Drug Abuse A Public Health Crisis Of Major Proportions

Drug abuse has become a public health crisis of major proportions. It sabotages physical and psychological health. This sometimes leading to chronic illness and sometimes even death. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), â€Å"An estimated twenty million Americans aged twelve or older used an illegal drug in the past thirty days.† The most commonly used and abused drugs today are marijuana, cocaine, meth, and heroin. Drugs are chemicals and while each drug may produce a different physical effect, all substances that are being abused share one common thing. They take over the normal function of the brain and they change the way the brain responds to issues of self control, emotion, motivation, judgment, learning, and†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"By 1920, 14 states had adopted some form of prohibition.†, according to the book, Drugs Through The Ages. In the 1960s marijuana use became more popular than before. By 2007, 19.7 percent of hi gh school students nationwide smoked pot during a one-month period. TYPES OF DRUGS Marijuana is the most commonly abused drug in the United States. When you use marijuana, usually by smoking, it acts as a central system stimulate. Marijuana speeds up heart rate and raises blood pressure. At the same time, it can dull memory, which makes it harder to remember things and concentrate. Cocaine is also another commonly abused drug. Cocaine is usually snorted as a powder. It is a very addictive stimulate and very powerful. Users get an exhilarated feeling when they ingest cocaine, that is why most people tend to abuse this drug a lot. That feeling tends to last 30-45 minutes. Cocaine tightens blood vessels and speeds up the heart. Those cardiovascular effects are the main reason for cocaine-related deaths. The third most commonly abused drug is heroin. Heroin acts on the body’s central nervous system by stimulating the brain’s â€Å"reward center†, which controls pleasurable feelings. However, sometimes it can cause some of the brainâ €™s critical functions, like breathing, to slow down or completely stop working. Usually heroin is commonly injected, so people who use it are also at risk for HIV and hepatitis, because they can be transmitted through needles that are shared. HOW TO