Besides alcohol (which has its own set of health effects), the following are the most commonly abused drugs in the United States, in order of popularity, and how they can affect your health.
Marijuana
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. When smoked, it begins to affect users almost immediately and can last for one to three hours. Users claim that smoking marijuana is not harmful, but scientific evidence proves otherwise. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.
Prescription Drugs
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), after marijuana, the most popular drugs of abuse in the U.S. include pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives. This involves the nonmedical use of prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, and drugs that may be manufactured illegally, such as methamphetamine and ecstasy.
The Effects of Oxycontin The Effects of Methamphetamine The Effects of Ecstasy (MDMA) The Danger of Sedative Overdose
Cocaine and Crack Cocaine
Approximately 2.1 million people in the U.S. use cocaine, making it the third most abused category of drug. Cocaine can be snorted, injected and even smoked in some forms of the drug. In all cases, cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant which affects the brain.
The Health Effects of Cocaine Effects of Cocaine
Hallucinogens
Each month, more than a million people in the U.S. use hallucinogens such as LSD, PCP, Ketamine, and DXM, according to NSDUH. Hallucinogens disrupt a person’s ability to think and communicate rationally, or even to recognize reality, sometimes resulting in bizarre or dangerous behavior.
The Effects of LSD The Effects of PCP The Effects of Ketamine The Effects of Dextromethorphan (DMX)
Heroin
Of all the illicit drugs available on the market today, heroin is the least commonly abused, with only an estimated 200,000 current users in the United States. That’s probably because it is the most addictive of all the street drugs. Whether injected, snorted or smoked, heroin will begin to affect the body’s central nervous system almost immediately after it is used.
The Health Effects of Heroin Short-Term Effects of Heroin
Has Your Health Been Affected?
If you believe that your health has been affected by your use of illicit drugs or nonmedical use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs, seek medical attention immediately. If you need help trying to stop taking drugs there are many help and support resources available.
