Gumleaf
November 6th, 2008, 11:07 PM
Danger of Drugs
During our teenage years and in some cases in childhood, it’s quite likely at some point that we will be exposed to drugs. Whether it be through parents or siblings that do drugs, or friends or classmates who use them, it’s important to know the facts and the damage they can do to you. Some people may say that doing drugs is good, some say that having that high makes it worth it, but is it really worth it? Here I will talk about the facts of different types of drugs and the dangers they can pose to you if you were to use them.
Marijuana (Pot) - Marijuana is not usually a drug that can lead to death on its own, although if mixed with other drugs and/or alcohol, it can prove to be a lethal combination. Marijuana affects your brain skills where your memories are formed, so it’s possible that by smoking marijuana, you will lose the ability to remember recent events or be able to focus and concentrate on a particular task. Continuous smoking of marijuana while being a teenager has been known to delay puberty in males and affect a females’ monthly cycle. The long term affect on your health for continuous marijuana users is an increase risk of developing lung cancer. For long term smokers, marijuana can become an addiction and can then become the centre of their lives.
Heroin - Heroin is a highly addictive drug. Heroin usually appears as a white or brown powder. When heroin is taken, usually by injection, it enters the brain causing chemical reactions that result in the person experiencing a very pleasurable sensation or “rush”. Heroin is especially addictive because it enters the brain quickly. Some side affects of heroin involve a warm flushing of the skin and a dry mouth, which may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and severe itching. After the initial effects, the user will usually will be drowsy for hours. Mental function is affected by heroin's effect on the central nervous system. Cardiac function slows. Breathing is also severely slowed, sometimes to the point of death. The main long term risk of heroin is its ability for it to become an addiction. Addiction is not good because it can cause you some major health problems to the point of death, especially through overdose.
Cocaine – Cocaine is a drug that can be either inhaled, smoked or injected. When cocaine enters the body, it affects the brain and over stimulates it. Some of the noticeable affects from the user include being hyper, being more alert and having an increase of confidence. When cocaine is taken, the high experienced is short and the affects of coming down from that high starts. These affects can include irritability, anxiety, restlessness, physical pain, insomnia, depression, paranoia and aggression. The coming down from the high is said to be very unpleasent and difficult to the point where uses take more cocaine to try and prolong or avoid the difficult coming down part of the experience. Like other drugs, the combination with alcohol can be lethal and with cocaine it can cause significant strain on the heart resulting in death. High doses of cocaine can cause extreme behaviour making people erratic, delusional, paranoid, violent and psychotic. Cocaine use increases the chances of respiratory arrest or stroke. People who have high doses have been known to have seizures, strokes or heart attacks. It is impossible to determine who might have such an immediately fatal reaction to cocaine.
Ecstasy – Ecstasy is a type of “party drug” that is mostly taken in the form of a pill. One of the big dangers of ecstasy pills is that it is difficult to tell the strength of it from viewing and this can be very dangerous. The affects of ecstasy on the body is that it causes a chemical reaction in the brain and makes you more open and happier. These affects usually only last for a short time. But ecstasy can be dangerous because it raises the body temperature and in a party environment where there is plenty of activity, it can cause heatstroke which in some cases can cause death. Some people also get bad emotional reactions to Ecstasy including confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, severe anxiety, and paranoia, sometimes lasting long after taking the drug. Ecstasy also reduces your ability to think clearly and it may cause you to do things you wouldn’t usually do.
Methamphetamine - Methamphetamine is a highly addictive manufactured stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system. It’s a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol. Methamphetamine can be taken orally, sniffed, injected or smoked. The affects on the brain depends on the way the drug enters your brain. Methamphetamine is said to make the user happier and enhance their mood and increase sex drive. It can also cause a reduction in judgement resulting in a high likelihood of the user doing unsafe things. Unlike cocaine, the affects last longer as the drug remains in the brain longer. Methamphetamine can also have negative side affects. These include the user to experience increased wakefulness, decreased appetite, confusion, increased respiration, rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, hyperthermia (heat stroke) and in some cases death. This drug is very addictive because of the affects the user receives, and also the tolorence that the body creates to the drug, meaning that a regular user will need to take more of the drug to receive that same rush. This makes methamphetamine even more dangerous.
