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How Dangerous Really Are Drugs?
By “Awake!” correspondent in Canada
ALL drugs are potentially dangerous. A drug is any substance that by its chemical nature alters the structure or function of a living organism. It is this “altering” effect that constitutes a definite danger.
The drugs here being discussed are substances that have some effect on the mood, perception and consciousness. According to this definition, a number of things in common use, such as coffee, some tea, cola drinks and alcoholic beverages, although not thought of as drugs in themselves, actually do contain drugs. The drug in the first three is caffeine and, obviously, in the latter is ethyl alcohol. Moderate use of these drinks is not harmful, and may even possess some nutritional or health value. Wine, for example, is specifically recommended in the Bible for health reasons. At 1 Timothy 5:23 it states: “Use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent cases of sickness.”
But the use of drugs can cause serious problems. The accompanying chart shows what some of these are.
Of course, some drugs are used for healing purposes, or to reduce pain due to illness or surgery. Are there abuses in such medical use of drugs? Certainly. For example, not only is there the overmedication that results from the indiscriminate prescribing of tranquilizers and antibiotics by some doctors, but there is also the overuse by individuals of nonprescription drugs such as aspirin and sleeping pills. And that, too, is harmful and dangerous. But that is something that we will discuss in a later issue of Awake!
Generally, however, the use of drugs in medicine is not the same as drug use by individuals where the purpose and motivation are very different. The results to the recipient are also usually very different.
Just look at what happens to those who abuse drugs for whatever reason. Note carefully what even short-term abuse will bring about. Ask yourself, Are not the dangers to health and life real ones? Consider just a few examples:
AMPHETAMINES: Short-term use results in reduced appetite, increased heart rate and raised blood pressure. Long-term, heavier doses result in restlessness, irritation, malnutrition, increased susceptibility to infections, high blood pressure, a sense of power and superiority, unusual delusions and hallucinations, paranoia, and so forth. Not a pretty list, is it?
BARBITURATES: Short-term effects are slurred speech, staggering, a “high” feeling, and, in large doses, unconsciousness and fatal depression of the respiratory system. Harmless?
COCAINE: Short-term effects are much like those from amphetamines. Long-term, heavier doses bring on bizarre, erratic and violent behavior, paranoid psychosis, and sometimes an irresistible and maddening sensation that something is crawling under the skin.
OPIUM, HEROIN AND CODEINE (the latter used in many cough medicines found in drugstores): Short-term effects of opiates like these include a state of “contentment,” detachment, nausea and vomiting. An acute overdose adversely affects the respiratory function, with danger of death. Does nonmedical use of these sound safe to you?
TRANQUILIZERS: Adverse effects are reduced alertness, slurred speech, dizziness, depression, possible impairment of muscle coordination, urinary retention, low blood pressure, and so forth.
LSD: Effects are usually rapid pulse, distortion of perception, anxiety or panic, feelings of unusual power or importance.
PCP: Effects noted often are shallow respiration, increased blood pressure, muscular incoordination, numbness of the extremities. With larger doses: nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, loss of balance, delusions, confusion, hallucinations, coma, uncontrollable rage, suicidal and homicidal tendencies, death.
Frightening? Yes, and yet the list is by no means complete. Under the influence of these drugs people often lose their lives. In the book Mind Drugs, there is related the account of one young girl who, after taking LSD, jumped to her death on a rocky beach because the ocean below appeared to her as a silky scarf. Then there were the youths who wanted to ‘become one’ with the traffic on a busy thoroughfare. And there was the student who had to be restrained from leaping from an apartment window because he wanted to use his new ability to fly. Long is the list that tells of those who committed suicide or perpetrated terrible crimes after using PCP or LSD.
Imagine its power: an eyedropperful of LSD would be enough to produce a drug experience for 10,000 people. “By weight it is about three million times as potent as crude marijuana,” says the book Mind Drugs.
In addition to the direct effect of the chemicals themselves, many drugs are administered by unsterilized hypodermic needles, adding the dangers of tetanus, phlebitis, hepatitis and inflammation of the lining of the heart and its valves. Sooner or later, too, if a person becomes addicted or dependent, he will find himself in the company of criminal elements and in dangerous neighborhoods as he seeks out sources of his drugs. All of these pose a threat to health and life.
