Consequences of drug use parents must know about

Drugs are chemical substances with the ability to affect the body in several ways. Some drugs have the brain to be their primary target site hence they are able to alter the brain circuitry and affect human behaviour, these drugs are called “psychoactive drugs” which is quite our area of concentration. Although drug use might be voluntary at first but due to its ability to alter human behaviour and influence decision making the compulsion to abuse drugs arises; at this stage, an individual is said to be craving.

How it is introduced into the system

1 By injection: This method is usually associated with drugs have a particulate or crystalline structure- (Methamphtamine, cocaine, heroin)

2 By swallowing: This method usually favours drugs that can be ingested easily either through drinking, chewing etc. - (Alcohol, steroids, tobacco, ecstasy, cough medicine, marijuana)

3 By inhaling: This method favours volatile chemical substances that is they readily produce gas- (Gum, etc)

4 By smoking: This is the most commonly used method, drugs that are usually abused through smoking are usually dried and crushed plant parts- (marijuana, tobacco etc)

5 By snorting

Consequences of drug abuse

1      Weakens the immune system, increasing          susceptibility to infection

2      Causes cardiovascular problems ranging from abnormal heart rate to heart attacks and many more. Drug injection can also lead to collapsed veins and infections of the blood vessels and heart valves

3      Cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain

4      Overworks the liver, possibly resulting to liver failure

5      Causes seizures, stroke and widespread brain damage which could affect memory, attention and decision making, visual impairment, even permanent brain damage.

6      Produce global body changes such as breast development in men, fluctuation in appetite, increase in body temperature.

Why we need to refrain from drug use

Staying away from excessive alcohol intake lowers blood pressure, the risk from injury, heart disease, stroke, liver problems, and some types of cancer. Abstaining from alcohol also aids in weight loss and increases the money in your wallet. While heavy drinking of alcoholic beverages is associated with several bad health effects, consuming alcohol in moderation has been found to promote health such as reducing the risk for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes in some people. The HHS defines drinking in moderation as no more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.

Illicit and prescription drug abuse are associated with decreased health and is a prominent problem in the United States. The health effects of drug abuse can be far-reaching including increased risk for stroke, heart disease, cancer, lung disease, and liver disease.

Recreational drug use, which includes tobacco-smoking and alcohol consumption along with narcotic and other illegal drug use, has a large impact on health. Smoking cigarettes causes lung cancer, eleven other types of cancer, heart disease, and several other disorders or diseases that markedly decrease quality of life and increase mortality. In the United States, smoking causes more than four hundred thousand deaths every single year, which is far more than deaths associated with any other lifestyle component

Effect of drugs on the brain

Although initial drug use may be voluntary, drugs have been shown to alter brain chemistry, which interferes with an individual's ability to make decisions and can lead to compulsive craving, seeking and use. This then becomes a substance dependency.

·         All drugs of abuse - nicotine, cocaine, marijuana, and others - effect the brain's "reward" circuit, which is part of the limbic system.

·         Drugs hijack this "reward" system, causing unusually large amounts of dopamine to flood the system.

·         This flood of dopamine is what causes the "high" or euphoria associated with drug abuse.

Behavioral problems

·         Paranoia

·         Aggressiveness

·         Hallucinations

·         Addiction

·         Impaired Judgment

·         Impulsiveness

·         Loss of Self-Control

Birth defects

Nearly 4 percent of pregnant women in the United States use illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, Ecstasy and other amphetamines, and heroin1. These and other illicit drugs may pose various risks for pregnant women and their babies. Some of these drugs can cause a baby to be born too small or too soon, or to have withdrawal symptoms, birth defects or learning and behavioral problems. Additionally, illicit drugs may be prepared with impurities that may be harmful to a pregnancy.

Finally, pregnant women who use illicit drugs may engage in other unhealthy behaviors that place their pregnancy at risk, such as having extremely poor nutrition or developing sexually transmitted infections.