What are the Impacts of Different Drugs on human Health?

There are many impacts of different drugs on human health. These impacts vary depending on drug nature, its quantity, its time period, and the person’s health who is using drugs. These effects may be short as well as long-term, direct or indirect.

short and long term impacts of drugs

Short-term effects may occur just after one use. These effects may be like changes in appetite, sleeplessness, heart rate, blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, psychosis, overdose, and death.

Similarly, heart diseases, lung diseases, cancer, mental illness, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and many others may be effects of long-term usage of drugs. A person who uses drugs for a longer period may be addicted to it and this drug addiction basically is a brain disorder. 

Drugs affect its users directly & differently

It is not necessary that every drug user is addicted to it. But for some people, drug use can change the working of the brain circuit. These changes in the working of the brain put bad impacts on human physical as well as mental health. 

Further, these changes can result in differences in feeling the pleasure of life such as food and sex. These also have an impact on decision-making power, to face the stress in daily life. These can also have impacts on memory. Most importantly, these brain changes make it far difficult for an addicted person to quit this bad habit even he wants to quit it.  

Indirect impacts of drugs

Along with the direct effects drugs also affect people indirectly. These have effects on the people around the user. These indirect effects may have a negative impact on a person’s nutrition, sleep, and decision-making. 

The risk for trauma, violence, injury and communicable diseases also increases due to these indirect effects of drugs. This drug use may also have bad impacts on the fetus during pregnancy and can lead to complications during and after pregnancy in the newborn.  

Specific Drugs result in certain diseases

The use of different drugs results in different diseases. Below is the detail that shows what are the impacts of different drugs on human health?

hIV and Hepatitis

The usage of the following drugs can lead to HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases:

• Cocaine
• Heroin
• Methamphetamine
• Prescription opioids
• Steroids 

cancer

Smoking nicotine or cigarette is the most preventable reason of cancer around the world. Smoking cigarettes can cause cancers of the mouth, neck, stomach, and lungs. Indirectly affected people from the smoke of cigarettes who don’t smoke themselves can also develop lung cancer along with other health problems. The use of marijuana can result in form of testicular cancer.

The use of the following drugs may result in cancer.

• Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping
• Steroids 
• Marijuana

Cardiovascular Diseases

The research shows that usage of drugs can have very bad impacts on the cardiovascular system. Smoking tobacco results in an increased risk of heart diseases. It can lead to stroke, heart attack, and vascular disease.

It also increases the risk of developing chronic lung diseases like asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in people who use the drugs.

The use of the following drugs can affect the cardiovascular system:

• Cocaine
• Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping
• Heroin
• Inhalants
• Marijuana
• DMT
• Steroids
• Prescription Stimulants
• GHB
• Khat
• LSD
• MDMA
• Mescaline
• Methamphetamine
• PCP
• Ketamine
• Synthetic Cannabinoids
• Synthetic Cathinones

Respiratory Diseases

Regular use of drugs can lead to different respiratory problems. Like, smoking cigarettes can be the cause of bronchitis, emphysema, and lung cancer. vaping marijuana and nicotine can seriously damage the lungs, even lead to death. 

In the same way, the problems like slow breathing, the stoppage of air to the lungs, and severe asthma may occur due to the use of some drugs.

The use of the following drugs can affect the respiratory system:

• Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping
• Cocaine
• Heroin
• Inhalants
• DXM
• GHB
• Ketamine
• Marijuana
• PCP
• Prescription Opioids

Gastrointestinal Diseases

It is observed that nausea and vomiting may occur due to the use of some drugs. Moreover, the use of cocaine can lead to abdominal pain and bowel tissue decay while some drugs can cause acid reflux and severe constipation.    

Following drugs can affect the gastrointestinal system:

• Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping
• Heroin
• Marijuana
• Cocaine
• DXM
• GHB
• Khat
• Kratom
• LSD
• MDMA
• Mescaline
• Nicotine
• PCP
• Prescription Opioids
• Synthetic Cannabinoids

Musculoskeletal Diseases

Muscular control and skeletal strength can be affected by the use of some drugs. For instance, the use of steroids can result in artificially high sex hormone levels. 

Moreover, it can lead to the stoppage of bones growth resulting in short stature. Some drugs can cause severe muscle contractions. Similarly, some others may lead to severe muscle cramping and overall muscle weakness.

Following drugs can affect the musculoskeletal system:

• Steroids
• Synthetic Cathinones
• Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping
• Inhalants
• MDMA
• PCP

Damage to the Kidneys

The use of some drugs may result in severe damages to kidneys or failure.

The following drugs can cause kidney damage:

• Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping
• Steroids
• Heroin
• Inhalants
• MDMA
• Synthetic Cannabinoids

Liver Damage

Drugs like heroin, inhalants, and steroids can damage the liver significantly. Resultantly this damage can multiply if these drugs are used with alcohol or other drugs.

The following drugs can cause serious damage to the liver:

• Heroin
• Inhalants
• DXM
• Steroids

Neurological Problems

The continuous use of some drugs may cause changes in brain functioning. As a result, it may affect the brain circuit that is commanding or controlling pleasures, rewards, stress, decision-making, impulse control, memory, and other functions. 

Consequently, these changes in brain functioning make it harder for the person who wants to quit the use of drugs.

The following drugs can cause neurological problems:

• Synthetic Cannabinoids
• Synthetic Cathinones
• DXM
• Prescription Opioids
• Steroids
• Cocaine
• Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping
• Heroin
• Inhalants
• Marijuana
• LSD
• MDMA
• Ayahuasca
• DMT
• GHB
• Ketamine
• Khat
• Kratom
• Mescaline 
• Methamphetamine
• Prescription Stimulants
• PCP
• Prescription Sedatives
• Psilocybin
• Salvia

Hormonal Problems

The use of some drugs damages the normal production of hormones in the body. As a result of these changes, this situation can lead to both reversible and irreversible changes. Also, Infertility and testicle shrinkage may occur in men due to these changes.

The following drugs can cause hormonal problems:

• Steroids
• Heroin
• MDMA

 Pregnancy Problems

Studies reveal that some drugs may cause miscarriages, premature births, low birth weights, and different kinds of behavioral and cognitive problems in newborns. As a possible impact, an addictive mother may give birth to an additive baby. This is called neonatal abstinence syndrome.

The women who are pregnant, considering pregnancy, or are breastfeeding must talk to their doctor or health care provider about the dangers of various drugs to the fetus or breastfeeding child.

Following drugs have adverse prenatal effects:

• Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping
• Marijuana
• Heroin
• Cocaine
• Methamphetamine
• Inhalants
• MDMA

  Deaths are due to Drugs

The rate of deaths due to the use of drugs has almost tripled in the last 20 years. The number of deaths, illnesses, and disabilities from the usage of drugs is higher than from any other preventable health condition.

One out of four deaths is linked with alcohol, tobacco, and usage of other drugs.

So, it is the need of the hour that we should raise our voices to eliminate the factors that indulge a person in drugs. In this way, we can avoid the negative impacts of different drugs on human health. If today we take the right step, tomorrow will be safer and more securer.