Drugs, both legal and illegal, are harmful, especially when they are abused. Some drug substances only cause minor impairment, while others can trigger fatal impairments after use. Drugs are not equally created, and there’s a significant variation in their potency when it comes to illicit substances. These variations are the main determining factor in how fatal the drug will be, especially in cases where they are abused.
Another thing worth noting is that drugs can be laced with one another, which can further increase the risk of a potential overdose. To help you understand the dangers associated with some of these drug substances, here’s an overview of some of the most dangerous drugs in the world today.
What Are the 10 Most Dangerous Drugs?
With the overview above, let us quickly examine some of the most dangerous drugs in the world today. They include the following:
10. Marijuana
The effects of marijuana overdose do not cause many fatalities. However, users are easily impaired by the drug’s sedative properties, which can trigger different unpleasant behaviors in such persons. Today, many medical communities are concerned about the potency of marijuana, which can be easily overestimated.
A study at the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Mississippi highlights that there has been a steady increase in the content of THC in marijuana. The result of this is an increase in the risks of developing addictive tendencies to the drug substance.
9. Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)
MDMA is a psychoactive drug substance that is popularly known as ecstasy. The drug mostly acts on sensory pathways that trigger sensory perception and mood enhancement. That is why MDMA is also referred to as a party drug. However, it’s important to understand that MDMA also contributes to some risky behavior because it can lower inhibitory responses. Also, the drug can potentially cause different adverse health conditions, most resulting from an overdose.
Other conditions may include panic attacks, faintness, high blood pressure, seizures, and loss of consciousness. A study shows that there are more than 22,000 emergency cases resulting from MDMA use, most of which were in adults between 18 to 29 years of age.
8. Benzodiazepines
These are a class of prescription medications that are used for treating sleep disorders and anxiety. Data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows a 67% increase in the number of people filling a benzodiazepine prescription. Most users seek the high sedative quality the drug offers, increasing the risk for addiction and abuse.
Even though there aren’t too many records of overdose fatalities resulting from benzodiazepine prescriptions, combining the drugs with substances like opioids or alcohol can result in fatal outcomes.
7. Alcohol
Alcohol is one of the most abused drug substances today, and this is a result of its legality and accessibility. Death from consuming this substance is unlikely, but it has the potential to contribute to a range of alcohol-related deaths and other use disorders.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 people in the United States die daily from accidents involving an alcohol-impaired drivers. Some of the negative impacts of alcohol usually affect organs like the pancreas, liver, heart, and brain. Prolonged use of alcohol can also adversely affect the liver and lead to different cancers.
6. Crack Cocaine
This is the powdered form of cocaine that is chemically processed into crystals. It’s a cheaper option and widely embraced by most users for its efficacy. However, it is highly addictive, and most people abuse the substance. A 2016 analysis highlights that there are about 500,000 crack cocaine users in the United States alone. It’s important to note that the substance acts as a stimulant in the body and can potentially cause irreversible damage.
Irrespective of the frequency or quantity taken, the drug can increase the danger of respiratory failure, seizure, stroke, or heart attack. These are conditions that can cause other fatalities, including death. Another thing to note is that crack cocaine users are more prone to respiratory disorders like bleeding, lung damage, shortness of breath, and severe coughing.
5. Methamphetamine
Most people call it meth, and it’s one of the most addictive and illegal stimulants in the world today. Meth increases euphoria, energy, alertness, and a general sensation of invincibility. Prolonged use of the substance can lead to stroke, heart attack, or high blood pressure. Another thing worth noting is that the drug substance can cause serious damage to the lung and kidneys.
In addition to these conditions, there are many other psychotic problems that are mostly associated with methamphetamine. These problems include paranoia, mood swings, hallucinations, delusion, and many other violent behaviors. Even after stopping the drug, it still leaves a range of unpleasant effects, like insomnia, confusion, and memory loss.
4. Cocaine
Cocaine is another addictive stimulant that’s mostly available in powder form. People who abuse the substance are prone to multiple negative impacts, most of which affect the central nervous system. These negative impacts include convulsions, cardiac arrest, cardiac arrhythmia, and even death.
A 2017 review by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights a record of more than 14,000 American deaths were a result of a cocaine overdose.
3. Oxycodone
This is an opioid analgesic, a prescription drug that is sometimes used with other analgesic substances like acetaminophen and aspirin. It is a highly potent substance with a potency that is twice that of morphine. In addition, oxycodone is highly addictive, and abuse of the substance can lead to life-threatening conditions.
2. Heroin
Heroin is a semi-synthetic opiate that acts as a depressant on the central nervous system. The drug is made from morphine, leaving different effects on users, especially when abused. Heroin reduces heart rate and suppresses breathing significantly. It is a depressant that can lead to fatal outcomes when abused.
Heroin is one of the most dangerous drugs in the world and can also cause different physiological processes to cease. This includes collapsed veins, liver disease, heart infection, breathing cessation, and death.
1. Fentanyl
This is the most dangerous drug substance on your list, and this is because it is the most deadly, powerful, and addictive drug substance in the world today. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine, and it’s a major cause of overdose fatality across the world today. The drug also causes opioid tolerance in people who abuse it.
A study highlights that 1kg of fentanyl has the potential to kill over 500,000 people. Fentanyl is also a substance that is found in cocaine, heroin, and many other pills.
Conclusion
Drug addiction is a problem that’s easy to conquer and only requires willpower. A lot of people believe it’s a sign of weakness, but it’s more than that. Abusing drug substances like prescription drugs, and the dangerous drugs above can cause different alterations to brain functioning. This can trigger powerful compulsions and cravings for the drug substances. Recovering from an addiction to different substances is also achievable, and different treatment approaches exist for this.
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