Examples of illegal drugs include cannabis, cocaine,
mephedrone, ecstasy and amphetamines Illegal drug misuse
All have both short and long term effects although these
vary from one type of drug to another
Physical impacts:
• Different drugs have different effects on individuals – some examples of physical
effects include craving sugar and junk food,
• Experiencing sleep disturbances and suffering from a range of illnesses more
regularly than other people – all of these have an adverse effect on long-term physical
health
• Drug users can experience other physical effects like abnormalities of vision, co-
ordination and speech patterns, leading to accidents
• Drug users can experience infections linked to the use of needles e.g. HIV
• Many drug users will suffer extreme weight loss and reduced immunity to illness
and disease
• The physical effects of addiction mean that drug users may become very ill during
withdrawal, suffering from sickness, lack of energy and uncontrollable shaking
• Drug use can lead to accidents, premature death and unsafe practices that can be
detrimental to physical health, e.g. self-harm
Psychological impacts:
• Irritability and restlessness that occur when someone
is not using their drug of choice or trying to quit.
• Mood swings occur when one is not using their
substance of choice or attempting to quit.
• Aggressive behaviour
• Anxiety and depression
Social impacts:
• Difficulties in family and other relationships may experience
loneliness and isolation as a result financial problems may arise
because of the expense of buying drugs and the user may have no
money for any other social activities
• change in friendship groups
• Work record and level of performance may drop, the user may
become unemployed, losing contact with work colleagues
• May lack interest in taking part in leisure activities and spending
time with peers
• Individuals may find themselves resorting to crime to feed drug
habit – this may lead to a jail sentence, removing the individual
from society
mephedrone, ecstasy and amphetamines Illegal drug misuse
All have both short and long term effects although these
vary from one type of drug to another
Physical impacts:
• Different drugs have different effects on individuals – some examples of physical
effects include craving sugar and junk food,
• Experiencing sleep disturbances and suffering from a range of illnesses more
regularly than other people – all of these have an adverse effect on long-term physical
health
• Drug users can experience other physical effects like abnormalities of vision, co-
ordination and speech patterns, leading to accidents
• Drug users can experience infections linked to the use of needles e.g. HIV
• Many drug users will suffer extreme weight loss and reduced immunity to illness
and disease
• The physical effects of addiction mean that drug users may become very ill during
withdrawal, suffering from sickness, lack of energy and uncontrollable shaking
• Drug use can lead to accidents, premature death and unsafe practices that can be
detrimental to physical health, e.g. self-harm
Psychological impacts:
• Irritability and restlessness that occur when someone
is not using their drug of choice or trying to quit.
• Mood swings occur when one is not using their
substance of choice or attempting to quit.
• Aggressive behaviour
• Anxiety and depression
Social impacts:
• Difficulties in family and other relationships may experience
loneliness and isolation as a result financial problems may arise
because of the expense of buying drugs and the user may have no
money for any other social activities
• change in friendship groups
• Work record and level of performance may drop, the user may
become unemployed, losing contact with work colleagues
• May lack interest in taking part in leisure activities and spending
time with peers
• Individuals may find themselves resorting to crime to feed drug
habit – this may lead to a jail sentence, removing the individual
from society