Tobacco - Tobacco smoking is the most common substance smoked worldwide and is smoked daily by millions of people around the world. Tobacco smoking can become very addictive and most of those people who do become addicted do so in their teenage years, mainly due to peer pressure, which means that for all of us here, this is the crunch time. Smoking can become very addictive and it is a proven fact that smoking causes an increase risk to many possible fatal diseases including stroke and heart attack, as well as an increased risk of developing various cancers including lung, larynx and oral cancer. Of course the question for many is, can an addicted person be treated and stop smoking? the answer is yes, however it can be a long and difficult road for the person. Some interesting statistics show that 70% of all smokers want to quit, but its having the will power to do it, which makes it hard. But the health benefits of not smoking definetly makes it worth while. When a smoker quits, after 20 minutes your heart rate slows, after 12 hours the carbon monoxide in your blood returns to a normal level, between 2 weeks to 3 months your lung functions improve and your risk of heart attacks declines, between 1 to 9 months your coughing and shortness of breath reduces, after 1 year your risk of a heart attack is one half that of a smoker's, between 5 to 15 years your risk of stroke is the same as someone who does not smoke, after 10 years your risk of lung cancer is one half that of a smoker's and after 15 years your risk of a heart attack is that of a non-smoker's. This definetly makes quitting worthwhile however the most effective way a person can quit is said to be through support groups and by giving up cold turkey.
Alcohol - Alcohol is a very popular and common drug consumed by millions and millions of people world wide. Despite alcohol being a common party drink and when consumed responsibly causes minimal damage to the body, the affects of it when consumed in high levels makes it potentially deadly to everyone. The main reason why it can be so deadly is that when alcohol is consumed, it enters your bloodstream and therefore affects all your bodily organs. The main side effects of alcohol involve a reduction in your senses and your coordination and a blockage of your memory, which is why many drunk people have trouble walking and often wake the next morning and have trouble remembering things from the night before. It is important that if you drink alcohol and take medication whether it be precription or over the counter, you need to check to make sure that you can still drink as alcohol can work negatively with many medications putting your health in danger. Alcohol can also intefere with peoples behaviour making them behave differently to how they normally would, sometimes with some seriously nasty consequences such as violence which can lead to social and family problems. Its a sad fact that there are many children and teenagers around the world that have to suffer with an alcoholic parent(s). That is why it is important for us in our teenage years to realise that its ok to go and have a good time and drink, but be aware of the consequences of drinking too much and the strain it can put on our body and our relationships with friends and family.
With all things considered it is safe to say that drug use, despite the benefits some people see, is very harmful to users. Even people who only use drugs occasionally can experience the terrible side affects. So hopefully this will help you to think twice before doing any type of drug. When it comes to the crunch, illegal drugs are illegal for a reason and to our own personal benefit to stay away from them despite pressure that we may get from our friends to use them. So what I am saying is that there are plenty of ways to enjoy life rather then taking a drug for a short high that could result in a long term health problem for you and possible addiction.
References:
www.teengrowth.com
http://www.brown.edu/Student_Service...lth_Education/
http://www.tobacco-facts.info/
http://www.engology.com/articlealcohol.htm
During our teenage years and in some cases in childhood, it’s quite likely at some point that we will be exposed to drugs. Whether it be through parents or siblings that do drugs, or friends or classmates who use them, it’s important to know the facts and the damage they can do to you. Some people may say that doing drugs is good, some say that having that high makes it worth it, but is it really worth it? Here I will talk about the facts of different types of drugs and the dangers they can pose to you if you were to use them.
Marijuana (Pot) - Marijuana is not usually a drug that can lead to death on its own, although if mixed with other drugs and/or alcohol, it can prove to be a lethal combination. Marijuana affects your brain skills where your memories are formed, so it’s possible that by smoking marijuana, you will lose the ability to remember recent events or be able to focus and concentrate on a particular task. Continuous smoking of marijuana while being a teenager has been known to delay puberty in males and affect a females’ monthly cycle. The long term affect on your health for continuous marijuana users is an increase risk of developing lung cancer. For long term smokers, marijuana can become an addiction and can then become the centre of their lives.
Heroin - Heroin is a highly addictive drug. Heroin usually appears as a white or brown powder. When heroin is taken, usually by injection, it enters the brain causing chemical reactions that result in the person experiencing a very pleasurable sensation or “rush”. Heroin is especially addictive because it enters the brain quickly. Some side affects of heroin involve a warm flushing of the skin and a dry mouth, which may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and severe itching. After the initial effects, the user will usually will be drowsy for hours. Mental function is affected by heroin's effect on the central nervous system. Cardiac function slows. Breathing is also severely slowed, sometimes to the point of death. The main long term risk of heroin is its ability for it to become an addiction. Addiction is not good because it can cause you some major health problems to the point of death, especially through overdose.
Cocaine – Cocaine is a drug that can be either inhaled, smoked or injected. When cocaine enters the body, it affects the brain and over stimulates it. Some of the noticeable affects from the user include being hyper, being more alert and having an increase of confidence. When cocaine is taken, the high experienced is short and the affects of coming down from that high starts. These affects can include irritability, anxiety, restlessness, physical pain, insomnia, depression, paranoia and aggression. The coming down from the high is said to be very unpleasent and difficult to the point where uses take more cocaine to try and prolong or avoid the difficult coming down part of the experience. Like other drugs, the combination with alcohol can be lethal and with cocaine it can cause significant strain on the heart resulting in death. High doses of cocaine can cause extreme behaviour making people erratic, delusional, paranoid, violent and psychotic. Cocaine use increases the chances of respiratory arrest or stroke. People who have high doses have been known to have seizures, strokes or heart attacks. It is impossible to determine who might have such an immediately fatal reaction to cocaine.
