By: Savannah Heavrin & Sarah Matthews

Health Consequences of drug use Physical consequences-once a drug enters the bloodstream, it can harm a user’s brain, heart, lungs, and other vital organs. Overdose, is a strong sometimes fatal reaction to taking a large amount of a drug. Mental/emotional consequences. Drugs could reasoning and thinking, and users lose control of their behavior. Social consequences. Even people who are “just experimenting” with drugs do say things they later regret. Substance abuse can have a negative effect on relationships with friends and family members. It can ruin your whole life cause you to end up homeless and alone.

Understanding the Addiction Cycle Tolerance. The body of the substance abuser needs more and more of the drug to get the same effect. Psychological dependence. A condition in which a person believes that a drug is needed in order to feel good or to function normally, It develops over time. The user has a continuing desire to take the drug for its effect. Addiction. Anyone who takes drugs risks one of the most frightening side effects: addiction, a physiological or psychological dependence on a drug. Addiction causes persistent, compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful. People in this condition cannot stop without an intervention. Legal consequences- teens manufacturing, or selling drugs are committing the crime of illicit drug use. Being arrested leads to court fines and legal fees. For Babies and children-Substance abuse can cause considerable harm to developing fetuses, infants, and children or drug users. Cost of Society- Drug abuse has consequences beyond the individual and family. One of the biggest burdens placed on society is a rise in drug-related crime and violence because the use of drugs decrease inhibitions, increase aggressiveness, and clouds judgment

Marijuana is a plant whose leaves, buds, and flowers are usually smoked for their intoxicating effects. When used it can raise levels of a brain chemical called dopamine which causes the feeling of pleasure. When it wears off the feeling drops which is called “ a crash” and the user wants more. This drug contains more cancer causing chemicals than tobacco smoke, but causes the same health damage.

Marijuana users experience slow mental reflexes and may suffer sudden feelings of anxiety and paranoia-an irrational suspiciousness or distrust of others. That means they start to get suspicious of nothing and feel that everyone is after them. People who use may feel dizzy, have trouble walking, have difficulty remembering events that happened earlier, experience distorted perception, and loss of coordination. Short term memory lose also affects users so that will affect school. They may also have trouble with thinking or solving problems. For teens the use of marijuana might risk damaging the reproductive organs. In males it affects the sperm production and lowers levels of testosterone, the hormone responsible for the development of adult male characteristics.

Anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic substances that are simular to the male sex hormone testosterone. Steroids are only good when used under a doctors guidance. Medicine with steroids in them are mixed with other drugs to dilute the harmful ingenious. Use of steroids isn’t only bad for your body, it have mental and social consequences also. The use of steroids can effect friendships and school work. And if you get caught you will be going to jail.

Psychoactive drugs are chemicals that affect the central nervous system and alter activity in the brain. The four main psychoactive drugs are: -Stimulants -Depressants -Narcotics -Hallucinogens

Examples of stimulants: * Cocaine-a rapid acting, powerful, highly addictive drug that interrupts normal functioning of the central nervous system. It gives you euphoria, which is a feeling of intense well being or elation. *Crack-a more dangerous form of crack. It is one of the most deadly drugs. Other names would be crack cocaine, rock, or freebase rock. *Amphetamines-a drug used in prescription med.s to reduce fatigue, drowsiness and to suppress the appetite. People use it illegally to stay awake, improve their performance, and lose weight. *Methamphetamine-(meth) a drug used in treating certain diseases. It is used at parties or night clubs to get high and have fun. When use it may provide a short term feeling of euphoria, but the after results are depression, paranoia, damage to the central nervous system, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and damage to the brain. It may also cause death. Health Risks of Depressants Depressants, or sedatives, are drugs that tend to slow down the central nervous system. Depressants drugs relax muscles, relieve feelings of tension and worry, and cause drowsiness. They can be dangerous because they slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure to dangerous levels, and interrupt the normal rate of breathing. Barbiturates belong to a family of sedative-hypnotic drugs, or drugs that induce sleepiness. Barbiturate use can result in mood changes, sleeping more than normal, and coma. Tranquilizers are depressants that reduce muscular activity. They are prescribed to relieve anxiety, muscle spasms, sleepiness, and nervousness. Rohypnol this depressant which is ten times as strong as tranquilizers, is better known as the date rape drug, used in crimes of violence. GHB is like Rohypnal, but is available as a clear liquid, a white powder, and in variety of tablets. Stimulants are drugs that speed up the central nervous system

Hallucinogens are drugs that alter moods, thoughts, and sense perceptions including vision, hearing smell, and touch. These drugs have no medical use. PCP is considered one of the most dangerous of all drugs, and its effects vary greatly from user to user. Users report distorted sense of time and space. LSD is an extremely strong hallucinogen. Even a tiny amount can cause hallucinogens and severe distorted perceptions of sound and color. Ketamine is anesthetic used for medical purposes, mostly in treating animals. Misused as a club drug, ketamine is often sold as a white powder to be snorted, like cocaine, or injected. Ecstasy and other Dangerous Drugs Designer drugs are synthetic substances meant to imitate the effects of hallucingens and other dangerous drugs. Designer drugs vary greatly in potency and strength and can be several hundred times more stronger than the drugs they are meant to imitate. Consequences of drug use Illegal drugs and other substances play a role in unsafe situations and negative consequences, including health, addictions, and difficulties in school.