Risks & Health Effects

Know the risks

The use of alcohol or drugs carries risks that can cause negative health effects. Learn more about the possible health risks.

This includes beer, distilled liquor, ethanol, and wine.

Potential for dependence

  • Physical: High
  • Psychological: High

Short-term risk and effects

  • Impair judgment and vision
  • Lowered inhibitions
  • Loss of motor skills and coordination
  • Slurred speech

Long-term risk and effects

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Hypertension
  • Liver damage
  • Neurological damage
  • Toxic psychosis

Overdose

  • Coma
  • Possible death

This includes hash oil, hashish, grass, marijuana, pot, and weed.

Potential for dependence

  • Physical: High
  • Psychological: High

Short-term risk and effects

  • Confusion
  • Fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Lowered blood pressure
  • Lowered inhibitions
  • Poor concentration
  • Reduced anxiety
  • Sedation
  • Slowed pulse and breathing
  • Slurred speech

Long-term risk and effects

  • Anxiety
  • Dizziness
  • Hallucinations
  • Insomnia
  • Loss of peripheral vision
  • Nausea
  • Seizures
  • Weak, rapid pulse
  • Toxic psychosis
  • Tremors

Overdose

  • Blackouts
  • Cold, clammy skin
  • Coma
  • Life-threatening withdrawal
  • Possible death
  • Respiratory depression and arrest
  • Toxic reaction if combined with alcohol

This includes barbiturates, benzodiazepine, date rape drugs, liquid ecstasy, flunitrazepam, GHB, methaqualone, special K, and Xanax.

Potential for dependence

  • Physical: high
  • Psychological: high

Short-term risk and effects

  • Confusion
  • Fatigue
  • Feeling of irritability
  • Lowered blood pressure
  • Lowered inhibitions
  • Poor concentration
  • Reduced anxiety
  • Sedation
  • Slowed pulse and breathing
  • Slurred speech

Long-term risk and effects

  • Anxiety
  • Dizziness
  • Hallucinations
  • Insomnia
  • Loss of peripheral vision
  • Nausea
  • Seizures
  • Weak, rapid pulse
  • Toxic psychosis
  • Tremors

Overdose

  • Blackouts
  • Cold, clammy skin
  • Coma
  • Life-threatening withdrawal
  • Possible death
  • Respiratory depression and arrest
  • Toxic reaction if combined with alcohol

This includes acid, angel dust, crystal, LSD, MDA, mescaline, mushrooms, PCP, peyote, phencyclidine, and psilocybin.

Potential for dependence

  • Physical: low/unknown
  • Psychological: unknown

Short-term risk and effects

  • Altered state of perception
  • Increased body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Numbness
  • Sleeplessness
  • Tremors
  • Weakness

Long-term risk and effects

  • Hallucination Persisting Disorder (flashbacks)
  • Intensify existing psychosis
  • Violent behavior

Overdose

  • Intense, prolonged hallucinations
  • Possible sudden death
  • Psychosis

This includes gases and solvents.

Potential for dependence

  • Physical: High for chronic, long-term abuse
  • Psychological: High for chronic, long-term abuse

Short-term risk and effects

  • Impaired judgement
  • Headache
  • Nausea, vomiting
  • Poor coordination
  • Slurred speech

Long-term risk and effects

  • Cardiovascular and nervous system damage, leading to inability to walk, talk, or think
  • Cramps
  • Depression
  • Loss of muscle tone
  • Memory impairment
  • Mild withdrawal
  • Muscle wasting and weakness
  • Weight loss

Overdose

  • Coma
  • Possible sudden death
  • Possible toxic reaction
  • Unconsciousness

This includes codeine, Demerol, HCL, heroin, meperidine, morphine, opium, Oxycodone, and Vicodin.

Potential for dependence

  • Physical: high
  • Psychological: high

Short-term risk and effects

  • Confusion
  • Constipation
  • Drowsiness
  • Euphoria
  • Nausea
  • Pain relief
  • Sedation
  • Staggering gait

Long-term risk and effects

  • AIDS and Hepatitis infection
  • Malnutrition

Overdose

  • Clammy skin
  • Coma
  • Convulsions
  • Death
  • Respiratory arrest
  • Shallow perspirations
  • Tolerance, addiction
  • Toxic reaction if combined with alcohol

This includes amphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy, MDMA, methylphenidate, phenmetrazine, and Ritalin.

Potential for dependence

  • Physical: possible
  • Psychological: high

Short-term risk and effects

  • Appetite loss
  • Excitement and euphoria
  • Feeling of well being
  • Increased alertness, blood pressure, pulse
  • Insomnia

Long-term risk and effects

  • Insomnia
  • Nervous system damage
  • Organ/tissue damage
  • Paranoia
  • Weight loss

Overdose

  • Agitation
  • Convulsions
  • Hallucinations
  • Heart attack, stroke
  • High blood pressure
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Seizures
  • Temperature increase

This includes chewing/smokeless tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, and nicotine.

Potential for dependence

  • Physical: high
  • Psychological: high

Short-term risk and effects

  • Bad breath
  • Bad taste in mouth
  • Decreased lung capacity
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Increased heart rate

Long-term risk and effects

  • Adverse pregnancy outcomes
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Cancer

Overdose

  • Possible death

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