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Drug Free Life

A drug free life is a happy life. You can realize your talents and live a rewarding fulfilling life. You can chase your dreams, even if they appear distant and challenging. Drugs are not a short cut to happiness. They are a short cut to bad health, misery and depression. Please read more to find out how. Drug abuse is one of the biggest social evils to affect societies the world over today. And the sad part is that even though millions are suffering due to their addictions every day new people get caught up in drugs. A lot of this is due to a communication gap. One does not get to know of the harmful effects of drugs in everyday life in detail. And yet trying drugs even once, is placing oneself on a precarious down slope to sorrow and misery. Within no time the addiction takes charge of one’s life. The health deteriorates and the student’s ability to absorb new knowledge and skills is diminished. The social life gets restricted to being with people who are caught in a similar trap of sorrow and misery. Here is a list of harmful effects of some drugs:
	Cannabis: Risk: Cannabis smoke contains 50 percent more tar than high-tar cigarettes, which puts users at an increased risk of lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. Studies have linked use to brain abnormalities. A number of studies have shown a connection between marijuana use and psychosis. Marijuana has also been found to change the structure of sperm cells, deforming them. Even small amounts of marijuana can cause temporary sterility in men. And marijuana use can upset a woman’s menstrual cycle. Studies show that the mental functions of people who have smoked marijuana tend to be diminished. Cannabis is also one of the drugs which causes abnormal cell division which can lead to severe hereditary defects.
	Ecstasy: Risk: Tablets or pills that are sold as “ecstasy” may contain other potentially dangerous substances which can vary widely in strength and effects. Impaired judgment Confusion Depression Sleep problems Severe anxiety Paranoia Muscle tension Faintness and chills or swelling Involuntary teeth clenching Blurred vision Nausea Long-lasting brain damage affecting thought and memory Damage to portions of the brain that regulate critical functions such as learning, sleep and emotion It is as if the brain switchboard was torn apart, then rewired backwards Degenerated nerve branches and nerve endings Depression, anxiety, memory loss Kidney failure Hemorrhaging Psychosis Cardiovascular1 collapse Convulsions Death
	Methamphetamine: Risk: Methamphetamine use sometimes triggers aggressive, violent and bizarre behavior among users. Drug users can experience a severe “crash” or physical and mental breakdown after the effects of the drugs wear off. Other serious effects can include insomnia, confusion, hallucinations, anxiety and paranoia. In some cases, use can cause convulsions that lead to death. Long-range damage In the long term, meth use can cause irreversible harm: increased heart rate and blood pressure; damaged blood vessels in the brain that can cause strokes or an irregular heartbeat that can, in turn, cause cardiovascular collapse or death; and liver, kidney and lung damage. Users may suffer brain damage, including memory loss and an increasing inability to grasp abstract thoughts. Those who recover are usually subject to memory gaps and extreme mood swings. Permanent damage to blood vessels of heart and brain, high blood pressure leading to heart attacks, strokes and death Liver, kidney and lung damage Destruction of tissues in nose if sniffed Respiratory (breathing) problems if smoked Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected Malnutrition, weight loss Severe tooth decay Disorientation, apathy, confused exhaustion Strong psychological dependence Psychosis Depression Damage to the brain similar to Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and epilepsy
	Heroin: Risk: Users risk overdosing on heroin, which can lead to coma and death through respiratory depression. Bad teeth Inflammation of the gums Constipation Cold sweats Itching Weakening of the immune system Coma Respiratory (breathing) illnesses Muscular weakness, partial paralysis Reduced sexual capacity and long-term impotence in men Menstrual disturbance in women Inability to achieve orgasm (women and men) Loss of memory and intellectual performance Introversion Depression Pustules on the face Loss of appetite Insomnia Frequent injections can cause collapsed veins and can lead to infections of the blood vessels and heart valves. Tuberculosis can result from the general poor condition of the body. Arthritis is another long-term result of heroin addiction.
	Cocaine: Risk: Mixing cocaine with alcohol is a dangerous cocktail and can greatly increase the chances of sudden death. intense depression, edginess and a craving for more of the drug. People who use it often don’t eat or sleep properly. They can experience greatly increased heart rate, muscle spasms and convulsions. The drug can make people feel paranoid, angry, hostile and anxious—even when they aren’t high. Regardless of how much of the drug is used or how frequently, cocaine increases the risk that the user will experience a heart attack, stroke, seizure or respiratory (breathing) failure, any of which can result in sudden death. As cocaine interferes with the way the brain processes chemicals, one needs more and more of the drug just to feel “normal.” Permanent damage to blood vessels of heart and brain High blood pressure, leading to heart attacks, strokes, and death Liver, kidney and lung damage Destruction of tissues in nose if sniffed Respiratory failure if smoked Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected Malnutrition, weight loss Severe tooth decay Auditory and tactile hallucinations Sexual problems, reproductive damage and infertility (for both men and women) Disorientation, apathy, confused exhaustion Irritability and mood disturbances Increased frequency of risky behavior Delirium or psychosis Severe depression (Some content sourced from www.drugfreeworld.org)