Marijuana, hashish, cocaine, crack, hallucinogens and inhalants are negatively affecting the lives of 8 percent of the U.S. population. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration noted in 2008 that 20 million Americans age 12 and older use illegal drugs. Drug abuse alters the brain, impairs the body and creates a vicious cycle of craving and addiction. The effects of drug abuse can destroy the mind and body.
Systemic Effects
The use of illicit drugs can be lethal. Seizures, tremors and fatal heart attacks, sudden death and coma are associated with cocaine use. Regular use of marijuana causes cognitive impairment and memory loss. Heroin, barbiturates and tranquilizers can cause respiratory arrest, seizures and coma. The use of amphetamines can cause rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, headache, blurred vision and psychosis. Illegal drugs cause fertility problems, constipation and they impair the immune system.
Cravings
The most important thing in the life of an abuser is satisfying the craving that occurs with the use of drugs. Family, friends and work no longer have importance in the life of a abuser. Addiction is more likely to occur in people who start using drugs at an early age, who have a history of childhood abuse, neglect or other trauma, a family history of addiction, or a personal history of depression or anxiety according to HelpGuide.org. The brain's structure and function is altered in drug abuse. The ability to think clearly, use good judgment, and control behavior is impaired. Uncontrollable cravings are considered to be a consequence of the alteration in the brain's structure.
Risky Behaviors
People who abuse drugs tend to engage in risky behaviors. For example, there were 14,000 alcohol-related fatalities in 2008, according to AlcoholAlert.com. High risk sexual behavior was responsible for 31 percent of newly acquired HIV infections. Prostitution is a way that both men and women sometimes pay for their drugs, increasing the risk of STDs. Needle sharing, common among abusers who inject cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine, is responsible for the development of hepatitis B and C, HIV and endocarditis of the heart.
References
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Effects of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
- HelpGuide.org: Drug Abuse and Addiction: Signs, Symptoms and Help for Drug Problems
- AlcoholAlert.com: 2008 Drunk Driving Statistics
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: HIV Surveillance Report