What are your chances of survival on the highways these days with so many under the adverse influences of drugs? Would you be at ease if you knew that coming at you at night from the opposite direction on a highway was a young girl who, due to recurrent effects of a drug she once took, now sees 1,000 pairs of headlights ahead of her, resulting in her not knowing for sure which are your real ones and which are the illusions? In her case, the headlights trigger the recurrence of the drug effect.
And are you at ease on the highway knowing that one of the effects of marijuana is the impairment of the ability to judge distance and time? that coordination is slowed down and that ability to make decisions is affected? What would that mean to you and your family when you are on a busy highway with many cars passing one another? Dangerous? No doubt about it!
Imagine, too, on a job, the danger to persons other than the drug takers. Think of the threat to life from having people afflicted by dizziness, loss of control, blurred vision and hallucinations working on fast-moving machinery and equipment, operating cranes lifting heavy objects overhead, or handling dangerous liquids and explosives. They truly constitute a threat to their own lives and to those of fellow workers. Do people have a right thus to endanger the lives of others? This relatively new safety problem is of serious concern to employers and medical officers at large plants. No wonder some job applications inquire as to the applicant’s previous use of drugs, if any!
There are those who would argue that they are doing better work now that they have used drugs to sharpen their awareness and creativity. But the facts argue otherwise. Take the case of a man who had been a successful international lawyer. For months after his experience with LSD he simply wandered about in the desert pondering his “experience” and its meaning.
A doctor’s report to executives on problems due to the increase of marijuana smoking pointed out that its use has “an adverse effect on performance of high-level jobs. The user is frequently lethargic, lacks motivation, is prone to error, has trouble remembering important details, and cannot think practically about the future.” How can a person’s brain be really aided by something that interferes with perception?
In another case a doctor tells of a transformation in a formerly bright student, studying for his law degree and his Ph.D. The changes came with marijuana use.
In time, thinking became unclear, concentration on schoolwork became more and more difficult and there were problems in his ability to finish work. Later, hostile reactions showed up and there was suspicion of others. The student and two companions were killed a short time later when the small plane he was piloting crashed.
As for cocaine, a report in Psychology Today said that it “gives an often deceptive feeling of improved intellectual and physical capacity.” It added: “The euphoria and confidence induced by cocaine can make the user attribute to the drug effects that have nothing to do with it, and cause him to overestimate the changes it does produce.” Even though amphetamines, since they are stimulants, seem to improve performance of simple tasks, “they do not improve performance on more complex tasks,” explained the same magazine.
The situation with drug use seems to be that the user thinks he is better than ever, but he really is not. The fact of life that must also be appreciated in this matter is that no drug is able in some magical way to develop a talent or an ability that was not there at the start.
Of real concern these days to medical men and many parents is the result of parental drug taking on the unborn. The route for nourishment to a baby is the mother’s bloodstream. Thus the many things a mother eats, drinks or otherwise puts into her body eventually show up in the baby.
Who can forget the tragic results to the unborn in the case of the mothers who took thalidomide as a sleeping pill? Babies were born with malformed limbs or arms and legs missing. There are also cases reported where an infant of a drug-taking mother was born with withdrawal symptoms, and where the baby of an alcoholic mother was born an alcoholic. Now, also, tranquilizers are thought to pose dangers to the young.
No wonder more and more warnings are issued to pregnant women and those who plan pregnancies about the risks involved with drugs, smoking, even aspirin, tea and coffee. Dr. Conrad Schwarz, head of the psychiatric department at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, said that scientific results have shown that “in pregnancies, the active ingredient in marijuana passes through the placenta to the fetus,” and that “the ingredient also passes through breast milk.”
Add to that the adverse consequences to the kidneys, brain and liver in barbiturate abuse and the inhaling of fumes from various solvents. What a poor start in life drug-taking women give their children!
