A drug refers to any substance or medicine with physiological effects, especially when ingested into the body. Alcohol is also a type of drug whose chemical name is ethanol. It is a depressant since it slows down essential body functions leading to unstable movements, slurred speech and disturbed perception (Patel, Flisher, Hetrick, & McGorry, 2007).

Cannabis or marijuana is a psychoactive drug commonly used by the young generation for recreation purposes. It can be used by smoking, vaporizing and taken into the body as food such as cookies. It , however, causes adverse effects on one’s health and mental systems. Some of its short term effects include; a decline in memory, red eyes, anxiety and weaken motor skills. Long term effects are made up of; addiction habits may affect the mother and baby when consumed before or during pregnancy, cause respiratory disorders and liver diseases.

Cocaine is a potent stimulant also referred to as coke. It is taken in through the inhaling as smoke, snorting and injecting into the body veins. Some of its short term effects include; increased heart rate, convulsions, muscle spasms, loss of appetite, dilated pupils and disturbed sleep patterns. Its long term effects include; addiction, liver, kidney and lung damage, high blood pressure causing heart attacks, infertility for both men and women and permanent loss of the blood vessels of the brain and heart (Evans, Garthwaite, & Moore, 2016).

The heroine is from morphine. It is usually a white powder that can be smoked or snorted when pure and dissolved, injected into the body’s veins, muscles when impure. An example of its short term effects are respiration difficulties, nausea, and vomiting. Some of its long term effects are the muscular weakness, inflammation of the gums, depression, and loss of memory and weakening of the immune system (Mills et al., 2018).

Drugs cause severe effects to their consumers’ hence influencing people into making decisions of not consuming them due to the following factors; firstly,  the desire of leading a healthy life. They are believed to cause huge damages in the biological functioning of the body hence weakening one’s immune system. It, therefore, results in the reoccurrence of illnesses due to the body’s inability to fight against bacteria, germs, and other disease-causing organisms. Drugs encourage laziness hence making it hard for addicts to take good care of themselves through exercising a healthy diet and proper rest.

The desire for better relationships for both family and colleagues. Consumption of drugs interferes with the consumer’s personality and reasoning. Most of them tend to be secretive about their lives, have different negative perspectives about life and experience trust issues. Such behaviors may encourage antisocialism hence creating a considerable distance between them and the non-consumers and therefore making it difficult for them to be successful since most negative perspectives may lead to losses such as unemployment. It is likely to occur when they show up late or show up when drunk.

Thirdly, the need to save and investments. A higher percentage of drug consumers channel more of their funds to drugs than to production issues. Mostly because drugs are expensive and highly addictive hence leading to engaging in criminal activities like stealing to obtain money for purchasing drugs.

Parents and older siblings play a significant role in influencing the young ones for they act as role models. Parents with drug consumption habits are more likely to pass them onto the young ones while parents and siblings that do not encourage consumption habits make it almost impossible for them to consume.

Non –drug consumers tend to be more organized and successful in all their endeavors hence encouraging a larger population to follow on their footsteps. They also lead a peaceful life and often stay out of trouble, unlike drug addicts who engage in crimes that might land them in trouble.

It is evident that drugs have adverse effects on one’s life socially, physically, economically and health-wise.  Therefore, many people with a desire of leading a happy, prosperous and peaceful life will be better off with good decisions like not consuming drugs.

References

Patel, V., Flisher, A. J., Hetrick, S., & McGorry, P. (2007). Mental health of young people: a global public-health challenge. The Lancet, 369(9569), 1302-1313.

Evans, W. N., Garthwaite, C., & Moore, T. J. (2016). The white/black educational gap, stalled progress, and the long-term consequences of the emergence of crack cocaine markets. Review of Economics and Statistics, 98(5), 832-847.

Mills, K. L., Marel, C., Darke, S., Ross, J., Slade, T., & Teesson, M. (2018). The long-term impact of post-traumatic stress disorder on recovery from heroin dependence. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 89, 60-66.