Biology · KS3 Y9 · Health & Disease

Recreational drugs

Recreational drugsFree5:42Heddy Score 3 of 7, below the standard

What you need to know

  • Addictive drugs change the brain, including the pathway that registers reward.
  • With repeated use the brain adapts, so the same amount has a weaker effect. This is tolerance.
  • Stopping can bring on withdrawal, which is one reason dependence is hard to escape.
  • People do not all face the same risk: genes and the environment both play a part.
Heddy Score3/7, Below the standard
See the seven stars
  • Trusted source · passed. The creator's own upload, live and playable here.
  • On the map · not judged yet. A teacher watched it: it mainly teaches this map topic.
  • Spec-true · not judged yet. Accurate, and right for the current UK specification.
  • Focused · passed. One idea, short enough to watch in one go.
  • Accessible · passed. Good captions, clear sound and pictures.
  • Safe for children · not judged yet. Right for 11 to 16 year olds, with no sales pitch.
  • Proven · not judged yet. Earned from our students: they learn from it, find it helpful and watch it to the end.
★ passed · ☆ pending · ✕ failed
Our students

Not enough students yet

Our own students' answers. These are what move ★7 Proven.
On YouTube

1.64M views · 32.7K likes · TED-Ed 23M subscribers

As reported by YouTube on 2026-11-01. Not part of the Heddy Score.
How the Heddy Score works

Why we picked it

It explains how addictive drugs change the nervous system and why dependence is difficult to treat.

TED-Ed on YouTubechecked 2026-10-18

Plays from youtube-nocookie.com. No YouTube cookies until you press play.