One of the almost certain results of starting on drugs is the eventual taking of other drugs. Thus, it is not uncommon to find that heroin users are also users of marijuana, that some who take amphetamines to get “high” later take a depressant to bring them “down,” resorting to such drugs as tranquilizers or alcohol. The risk of mixing these drugs can be seen in this explanation:
The effect you desire from one drug, such as a depressant like a tranquilizer, may be canceled out by a stimulant taken at approximately the same time. For example, if one drinks six cups or more of caffeine-containing coffee the “benefit” of a tranquilizer will be nullified. On the other hand, the taking of two drugs of the same kind, such as two depressants or two stimulants, will heighten the effect—but not just a doubling of the effect. And here is where one encounters a very real danger. It is said that one alcoholic beverage plus one barbiturate can have the force of five or six alcoholic drinks. Or, as one pamphlet from a provincial ministry of health put it: “If you weigh 150 lbs., seven drinks in a couple of hours will probably make you intoxicated. If you have taken a cold capsule or some cough medicine as well, you may be unconscious. If you have also taken a barbiturate, you may find yourself in the emergency ward, or perhaps in the morgue.”
What about those who are not drug addicts but who are merely ‘taking what the doctor ordered’? They, too, must be careful and informed. You may be taking tranquilizers or perhaps have had one dose of a cough medicine purchased at the local pharmacy. Either of these mixed with one beer can have the impact of three or four drinks. One who is taking medication for blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, epilepsy or allergies, should always ask a doctor or a pharmacist about whether any drug preparation he is to take is dangerous with coffee, tea, or alcoholic beverages. Also, tell your doctor or pharmacist what other drugs you are already taking when you have another prescribed or are buying one from your local druggist. Don’t become a statistic in the files of fatalities from drug mixing!
Drugs alter bodily functions designed to continue life. Any interference with or altering of the body chemistry can be dangerous and even death-dealing. Drugs will cause some unbalance in your organism. Their careful use as a prescribed medicine may have the beneficial effect of counteracting some chemical imbalance, but continued experimental, recreational or nonmedical use of drugs is playing Russian roulette with your life. And, if doing so, you are, in the case of those who are working and driving, or in the case of expectant mothers, putting the lives of other persons, including innocent babies, in jeopardy. Is that love of neighbor? Really, is there any valid reason for the current bumper crop of drug abuse?
An eyedropperful of LSD would be enough to produce a drug experience for 10,000 people
Marijuana users are considered to be a hazard on the highway and on the job
Cocaine “gives an often deceptive feeling of improved intellectual and physical capacity”
One alcoholic beverage plus one barbiturate can have the force of five or six drinks
Continued experimental, recreational use of drugs is playing Russian roulette with your life
[Chart on page 10, 11]
Whisky
Wine
MEDICAL CLASSIFICATIONS Central nervous system depressant.
AND USES Used to sedate, promote sleep.
Dilates the blood vessels.
Energy source.
Aid to digestion.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS Initial relaxation.
Loss of inhibitions.
Impaired coordination.
Slowing down of reflexes and mental
processes.
Attitude changes, increased risk-taking
to point of bad judgment.
LONG-TERM EFFECTS Regular, heavy use adds to chances of
cancer of the gastrointestinal tract,
cirrhosis of the liver, gastritis, heart
disease and pancreatitis.
Social and personal deterioration.
Permanent damage to brain, kidneys and
liver.
Anacin
Aspirin
Bufferin
Dristan
Frosst 222
Templeton TRC
MEDICAL CLASSIFICATIONS Central nervous system depressant.
AND USES Used for fever, headaches, inflammation,
muscular pain and neuralgia.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS Reduces fever, inflammation and pain.
Stomach upsets and possible gastric
bleeding.
Possible side effects are asthma, hives
and irritation and bleeding of
gastrointestinal tract.
MAJOR DANGERS To be avoided if you have blood clotting
abnormalities, ulcers and bleeding
problems, nasal infection, sinus
disease, asthma or allergic conditions
of the nose or sinuses.
Coffee
Cola drinks
Tea
Wake-up pills
MEDICAL CLASSIFICATIONS Central nervous system stimulant.
AND USES Sometimes as mild stimulant.
Acts on kidneys to produce diuresis.
Stimulates cardiac muscle.
LONG-TERM EFFECTS Regular, heavy use increases caffeine
dependence (withdrawal symptoms include
irritability, restlessness and
headache).
Also, insomnia, anxiety, stomach and
duodenal ulceration.
LBJ; LSD;
MDA; STP;
Hashish
Marijuana
No medical use.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS Reduced appetite; increased energy and
postponement of fatigue; increased heart
rate and blood pressure; dilation of
pupils.
A “high” feeling.
Distortions of perception in colors,
shapes, sizes and distances.
