you probably keep an inhaler handy, with medicine to help you breathe better.