Teenage is a period in life when bodily and psychological changes occur and hence teenagers are under the influence of different factors that drive them towards substances abuse like consuming drugs and alcohol. Once started using, teenagers ultimately get addicted to illicit drugs.
Certain drugs are most commonly abused by teenagers. We will discuss them briefly in the following paras.
Tobacco
Tobacco is the principal ingredient in cigarette, cigars and in certain chewable products. Tobacco contains nicotine which is highly addictive. Nicotine affects important parts of the body like heart, liver, lungs, the kidneys and so on.
Alcohol
Alcohol consumption starts with a small dose but later on it will be move on to large doses. Consumption of large doses of alcohol causes intoxication and leads to hangover and overdose cause acute respiratory failure or death.
Marijuana
Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal drug among teenagers. Marijuana causes health problems such as respiratory problems, lung infections, head, neck and lung cancers. Marijuana drug addicts can not understand complex information because those qualities are affected. They will have lack of motivation, attention and focus.
Prescription drugs
Prescription drugs are those which are meant for the patients who need treatment of pain after surgical operation etc. Used for a long period, these drugs cause addiction. They are harmful to the heart and the respiratory system. They affect the central nervous system and cause drowsiness, constipation and can even depress breathing depending on the amount taken. They cause symptoms such as anxiety, paranoia, irregular heartbeat and dangerous high body temperatures.
Ecstasy
Ecstasy causes load on heart and by which the heart rate is more and blood pressure higher. Other effects include dehydration muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, sweating, chills and faintness.
Inhalants
Inhalants cause damage to the brain as the drug reduces the flow of oxygen to it; damage to kidneys, the liver and the peripheral nervous system. There is nausea, vomiting, and, impairment in hearing.
Club drugs
These drugs are so named because teenagers going to clubs get habituated to them. The drugs can be mixed in the drinks teenagers will be having those drinks and get trapped unknowingly. People using club drugs can do harm to others including sexual assaults. Club drugs cause serious health issues like coma, and sometimes death. They cause a feel as if the user got separated from the environment.
Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, blood pleasure, body temperature, numbness, depression, panic attacks, anxiety etc.
Cocaine
Cocaine is absorbed in different methods causes different effects. If it is taken through nose, it can lead to loss of the sense of smell, nosebleeds and gradually problems while swallowing, hoarseness and a chronic runny nose. Injecting the drug using shared syringes may infect the user with HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne diseases. Cocaine also causes irritability, restlessness and anxiety will also be caused.
Heroin
Heroin causes drowsiness, depresses breathing. It affects the brain soon, and therefore is highly addictive. Initially, abusers feel drowsy for several hours. Central nervous system will be effected, cardiac function slows down, breathing also slows down in such a way that sometimes it may lead to death.
These drugs used most commonly by teenagers cause serious health issues in the long run unless detected and adequate and timely planned treatment is taken.