What You Need to Know
about Drugs
Drugs are chemicals that change the way a person’s body works. You have probably heard that drugs are bad for you, but what does that mean and why are they bad? If you have ever been sick and had to take medicine, you already know about one kind of drugs. Medicines are legal drugs, meaning doctors are allowed to prescribe them for patients, stores can sell them, and people are allowed to buy them. But it is not legal, or safe, for people to use these medicines any way they want or to buy them from people who are selling them illegally.
When people talk about the “drug problem,” they usually mean abusing legal drugs or using illegal drugs, such as marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, LSD, crystal meth and heroin. Illegal drugs can damage the brain, heart, and other important organs. Cocaine, for instance, can cause a heart attack. While using drugs, a person is also less able to do well in school, sports, and other activities. It is often harder to think clearly and make good decisions. People can do dumb or dangerous things that could hurt themselves - or other people - when they use drugs.
Sometimes people try drugs to fit in with a group of friends. Or they might be curious or just bored. A person may use illegal drugs for many reasons, but often because they help the person escape from reality for a while. If a person is sad or upset, a drug can - temporarily - make the person feel better or forget about problems. But this escape lasts only until the drug wears off. Drugs do not solve problems, of course. And using drugs often causes other problems on top of the problems the person had in the first place. A person who uses drugs can become dependent on them, or addicted. This means that the person’s body becomes so accustomed to having this drug that he or she cannot function well without it. Once a person is addicted, it is very hard to stop taking drugs. Stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as vomiting (throwing up), sweating, and tremors (shaking). These sick feelings continue until the person’s body gets adjusted to being drug free again.
If someone is using drugs, you might notice changes in how the person looks or acts. Here are some of those signs. A person using drugs may: lose interest in school change friends (to hang out with those who use drugs) become moody, negative, cranky, or worried all the time ask to be left alone a lot have trouble concentrating sleep a lot (maybe even in class) get in fights have red or puffy eyes lose or gain weight cough a lot have a runny nose all of the time.
Drugs are chemicals that change the way a person’s body works. You have probably heard that drugs are bad for you, but what does that mean and why are they bad? If you have ever been sick and had to take medicine, you already know about one kind of drugs. Medicines are legal drugs, meaning doctors are allowed to prescribe them for patients, stores can sell them, and people are allowed to buy them. But it is not legal, or safe, for people to use these medicines any way they want or to buy them from people who are selling them illegally.
When people talk about the “drug problem,” they usually mean abusing legal drugs or using illegal drugs, such as marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, LSD, crystal meth and heroin. Illegal drugs can damage the brain, heart, and other important organs. Cocaine, for instance, can cause a heart attack. While using drugs, a person is also less able to do well in school, sports, and other activities. It is often harder to think clearly and make good decisions. People can do dumb or dangerous things that could hurt themselves - or other people - when they use drugs.
Sometimes people try drugs to fit in with a group of friends. Or they might be curious or just bored. A person may use illegal drugs for many reasons, but often because they help the person escape from reality for a while. If a person is sad or upset, a drug can - temporarily - make the person feel better or forget about problems. But this escape lasts only until the drug wears off. Drugs do not solve problems, of course. And using drugs often causes other problems on top of the problems the person had in the first place. A person who uses drugs can become dependent on them, or addicted. This means that the person’s body becomes so accustomed to having this drug that he or she cannot function well without it. Once a person is addicted, it is very hard to stop taking drugs. Stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as vomiting (throwing up), sweating, and tremors (shaking). These sick feelings continue until the person’s body gets adjusted to being drug free again.
If someone is using drugs, you might notice changes in how the person looks or acts. Here are some of those signs. A person using drugs may: lose interest in school change friends (to hang out with those who use drugs) become moody, negative, cranky, or worried all the time ask to be left alone a lot have trouble concentrating sleep a lot (maybe even in class) get in fights have red or puffy eyes lose or gain weight cough a lot have a runny nose all of the time.
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