Why Are Illegal Drugs Dangerous?

Discussion in 'Health & Fitness' started by christopher1, Jun 4, 2009.

  1. christopher1 Registered Member

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    2
    Illegal drugs aren't good for anyone, but they are particularly bad for a kid or teen whose body is still growing. Illegal drugs can damage the brain, heart, and other important organs. Cocaine, for instance, can cause a heart attack — even in a kid or teen.

    While using drugs, a person is also less able to do well in school, sports, and other activities. It's often harder to think clearly and make good decisions. People can do dumb or dangerous things that could hurt themselves — or other people — when they use drugs.
    Why Do People Use Illegal Drugs?

    Sometimes kids and teens try drugs to fit in with a group of friends. Or they might be curious or just bored. A person may use illegal drugs for many reasons, but often because they help the person escape from reality for a while. If a person is sad or upset, a drug can — temporarily — make the person feel better or forget about problems. But this escape lasts only until the drug wears off.

    Drugs don't solve problems, of course. And using drugs often causes other problems on top of the problems the person had in the first place. A person who uses drugs can become dependent on them, or addicted. This means that the person's body becomes so accustomed to having this drug that he or she can't function well without it.

    Once a person is addicted, it's very hard to stop taking drugs. Stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as vomiting (throwing up), sweating, and tremors (shaking). These sick feelings continue until the person's body gets adjusted to being drug free again.

    Can I Tell If Someone Is Using Drugs?

    If someone is using drugs, you might notice changes in how the person looks or acts. Here are some of those signs, but it's important to remember that depression or another problem could be causing these changes. A person using drugs may:

    * lose interest in school
    * change friends (to hang out with kids who use drugs)
    * become moody, negative, cranky, or worried all the time
    * ask to be left alone a lot
    * have trouble concentrating
    * sleep a lot (maybe even in class)
    * get in fights
    * have red or puffy eyes
    * lose or gain weight
    * cough a lot
    * have a runny nose all of the time
     
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  3. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    It would be a great service to tell people the truth about drugs, the differences between them, and the reasons some of them are really illegal. You make the mistake of thinking the government made things illegal for good reasons related to health. Of course, some drugs are indeed very bad for you, but some are not.

    Michael Phelps?
     
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  5. otheadp Banned Banned

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    Drugs are dangerous for children because they have less experience and control over their own actions, and have no concept of moderation. When I was doing drugs and drinking as a teen I used to over-do the fuck out of them. Only later did I learn the concept of moderation and "casual drinking" as opposed to going to a party and drinking/smoking yourself under the table.

    There are many who say that it's wrong to use drugs as an escape mechanism. When I toyed around with hard drugs in my early 20s they were an EXCELLENT mechanism to escape my problems. Then after a while the problems were gone... that is, I stopped thinking about them... then I stopped doing the hard drugs, and became a normal, productive member of society with high education and a useful job. In fact, I still tend to do hard drugs a few times a year with out anyone being hurt from it (of course, I have to keep it secret...)

    By the time people reach the age of young adult, their drug use tends to be casual and non-problematic. Especially those in the middle/upper classes. They are peaceful, their dealers are peaceful, no one is worse off because of these drugs being consumed/sold.

    As for teens... that's a whole different matter. They should be discouraged as much as possible from doing drugs. Then once their minds have matured and they have some life experience they should be free to try it without being hassled by Teh Law.

    Most of the people I work with right now, including some managers, smoke weed on a regular basis. They all have university degrees, and do excellent work that requires brain power. Clearly their weed smoking habit does not impact their work in any way. So I think weed should be legalized - and controlled. That would make it less dangerous.
     
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  7. Absane Rocket Surgeon Valued Senior Member

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    Shouldn't the question be "why are dangerous drugs illegal?"

    Being illegal doesn't imply that a drug is dangerous.
     
  8. Oli Heute der Enteteich... Registered Senior Member

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    Of course it does - having illegal drugs means you get arrested: then the cops beat you up.
    That's dangerous.
     
  9. sushiosoyum Registered Member

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    5
    Leave drugs for the creative types who improve our world through arts & culture.

