Legal or Illegal - Addictive Drugs Can Hurt Your Life
Tuesday, June 15th, 2010There are some myths out there about addictive drugs, claiming that some are safer than others. While some drugs can certainly hit hard more quickly than others, any addictive drug has the potential to seriously hurt someone’s life. Even medication that is intended to help a person can have some harmful side effects. This goes for things as simple as over-the-counter pain medication all the way up to toxic cancer treatments. You need to know more about the dangers of addictive drugs, regardless of their legality.

Prescription Pain Medication
Many people believe that if a doctor prescribes a drug, it is automatically more safe than any illegal drug they would find on the street. That is patently false. Prescription pain medications usually have a narcotic drug as the key active ingredient. Narcotic drugs of any kind have strong addictive potential. That’s just how they are built.
Narcotics are effective because they quickly and significantly manipulate a person’s sense of pain. The drug temporarily puts itself in place of the body’s normal chemical messengers, providing a sense of relaxation rather than pain. However, this is also where the addictive potential lies.
If a person misuses their medication, they can become addicted to the mood altering effects of the drug. Not only that, they can actually experience more pain when they attempt to wean themselves. So even though pain medications may be prescribed by a physician, they are by no means safer.
Excessive Alcohol Use
Alcohol is used socially in many societies. When someone drinks too much, it is often quite acceptable. This can even elevate a person’s status in a social group. Since it is legal for adults to drink, many people think that alcohol isn’t nearly as dangerous as street drugs.
Wrong again. Alcohol can be addictive, just like heroin, meth, or prescription pain pills. An alcoholic can suffer many health problems including hepatitis, a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, high blood pressure, worse overall health, diabetes, and even death. There isn’t anything much more dangerous than death, no matter what addictive drug is being misused.
Dangerous Illegal Drugs
Of course, more people are likely to believe it hard street drugs can lead to disaster. Crystal meth, heroin, and cocaine are just a few of the many illegal drugs that can quickly bring a person’s life down. These drugs pack a powerful punch and can lead to addiction in a short time. Their illegal status can also create criminal problems for users. Few people debate the potential trouble with using these drugs.
Legal Drugs Used Illegally
This is a gray area that can still cause potential problems with addiction. Alcohol is legal for adults, but illegal for anyone under the age of 21 in the United States. Kids and teens who get involved with alcohol set themselves up for more difficulties as they get older. A person’s brain isn’t finished developing until they are in their mid-twenties. Alcohol and drug use at this early age can permanently affect the way their brain functions.
Also, many prescription pain pills end up on the black market. Or, people misrepresent themselves and their legitimate prescriptions to get higher amounts of drugs than they should. While their prescription may be legal, their misuse is not.
Legal Or Illegal, Addictive Drugs Can Hurt Your Life
As you can see, addictive drugs of any kind can hurt you. Legal or not, the key issue is their addictive nature. It’s up to everyone to be aware of the risks and benefits of all drugs, especially those with addictive potential.



