Improper use of drugs or alcohol can seriously injure the health of students and employees, impair the performance of their responsibilities and endanger the safety and well-being of fellow students, employees and members of the general public.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse provides a comprehensive description of the health consequences of drug misuse.

Please see:

https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics

https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/commonly-used-drugs-charts

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism provides a comprehensive description of the effects alcohol has on the body.

Please see:

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body

All drugs, whether legal or illegal, influence the functioning of essential organs in the body. These effects occur both acutely after ingesting drugs and alcohol, as well as cumulatively. Examples of legal drugs include alcohol, tobacco, CBD, and, increasingly, marijuana. Illegal drugs include opioids, stimulants, and hallucinogens. As drugs impact organ function, consequences arise in the areas of vital sign stability, brain function, cardiovascular health, disease risk, and mortality. Most consequences have the potential to occur immediately, and some consequences develop over time. Consistent use of any intoxicants will escalate negative effects on the body and mind.

Some of the adverse health effects of drugs and alcohol noted by the National Institute of Health (NIH) in 2020 are listed below:
 

Vital Sign Changes

  • Heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate may drastically elevate or decrease, causing shortness of breath, palpitations, sweating, or discomfort.
  • Elevated or decreased body temperature

Brain Function

  • Problems with a person’s ability to think, learn, remember, and make decisions (cognitive impairment)
  • A loss of reality due to severe impairment of thought and emotions (psychosis)
  • Difficulty regulating mood
  • Can cause or exacerbate underlying mental health issues (depression, anxiety, aggression, paranoia, and hallucinations)
  • Increases risk of developing an addiction
  • Disordered eating
  • Insomnia

Cardiovascular Health

  • Elevations in blood pressure, heart rate, and vasoconstriction can lead to medical emergencies of chest pain, myocardial infarction, and stroke. These risks are highest with illegal stimulant drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, and methamphetamine; however, long term usage of other drugs and tobacco also carry this risk.
  • Decreases in blood pressure can lead to syncope, inadequate blood circulation (leading to decreased oxygen in the body), and cardiac arrest.
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Hypertension
  • Irregular heart rhythm, tachycardia
  • Cardiomyopathy

Mortality

  • Death
    • Cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest due to overdose
    • Drunk driving, personal injury, accidents
    • Aspiration leading to suffocation

Increased Disease Risk

  • Cardiac, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal chronic disease
  • Cancer
  • Addiction
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Hepatitis