We all know the potential impact of driving under the influence of drugs. But, what about living on drugs?
In America alone, 19.7 million adults suffered from drug abuse disorder in 2017, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Drug abuse can affect a person emotionally, financially and physically. Disconnect with friends, relationship breakups, loss of employment, and self-harm are a few of the problems associated with drug abuse. The impact is even worse when people are under the influence of drugs and try to perform day-to-day activities, especially driving. Many personal injury lawyers agree that more than 50% of cases fail because of the fact that the client was on some sort of drugs.
Many drug abusers live in denial because they do not agree that drugs have adverse effects on them. Different types of research have been done to help shed light on the subject of drug abuse. Below are some studies that show the physical impact of drugs.
Rise of Stroke among Marijuana Users
A five-year review of hospitals in the US.. showed an increase in stroke cases among marijuana users. The study examined 2.3 million patients admitted to hospitals between 2010 and 2014. The patients were recreational users of marijuana. 1.4 percent of the users were found to be suffering from a stroke.
In the same period, the occurrence of stroke was constant among patients, but there was a 0.2 % increase in stroke among marijuana users. The researchers pointed to the need for further research on the link between stroke and cannabis use.
Alcohol Causes Premature Death
A study conducted by the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs (U.S.) established 35.4 % of alcohol-associated deaths occurred in individuals between ages 24-49.
Excessive alcohol use has a lot of effects on health. It can lead to heart diseases such as stroke and high blood pressure. It also exposes the liver to cirrhosis, fibrosis, and steatosis. All these diseases are likely to lead to premature death and support the findings made.
Kratom Associated with Deaths
Kratom is an Asian plant used as an herbal supplement, chewed and sometimes smoked.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (U.S.) found a link between deaths of 100 people and Kratom in a research period of 17 months. In an analysis of 27,000 drug abuse patients, there were a total of 91 deaths out of 152 patients who had Kratom in their blood samples.
Opioid Use in Pregnant Mothers Causes Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Opioids have devastating effects when expectant mothers use them. The newborn child experiences seizures, tremors, sweating, vomiting and excessive crying. A publication in the New England Journal of Medicine cited an increasing rate of neonatal abstinence syndrome in the U.S. compared to other countries. The rising cases correlated with the increased use of opioids during pregnancy.
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