“An estimated 20.4 million people in the United States used some kind of illicit drug in the past 30 days” (“Health Risks,” 2014). Marijuana is used by 14.8 million people. Cocaine is also one most highly used drug. There are 2.4 million cocaine users. One other highly used drug in the U.S. is Hallucinogens with 1 million users. These drugs have the users psychologically and physically depending on them, they can become addicted in one way or another. These are all addictive drugs but alcohol is the most widely used and abused recreational drug in the U.S., it is used almost twice as much as marijuana (Powers, Dobb & Donatelle, 2009, p. 420).
Marijuana, known as pot, comes from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. It is the most frequently used illegal drug in the U.S. THC is rapidly absorbed after smoking pot. As THC enters the brain, it causes the user to feel euphoria; a high. Marijuana smoke causes short-term medical effects such as rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased rate of breathing, red eyes, dry mouth, increased appetite, and slowed reaction time. Other short-term psychological effects of marijuana include: distorted sense of time, paranoia, short-term memory loss, anxiety, and depression. Heavy marijuana use lowers men's testosterone levels and sperm count and quality and is believed to increased risk for lung cancer, as well as decrease libido and fertility in some men (“Rates of,” 2014).
Cocaine is a bitter, addictive pain blocker that is extracted from the leaves of Erythroxylon coca, a plant that comes from the Andean highlands in South America. Cocaine users often describe the euphoric feeling as: an increasing sense of energy and alertness, an extremely elevated mood, and a feeling of supremacy (“Rates of,” 2014). On the other hand, some people describe other feelings tagging along with the high: irritability, paranoia, restlessness, and anxiety. The reality of cocaine hits after the high. Cocaine has powerful negative effects on the heart, brain, and emotions. Many cocaine users fall prey to addiction, with long-term and life threatening consequences. Even occasional users run the risk of sudden death with cocaine use.
Hallucinnogenic drugs alter a person's perceptions of reality and may cause hallucinations and other alterations of the senses. Drugs classified as hallucinogens include: LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetime(DOM), N,N-dimethyltrptamine(DMT), psilocin, and mescaline (“The Effects,” 2014). When on hallucinogens one may think that they’re hearing voices, seeing images, and feeling things that don't exist. Hallucinogens also affect your heart. The use of hallucinogens leads to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Hallucinogens can put its user in a coma. They can also cause heart and lung failure. Some long-term effects may include: flashbacks, mood swings, impaired thinking, and unexpected outbursts of violence, possibly depression that may lead to death