*The following information is for educational purposes. If you or someone you know chooses to use any of the following substances, they should do it safely. Visit: ottawapublichealth.ca for harm reduction services.
All drugs can have behavioral effects including:
Long term effects can be more extreme. Heavy cannabis usage may lead to things such as increased risk of cancer (lungs💨, throat🗣️, mouth👄, tongue👅), schizophrenia, asthma and chronic bronchitis and decreased sexual pleasure🍆.
For more information on any of the substances mentioned in this article or to learn more about the physical effects of drugs, alcohol and nicotine on the body, visit the following links:
- Paranoia 😱
- Hallucinations
- Impaired concentration and memory💾
- Impulsiveness 💥
- Aggressiveness 😡
- Addiction 🧠
- Impaired judgement 🧐
- Loss of self-control 🤪
- Confusion😵
Cannabis
A plant that can be ingested or smoked🚬. Some milder short-term effects include dry mouth and increased heart rate.Long term effects can be more extreme. Heavy cannabis usage may lead to things such as increased risk of cancer (lungs💨, throat🗣️, mouth👄, tongue👅), schizophrenia, asthma and chronic bronchitis and decreased sexual pleasure🍆.
Cocaine
A highly addictive recreational drug, where users experience a high from either snorting👃, smoking🚬, or injecting🦟 the substance. Some short-term effects can range from hallucinations to a complete overstimulation of the nervous system. This extreme reaction can cause seizures, brain hemorrhages, and heart attacks, regardless of age and physical fitness🏃♂. Another side effect is collapsed veins; the vein used for the injection gets blocked due to swelling. This can lead to tissue damage. Some longer-term effects can include contracting Hepatitis, HIV or other diseases through sharing needles or risky sexual behaviour.Nicotine 🚬
Nicotine is a highly addictive stimulant drug found in cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco. Long term physical effects include gum disease, cancer, lung/heart disease💔, increased risk of tuberculosis and a weakened immune system.Alcohol 🥤
Although individuals may not be abusing alcohol habitually, they can still undergo short-term effects on the mind and body. Effects of alcohol🥤 can vary from skin flushing to more severe symptoms such as passing out or vomiting🤮. Other short-term effects include trouble concentrating, loss of coordination, loss of critical judgement and raised blood pressure. Long-term alcohol use can lead to memory loss, trouble learning, alcoholic hepatitis, and different types of cancers.Effects of problematic alcohol use on the body include:
- Liver: Lead to liver disease, causing the liver to become inflamed or scarred.
- Digestive system: Wear down the lining of the stomach and increase the production of stomach acid leading to ulcers.
- Pancreas: Alcohol causes the pancreas to secrete harmful substances leading to inflammation of the pancreas and digestive difficulties.
- Central nervous system (CNS)🧬: Thiamine or vitamin B1 deficiency which may lead to Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome, which causes memory loss and hallucinations.
- Cardiovascular health 💔: High blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, trouble pumping blood through the body, blood clots, and stroke.