Alcohol
What is Alcohol? Alcohol is a depressant derived from the natural fermentation of fruits, vegetables and grains. These are brewed and distilled into a wide range of beverages with various alcohol contents.
What is the risk of Alcohol? You may hear that it will loosen you up and help you relax. What you may not hear is that it can damage the part of your brain that controls coordination, memory, judgment and decision-making.Straight up, drinking makes you dumber—you may slur your words and lose coordination, and your reactions will become slower. If you drink a lot and drink fast (binge drinking) you really put yourself in danger. With binge drinking, the depressant (or dumbing) effects of alcohol can overwhelm the body's defenses. Unable to move and think clearly, you can do stupid, risky and reckless things that are unsafe, or even lethal. Each year, approximately 5,000 people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking. This includes about 1,900 deaths from car accidents, 1,600 homicides, 300 suicides, and hundreds of other deaths due to accidents like falls, burns and drownings.
What are the long-term effects of Alcohol? Alcohol travels through your bloodstream and damages your brain, stomach, liver, kidneys and muscles. As a teenager, your body is still developing, so damage done to it now will affect the rest of your life. Over time, drinking destroys your body and your looks, so all that work you've done to look good, keep strong and stay fit goes down the drain fast.
What is the risk of Alcohol? You may hear that it will loosen you up and help you relax. What you may not hear is that it can damage the part of your brain that controls coordination, memory, judgment and decision-making.Straight up, drinking makes you dumber—you may slur your words and lose coordination, and your reactions will become slower. If you drink a lot and drink fast (binge drinking) you really put yourself in danger. With binge drinking, the depressant (or dumbing) effects of alcohol can overwhelm the body's defenses. Unable to move and think clearly, you can do stupid, risky and reckless things that are unsafe, or even lethal. Each year, approximately 5,000 people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking. This includes about 1,900 deaths from car accidents, 1,600 homicides, 300 suicides, and hundreds of other deaths due to accidents like falls, burns and drownings.
What are the long-term effects of Alcohol? Alcohol travels through your bloodstream and damages your brain, stomach, liver, kidneys and muscles. As a teenager, your body is still developing, so damage done to it now will affect the rest of your life. Over time, drinking destroys your body and your looks, so all that work you've done to look good, keep strong and stay fit goes down the drain fast.
DXM
What is DXM? DXM (dextromethorphan) is a cough-suppressing ingredient in many OTC (over-the-counter) cold and cough medications. It's safe if you take it for a cold and as directed, but taking it at doses higher than the recommended amount can be lethal.
What is the risk of DXM? Some teens think abusing cold medicine is not a big deal and figure, "I'll just try it." But a single high dose of DXM can completely distort your vision, and make you dizzy, agitated and paranoid. Hallucinations are a side effect of DXM intoxication. And it can also affect your body. Taking large doses of DXM can make you vomit, lose your coordination and distort your sense of judgment.
What are the long-term effects of DXM? People who abuse DXM can develop a severe addictive dependence on the drug. Addiction always increases the risk of misjudgments and accidents. A DXM high can make simple activities—like driving, crossing the street or swimming-a deadly sport. In combination with alcohol or other drugs, DXM can lead to overdoses and death.
What is the risk of DXM? Some teens think abusing cold medicine is not a big deal and figure, "I'll just try it." But a single high dose of DXM can completely distort your vision, and make you dizzy, agitated and paranoid. Hallucinations are a side effect of DXM intoxication. And it can also affect your body. Taking large doses of DXM can make you vomit, lose your coordination and distort your sense of judgment.
What are the long-term effects of DXM? People who abuse DXM can develop a severe addictive dependence on the drug. Addiction always increases the risk of misjudgments and accidents. A DXM high can make simple activities—like driving, crossing the street or swimming-a deadly sport. In combination with alcohol or other drugs, DXM can lead to overdoses and death.
