Drugs – The Facts

Even though using, handling and being in possession of drugs is illegal, they are still widely available. Those who choose to take drugs may do so for a variety of reasons. People might take drugs for enjoyment because they believe they will have a better time than they would otherwise do sober. They may be being pressured into it by friends, someone they are in a relationship with or someone they look up to. Others may just be curious and wanting to try something different. Drugs can also be a way for some people to cope or deal with a stressful or upsetting time in their life.

Different drugs have different effects on the user but they generally fall into three main categories:

Stimulants – Make you feel alert as though you have lots of energy and confidence

Hallucinogens – Make you see reality in a distorted way

Depressants –  Make you feel relaxed and chilled out

Find out about what happens when you take Cocaine by watching the Talk to Frank video below:

But for these temporary effects there are serious risks which differ from one drug to the next.

Stimulants – Put strain on your heart leaving you at risk of heart failure.

Hallucinogens – Having a bad trip where you see and feel things that aren’t real can put you in serious danger.

Depressants – They slow down your heart rate and breathing which can be fatal.

To find out about all the different drugs and their effects and risks visit Talk to Frank. The problem is that all drugs carry risks and you can never really guarantee how you are going to react. Another issue is that drugs are often ‘cut’ with other unknown substances such as other drugs or medicines to bulk them out so that drug dealers can make more money. You can never be sure exactly what it is you are putting into your body.

Whenever you decide to take a drug, you are taking a huge gamble which may, in worst case scenarios, cost you your life.

When all your friends are taking drugs around you, it’s sometimes hard to know what to do. You might think “Well if everyone else is doing it then it can’t be that bad”. However, as we have mentioned above, everyone reacts to drugs differently and the effects of the same drug can vary from one day to the next depending on the strength of the drug and your mood. If you are feeling pressured to take drugs and feeling uncomfortable, the best thing to do is to remove yourself from the situation. If the people you are with are friends, then they should understand you not wanting to join in.

Drugs aren’t cheap. You can end up spending a fortune, especially if you become dependent on one or more different substances. When you use drug dealers, you’re not just involved with the person who sold you the drugs, you are dealing with the whole chain of dealers. So if it’s a friend selling you the drugs, they will have bought these from a dealer, who will have purchased them from someone else and so on. So if you can’t pay your friend, they may be hassled by their dealer, escalating the situation to someone who may use blackmail or even violence against you or your friend/dealer putting your life in  danger. If you aren’t able to pay, how will you ensure you get the money to pay your debt? Stealing, lying to your family or a friend to get cash?