Prof. Soloman
23 October 2014
Effects of Drug Abuse
Drugs can be found everywhere an individual looks and it can seem like just about everyone around you is doing drugs. Learning the different types of drugs and the effects it has can help to say no when someone offers you a “buzz.” Not all drugs are bad, some are prescription drugs offered by doctors others are used for the pleasure people claim they bring. Not only can drug abuse affect the body and loved ones, but also society. Marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and ecstasy are some of the many drugs that are being used today but only three of them are mostly known.
Marijuana also known as weed, is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States. When an individual smokes marijuana its gives off an immediate sensation of a dream-like surrounding, increased appetite, and drowsiness. The effects typically wear off within an hour or two, but that depends on the abundance of the product. Some people dont see how this can be harmless to a person’s body compared to cigarette smoking and/or drinking, and although there are not any major issues, there are complications. A person who smokes marijuana can have changes in the brain, making it harder to remember things and pay attention. smoking it a lot and for a vast amount of time can effect fertility by decreasing a man’s sperm count and delaying a women’s ovulation. A female who smokes while pregnant can give birth to a baby with behavioral and developmental problems. Smoking marijuana can also effect the respitorary system by producing more mucus and bronchitis, it may make it harder to fight off infections in the body and also it can cause depression and anxiety. Some states have actually started legalizing medical marijuana. It is said that marijuana can help with nausea, glaucoma, bodily pains, and also muscle pains.
Methamphetamines, also known as meth, is another major drug that is being used illegally, but does have many major issues. The drug can be injected through the skin, snorted through the nose, smoked, and eaten. Just like cocaine, meth can cause heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure. A person who does meth is said to have hallucinations and paranoia, extreme weight loss, heart damage, and damaged teeth. There are three categories of abuse: low-intensity, binge, and high-intensity. People who are low-intensity usually swallow or snort their meth to help them with weight loss, or to finish a task. Those said to be binge abusers smoke or inject there’s with a needle allowing them to feel the rush stronger and faster than if they were to snort or swallow it. Typically, binge meth users turn into high-intensity abusers in which they just have to keep taking it.
Most substance abuse begin in childhood or the teen years, but there are some factors