Harmful Effects of Drugs
Devastating Impact of Drugs on Health, Family & Society
National Survey on Substance Use in India (2019)
Cannabis
Opioids
Sedatives
Physical Effects
Cardiovascular Disease
Drug abuse leads to irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and blocked blood vessels that can be fatal.
Liver & Kidney Damage
Long-term use causes liver cirrhosis, kidney failure, and other life-threatening organ damage.
Respiratory System
Smoking drugs like cannabis, heroin causes lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and severe breathing difficulties.
Nervous System
Drugs destroy brain cells, causing memory loss, tremors, seizures, and permanent neurological damage.
Immune System
Drug abuse weakens the immune system, making users vulnerable to infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B/C.
Overdose & Death
Uncontrolled addiction can lead to immediate death from overdose. It is one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide.
Mental Effects
Severe Depression
Addiction leads to severe depression, anxiety disorders, and emotional instability that persist even after stopping.
Psychosis
Drug use causes delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, and a detachment from reality.
Memory & Cognitive Decline
Drug abuse impairs memory, concentration, learning ability, and decision-making capacity.
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicide rates among drug addicts are 6-10 times higher than the general population.
Personality Changes
Users become aggressive, violent, dishonest, and unreliable, destroying their personal relationships.
Social Effects
Family Disintegration
Addiction tears families apart – children suffer, marriages break, and the entire family faces emotional and financial devastation.
Education & Employment Loss
Students drop out, workers lose their jobs, and promising careers are destroyed. Youth productivity is severely impacted.
Rise in Crime
Addicts resort to theft, robbery, and violent crime to fund their addiction, endangering society.
Social Stigma
Addicts face social ostracism and their families bear the brunt of societal judgment and isolation.
Economic Burden
The cost of drugs, treatment, lost productivity, and law enforcement creates a massive economic burden on families and the nation.
Types of Drugs & Their Effects
| Drug Type | Key Harmful Effects | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
| Cannabis (Ganja / Charas) | Cognitive decline, respiratory issues, amotivation, psychosis | High |
| Heroin / Smack (Opioids) | Severe addiction, respiratory depression, overdose death, HIV from needles | Extremely High |
| Cocaine | Heart failure, stroke, nasal deterioration, severe mental disorders | Extremely High |
| MDMA / Ecstasy | Dehydration, hyperthermia, brain damage, depression | High |
| Methamphetamine | Tooth decay, skin sores, severe psychosis, reduced life expectancy | Extremely High |
| LSD (Acid) | Hallucinations, fear, confusion, permanent mental disorders (flashbacks) | High |
| Prescription Drugs (Tramadol, Alprazolam) | Severe addiction, respiratory depression, organ damage, overdose | High |
Help & Support
Contact the helplines below for de-addiction support and assistance.