Impairs memory, logical thinking and
ability to perform complex tasks.
LONG-TERM EFFECTS Psychological dependence possible.
Apathy, loss of drive and interest in
continuing activity.
Prolonged anxiety and depression.
Illusions.
Marijuana smoke, due to high-tar content,
carries risk of lung cancer, chronic
bronchitis.
MAJOR DANGERS Bizarre mental effects.
Irreversible personality changes.
Suicidal or homicidal inclinations.
“Flashbacks” may occur even after drug
discontinued.
Demerol
Heroin
Methadone
Morphine
MEDICAL CLASSIFICATIONS Central nervous system depressant.
AND USES Used to relieve pain.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS Relief from pain; produces a state of
contentment; sometimes nausea and
vomiting.
Addictive.
General physical deterioration.
Death from overdose due to respiratory
depression.
Cigarettes
Cigars
Pipe tobacco
Snuff
No medical use.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS Increases pulse rate; raises blood
pressure; lowers skin temperature;
raises acid levels in the stomach; first
stimulates, then lowers activity in
brain and nervous system; reduces
appetite and physical endurance.
Increased respiratory infections.
Chronic bronchitis
Emphysema.
Risk of cancer of bladder, esophagus,
kidneys, larynx, lungs, mouth and
pancreas.
Stomach ulcers.
MAJOR DANGERS With habitual use, cancer of larynx,
lungs and mouth; irritative breathing
syndrome, chronic bronchitis, and
pulmonary emphysema.
Damage to the heart, blood vessels.
Impaired vision.
SEDATIVES AND HYPNOTICS
Amytal
Nembutal
Seconal
Tuinal
MEDICAL CLASSIFICATIONS Central nervous system depressant.
AND USES Used in treating insomnia, anxiety,
tension and epilepsy, and in treatment of
mental disorders.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS SMALL DOSES can relieve anxiety and
tension, bringing calmness and
relaxation of muscles.
LARGER DOSES result in intoxicated
feeling, slurred speech, staggering,
unconsciousness.
ACUTE OVERDOSE can be fatal.
Normal sleep not produced.
Dangers due to faulty judgment and
coordination.
Possible brain and kidney damage.
Death from overdose or in combination
with alcohol.
Dry cleaner fluid
Gasoline
Lighter fuels
Nail polish remover
Paint thinners
Plastic cement
MEDICAL CLASSIFICATIONS Central nervous system depressant.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS Extreme excitement; disorientation and
confusion slurred speech and dizziness;
distortions of perception and vision;
auditory hallucinations; loss of
muscular control.
Larger doses result in sleepiness and
unconsciousness and even death due to
heart failure.
Extensive use may bring about kidney and
liver damage.
MAJOR DANGERS Psychological dependence liability.
Potential irreversible damage to the
brain, liver and kidneys.
Accidental death due to choking or
suffocation.
Benzedrine
Cocaine
Coca leaves
Dexedrine
Methedrine
Phenmetrazine
PMA
TMA
MEDICAL CLASSIFICATIONS Stimulant to central nervous system.
AND USES Relieves mild depression and fatigue.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS Reduces appetite; increases energy,
deters fatigue; increases alertness;
induces faster breathing; increases
heart rate and blood pressure, risking
rupture of blood vessels or heart
failure.
With LARGER DOSES, talkativeness,
restlessness, paranoia, panic, delusions
of grandeur.
LONG-TERM EFFECTS Malnutrition; increasingly subject to
infections; rapid development of
psychological dependence.
MAJOR DANGERS High blood pressure or heart attacks;
brain damage, malnutrition, exhaustion,
pneumonia.
Coma and death.
Librium
Miltown
Valium
Vivol
MEDICAL CLASSIFICATIONS Central nervous system depressant.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS Relaxes muscles; calms hyperactivity,
stress and anxiety; lowers emotional
responses to external stimuli.
Reduces alertness; gives short-term
relief from anxiety.
With LARGER DOSES, potential adverse
effect on muscle coordination.
Dizziness, drowsiness, lowered blood
pressure and/or fainting possible.
LONG-TERM EFFECTS Danger of physical dependence.
Similar to sedative hypnotics.
MAJOR DANGERS Dangerous with alcohol.
Produces depression, mental sluggishness,
slurred speech.