    :m:
     
  10. EmeraldAxe Registered Senior Member

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    otheadp has pretty much answered this question as it relates to kids/adolescents.

    Not all drugs are as dangerous as you think. In fact, many drugs (like anabolic steroids) are essentially modified versions of endogenous hormones/agents (testosterone). There's an entire science dedicated to the study of drugs, but it is not impossible to understand how these drugs work with a little bit of work on your part.

    I have, and many others I imagine, taken an experimental approach to using certain drugs. The conclusion of these experiments is, if your information on any drug is coming from the media, friends, internet (aside from pubmed and wikipedia), or parents (unless they are doctors/pharmacists/researchers), it's likely a lie or otherwise wholly inaccurate. Inform yourself.
     
  11. Giambattista sssssssssssssssssssssssss sssss Valued Senior Member

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    Aptly and truthfully put.
    Marijuana and crystal meth have little in common, other than they're both mind altering and illegal.
     
  12. Giambattista sssssssssssssssssssssssss sssss Valued Senior Member

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    Which is precisely why they're illegal!
     
  13. ShredMetalBlues Words Laced with Blasphemy Registered Senior Member

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    I was thinking the same thing.

    @ the OP: Cocaine isn't good no matter what age...
     
  14. takandjive Killer Queen Registered Senior Member

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    Cocaine isn't that bad for you if the cut's okay and you just do a couple grams a year.
     
  15. ShredMetalBlues Words Laced with Blasphemy Registered Senior Member

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    ^If you've got that kind of self-control, then you'll have no problems.

    But it would seem a good portion of cokeheads lack that kinda control. A teen? Probably even less.
     
  16. leopold Valued Senior Member

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    17,455
    not all illegal drugs are "dangerous".
    penicillin is a typical example. you MUST have a prescription to have it, otherwise it's illegal.
    marijuana is another typical example.
     
  17. EmmZ It's an animal thing Registered Senior Member

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    The most dangerous thing about drugs is the cost.
     
  18. RubiksMaster Real eyes realize real lies Registered Senior Member

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    1,646
    A lot of the danger is because they are illegal, not the other way around.

    Many illegal drugs are not particularly dangerous. Psilocybe cubensis, Marijuana, 2C-B, LSD, etc.

    Also, in some places it is now illegal to have pseudoephedrine without a prescription. Does that mean sudafed was deemed "too dangerous" for ordinary people? No, it was just a political move. That's what most drug legislation is.

    That's what happens when you let political leaders make medical decisions. Illinois representative Dennis Reboletti said that “[salvia divinorum is a] powerful psychoactive plant which in appearance looks like marijuana but has the psychoactive properties of LSD.” He also said, “It’s important that we in the legislature are proactive in protecting our children from highly addictive substances." That's what's dangerous. He's not basing that on any real studies, medical advice, scientific research, or personal experience. He proposed a bill that would make salvia divinorum a schedule I drug. Does that mean it's more dangerous than opium, PCP, and crystal meth? NO.

    Law has nothing do do with how dangerous something is.
     
  19. leopold Valued Senior Member

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    you don't consider LSD dangerous?
    any drug that distorts your perception of reality the way LSD does is definitely dangerous.
    actually it was made illegal to stop a source of meth manufacture.
     
  20. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    They cost to much!

    Some of them can KILL you!
     
  21. Challenger78 Valued Senior Member

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    Huh.
    Here I had you figured for a holier than thou, right wingnut...
    Guess I was wrong.
     
  22. spaceChild Registered Member

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    I think many drugs should be legalized, mainly marajuana, for many reasons. The fact that it's illegal just gets people paranoid. The sellers have all the control and buyers get ripped off all the time. People, mainly teens or tweens, end up with a crappy substance that they paid too much for.

    The banning of BZP recently was one of the worst ones. It was a controlled party drug that claimed to not be addictive, however, there where a few cases of teenagers overdosing on it and it was banned. Now since the banning of it people still buy it as pure BZP. It's cheaper ($15 - $20 a pill) and it could be cut with almost anything. Surely banning an item so that it is sold on the street is a lot more dangerous than it being sold in a store.
     
  23. nietzschefan Thread Killer Valued Senior Member

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