Drugs and Your Health

Types of Drugs and Their Effects

Cannabis (hash, pot, dope, weed, marijuana)

• May cause relaxation and altered perception

• Can lead to increased heart rate and blood pressure

• Can make you feel relaxed and happy, but can also cause lethargy, anxiety, paranoia, and psychosis in extreme cases. A history or family history of mental illness may increase the possibility of more extreme psychotic reactions

• Linked to mental health problems such as schizophrenia and, when smoked, to lung diseases such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and lung, throat, mouth and tongue cancer

• Affects how your brain works. Regular use can make it hard for you to concentrate, learn and retain information

• Reduces your ability to have kids later in life

• When mixed with tobacco, is likely to increase the risk of heart disease and lung cancer.

  Cocaine (powder cocaine, coke, blow, crack)

• Feeling of ncreased energy

• Makes you feel happy, awake, confident and less inhibited, but has a nasty 'come down' that makes you feel depressed and unwell. 

• Can overstimulate the heart and nervous system and lead to a seizure, brain haemorrhage, stroke or heart attack 

• Reduces pain perception and may result in injury

• Increases the risk of mental health issues such as anxiety, paranoia and psychosis

• When snorted, damagea to the lining of the nasal passage and nose

• If injected, can cause vein collapse and increased risk of HIV and hepatitis infection.

Mephedrone (meow meow, m-cat, plant food, bubble, meph)

• Induces feelings of happiness, euphoria and confidence, but can also cause anxiety and paranoia

• Causes vomiting, sweating and headaches in some people

• Can overstimulate your heart and nervous system

• Can cause periods of insomnia

• Can lead to fits and agitation and hallucinatory states

• If used in large amounts, can cause tingling of the hands and feet, seizure and respiratory failure

• Has been linked to a number of deaths

• If injected, can cause vein collapse and increases the risk of HIV and hepatitis infection.

Ecstasy (MDMA, pills, E, eckies)

• Can make you feel alert, warm and chatty

• Can make sounds and colours seem more intense

• May cause anxiety, confusion, paranoia and even psychosis

• Linked (in cases of long-term use) to memory loss, depression and anxiety

• Can lead to overheating and dehydration

• Tends to stop your body producing enough urine, so your body retains fluid.

Speed (amphetamine, billy, whizz)

• Can make you feel alert, confident and energetic

• Can reduce appetite

• May make you agitated and aggressive

• Causes confusion, paranoia and even psychosis

• Can make you very depressed and lethargic for hours or days, when used a lot

• Can cause high blood pressure and heart attacks

• Puts you at risk of overdose, vein and tissue damage, and infectious disease (such as hepatitis C and HIV), if you inject speed.

Ice (crystal meth, shabu, crystal, glass, shard, P):

• Creates feelings of pleasure and confidence

• Makes you feel alert and energetic

• Cause you to repeat simple things like itching and scratching

• Cause enlarged or dilated pupils and a dry mouth

• May make you grind your teeth

• Can cause excessive sweat

• Can increase your heart rate and breathing

• May reduce your appetite

• Puts you at risk of infectious diseases (such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV) if you inject it

• Damage your nasal passages and cause nose bleeds if you snort it.

Short and Long-term Effects on Physical and Mental Health

Drug Overdose