Ecstasy – Ecstasy is a type of “party drug” that is mostly taken in the form of a pill. One of the big dangers of ecstasy pills is that it is difficult to tell the strength of it from viewing and this can be very dangerous. The affects of ecstasy on the body is that it causes a chemical reaction in the brain and makes you more open and happier. These affects usually only last for a short time. But ecstasy can be dangerous because it raises the body temperature and in a party environment where there is plenty of activity, it can cause heatstroke which in some cases can cause death. Some people also get bad emotional reactions to Ecstasy including confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, severe anxiety, and paranoia, sometimes lasting long after taking the drug. Ecstasy also reduces your ability to think clearly and it may cause you to do things you wouldn’t usually do.
Methamphetamine - Methamphetamine is a highly addictive manufactured stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system. It’s a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol. Methamphetamine can be taken orally, sniffed, injected or smoked. The affects on the brain depends on the way the drug enters your brain. Methamphetamine is said to make the user happier and enhance their mood and increase sex drive. It can also cause a reduction in judgement resulting in a high likelihood of the user doing unsafe things. Unlike cocaine, the affects last longer as the drug remains in the brain longer. Methamphetamine can also have negative side affects. These include the user to experience increased wakefulness, decreased appetite, confusion, increased respiration, rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, hyperthermia (heat stroke) and in some cases death. This drug is very addictive because of the affects the user receives, and also the tolorence that the body creates to the drug, meaning that a regular user will need to take more of the drug to receive that same rush. This makes methamphetamine even more dangerous.
Tobacco - Tobacco smoking is the most common substance smoked worldwide and is smoked daily by millions of people around the world. Tobacco smoking can become very addictive and most of those people who do become addicted do so in their teenage years, mainly due to peer pressure, which means that for all of us here, this is the crunch time. Smoking can become very addictive and it is a proven fact that smoking causes an increase risk to many possible fatal diseases including stroke and heart attack, as well as an increased risk of developing various cancers including lung, larynx and oral cancer. Of course the question for many is, can an addicted person be treated and stop smoking? the answer is yes, however it can be a long and difficult road for the person. Some interesting statistics show that 70% of all smokers want to quit, but its having the will power to do it, which makes it hard. But the health benefits of not smoking definetly makes it worth while. When a smoker quits, after 20 minutes your heart rate slows, after 12 hours the carbon monoxide in your blood returns to a normal level, between 2 weeks to 3 months your lung functions improve and your risk of heart attacks declines, between 1 to 9 months your coughing and shortness of breath reduces, after 1 year your risk of a heart attack is one half that of a smoker's, between 5 to 15 years your risk of stroke is the same as someone who does not smoke, after 10 years your risk of lung cancer is one half that of a smoker's and after 15 years your risk of a heart attack is that of a non-smoker's. This definetly makes quitting worthwhile however the most effective way a person can quit is said to be through support groups and by giving up cold turkey.
Alcohol - Alcohol is a very popular and common drug consumed by millions and millions of people world wide. Despite alcohol being a common party drink and when consumed responsibly causes minimal damage to the body, the affects of it when consumed in high levels makes it potentially deadly to everyone. The main reason why it can be so deadly is that when alcohol is consumed, it enters your bloodstream and therefore affects all your bodily organs. The main side effects of alcohol involve a reduction in your senses and your coordination and a blockage of your memory, which is why many drunk people have trouble walking and often wake the next morning and have trouble remembering things from the night before. It is important that if you drink alcohol and take medication whether it be precription or over the counter, you need to check to make sure that you can still drink as alcohol can work negatively with many medications putting your health in danger. Alcohol can also intefere with peoples behaviour making them behave differently to how they normally would, sometimes with some seriously nasty consequences such as violence which can lead to social and family problems. Its a sad fact that there are many children and teenagers around the world that have to suffer with an alcoholic parent(s). That is why it is important for us in our teenage years to realise that its ok to go and have a good time and drink, but be aware of the consequences of drinking too much and the strain it can put on our body and our relationships with friends and family.
With all things considered it is safe to say that drug use, despite the benefits some people see, is very harmful to users. Even people who only use drugs occasionally can experience the terrible side affects. So hopefully this will help you to think twice before doing any type of drug. When it comes to the crunch, illegal drugs are illegal for a reason and to our own personal benefit to stay away from them despite pressure that we may get from our friends to use them. So what I am saying is that there are plenty of ways to enjoy life rather then taking a drug for a short high that could result in a long term health problem for you and possible addiction.
References:
www.teengrowth.com
http://www.brown.edu/Student_Service...lth_Education/
http://www.tobacco-facts.info/
http://www.engology.com/articlealcohol.htm