Health Risks of Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Many Americans abuse alcohol and illegal drugs without thinking about the possible risk to their health and well-being.

Alcohol

Traffic accidents caused by drinking are the number one cause of death among Americans ages 15 to 24, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Even small amounts of alcohol can affect your judgment and coordination. This increases the chance that you will be involved in an accident. Moderate amounts also affect your ability to learn and remember information. High amounts can cause alcohol poisoning, resulting in death.

Women who drink alcohol while pregnant may give birth to infants with birth defects and mental retardation.

Illegal drugs

Drugs change your perception. They affect how your brain works, including your memory. They cause a variety of potentially serious or fatal physical conditions, the NIDA says.

These drugs have specific health risks:

• Cocaine. Cocaine in any form can cause sudden death from cardiac arrest. Cocaine stimulates the central nervous system. That raises blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and body temperature. Injecting cocaine with shared needles can lead to HIV infection and hepatitis.

• Marijuana. Marijuana increases heart rate, affects memory and comprehension, and makes it more difficult to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, such as driving a car. The drug also affects motivation, which has an impact on school and work.

• Prescription drug abuse. About 9 million Americans use prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes. Commonly abused medications include OxyContin, Ritalin, Adderal, Vicodin, and Percocet. These drugs can cause very high blood pressure, irregular heart rate, and high body temperature.

• Methamphetamine. This drug can increase heart rate, raise blood pressure, and decrease appetite. This can lead to severe weight loss. High doses can cause tremors, delusions, paranoia, and death.

• Anabolic steroids. Steroid users can suffer side effects ranging from acne to liver cancer. In males, use can cause withered testicles, sterility, and impotence. In females, irreversible masculine traits can develop. Psychological effects in both sexes include aggressive behavior and depression. Some side effects, such as heart attack and stroke, may occur years after use.