Ecstasy
What is Ecsacy? Ecstasy's medical name is MDMA (methylenedioxy-methamphetamine). It is a synthetic, mind-altering drug that acts both as a stimulant and a hallucinogenic. Research shows that many Ecstasy tablets contain a number of other drugs that can be dangerous when combined, including methamphetamine, ketamine, cocaine, DXM and the diet drug ephedrine.
What is the risk of taking Ecstacy? Shortly after taking Ecstasy, you may feel confusion, depression and severe anxiety—but these effects can also show up days or weeks after taking the drug. Like any other stimulant, it will increase your heart rate and blood pressure. Physical effects of Ecstasy include tremors, teeth clenching, muscle cramps, nausea, faintness, chills, sweating and blurred vision.
What are the long-term effects of Ecstacy? Ecstasy directly affects the brain chemical serotonin, and how your brain cells communicate with each other. Clinical studies show that Ecstasy can be harmful to your brain and can increase the risk of permanent problems with memory and learning. Also, taking too much Ecstasy can interfere with the body's ability to regulate its temperature. This can cause hyperthermia and can lead to liver, kidney and cardiovascular failure.
What is the risk of taking Ecstacy? Shortly after taking Ecstasy, you may feel confusion, depression and severe anxiety—but these effects can also show up days or weeks after taking the drug. Like any other stimulant, it will increase your heart rate and blood pressure. Physical effects of Ecstasy include tremors, teeth clenching, muscle cramps, nausea, faintness, chills, sweating and blurred vision.
What are the long-term effects of Ecstacy? Ecstasy directly affects the brain chemical serotonin, and how your brain cells communicate with each other. Clinical studies show that Ecstasy can be harmful to your brain and can increase the risk of permanent problems with memory and learning. Also, taking too much Ecstasy can interfere with the body's ability to regulate its temperature. This can cause hyperthermia and can lead to liver, kidney and cardiovascular failure.
Marijuana
What is Marijuana? Marijuana is a green and brown mix of dried flowers, stems, seeds and leaves from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. The main active chemical is THC (tretrahydrocannabinol), which moves quickly through the bloodstream to the brain and other organs throughout the body. Marijuana is a mild hallucinogen that can also act as a depressant or a stimulant.
What is the risk of Marijuana? Well, you may hear people ask, "If it's dangerous, why do so many people have medical marijuana cards?" It's true that scientists have determined that the cannabis plant has the potential for addressing a range of medical conditions. But it's also true that when you're young and your body is still growing, marijuana actually has the potential of inflicting a long-lasting, negative impact on your developing brain. Using marijuana at a young age can result in structural and functional deficits of the brain. This could cause you to develop weakened verbal and communication skills, lowered learning capabilities and a shortened attention span.
What are the long-term affects of Marijuana? Well, in addition to the possible effects on your brain, smoking marijuana may also be hazardous to your developing lungs. Marijuana smoke contains 50% to 70% more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke. You may have heard people argue that marijuana is a "gateway drug" to harder drug use. Some say this is a myth, others insist it is a fact. The truth is that there is a link. Research shows that the earlier you start using marijuana, the more likely you are to become dependent on it or other types of drugs later in life.
What is the risk of Marijuana? Well, you may hear people ask, "If it's dangerous, why do so many people have medical marijuana cards?" It's true that scientists have determined that the cannabis plant has the potential for addressing a range of medical conditions. But it's also true that when you're young and your body is still growing, marijuana actually has the potential of inflicting a long-lasting, negative impact on your developing brain. Using marijuana at a young age can result in structural and functional deficits of the brain. This could cause you to develop weakened verbal and communication skills, lowered learning capabilities and a shortened attention span.
What are the long-term affects of Marijuana? Well, in addition to the possible effects on your brain, smoking marijuana may also be hazardous to your developing lungs. Marijuana smoke contains 50% to 70% more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke. You may have heard people argue that marijuana is a "gateway drug" to harder drug use. Some say this is a myth, others insist it is a fact. The truth is that there is a link. Research shows that the earlier you start using marijuana, the more likely you are to become dependent on it or other types of drugs later in life.