The general health risks
associated with the use of illegal drugs can be divided into two categories:
drug use that can destroy a healthy mind and body by outright organic damage,
mental illness, malnutrition, and failure to get treatment of injuries or
diseases; and drug use that generally reduces the body’s natural immune system
and increases the chances for infectious diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS.
Drug overdose may cause psychosis, convulsions, coma, or death.
Specific health problems
associated with the following drugs:
•
Amphetamines: heart problems, malnutrition, possible death, psychological and
physical dependence, hallucinations;
•
Cocaine: convulsions, coma, death, destruction of nasal membranes, physical
dependence, depression, hallucinations, confusion, lesions on the lungs;
•
Depressants (Barbiturates, Tranquilizers, Methaqualone): confusion and loss of
coordination, physical and psychological intolerance, coma or death, problems
when taken with alcohol;
•
Marijuana and Hashish: confusion and loss of coordination, psychological
dependence, lung damage;
•
Hallucinogens (LSD, PCP DMT STP, MDA, Designer Drugs): hallucinations and
panic, birth defects, convulsions, coma, death; and
•
Narcotics (Heroin, Morphine, Codeine, Opium): lethargy and loss of judgment,
physical and psychological dependence, convulsions, coma, death, malnutrition,
infection, hepatitis.