There are alot of drugs and substance in the world, some you may have heard of, others will be new to you. But drugs are becoming more and more available and accessible, young people are particularly targeted by drug dealers and gangs because they are particularly easily influenced. Certain media and social platforms such as Twitter, Tiktok, Instagram and Facebook make it increasingly easier for young people to be inflenced and targeted. Even in some of todays computer games such as 'Grand Theft Auto' have made drug use and crime entertaining, if something is made to look fun, it makes it less wrong in the eyes of a young mind.

Common drugs used by young people include:

• Marijuana - also known as cannabis and weed. It is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. It has been known to have health benefits in the medicinal form but it also carries great risks. It is an illegal substance. This drug can cause mental health problems, depression, anxiety, suicide planning and psychotic episodes. It can effect movement and coordination. It is addictive and can affect daily life and performance in education and relationships and reduced life satisfication. 

• Cocaine - also known as blow, C, charlie, coke, sniff, snow amopngst over names. it looks like white powder and can come in lumpy powder too. It is usually snorted which can cause significant damage to the nose and cause disfigurement, it can aslo be smoked which can cause severe damage to the lungs and can cause lungs to burn or collapse. It can also be injected and is extremely dangerous for health and can cause instant death. Cocaine is risky for anyone, especially for anyone with high blood pressure or a heart conditions. But even healthy young adults can have seizures, heart attacks and stroke due to this drug. Mxing this drug with alcohol can cause significant liver damage which may be irriversible. Mixing this drug with other drugs can be fatal, this means you die.  Regular use of this drug can cause mental healthb problems too, users can suffer from feelings of depression, feel run-down, anxious and paranoid. It can also bring previous mental health problems to the surfrace too. This drug is illegal to have in possession and can lead to a conviction even for small amounts. Cocaine is highly addictive, it can change the way your brain works and how it produces important chemicals. 

• Spice/K2 - Spice is a synthetic cannabinoid, it is designed to act like the main psychoactive chemical in cannabis. It acts like the drug cannabis but is a lot stronger and can quickly cause adverse side effects that can be dangerous. These include lightheadedness, confusion, tiredness, aggressive, agitated, mood swings, anxiety, paranoia, suicidal thoughts, memory problems and amnesia, nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, blood pressure which can cause chest pains and even heart attacks. excessive sweating, loss of feeling and sensation in fingers and toes, tremors, seizures and fits. It has been known to cause acute kidney failure and are associated with psychotic episodes and mental health illness. These are illegal and conviction can include up to 7 years in prison.

• MDMA - Also known as Ecstasy, Mandy, mollie and pills. These are very popular with young people and are often consumed during times of clubbing or dancing. Ecstasy can be extremely dangerous for users and can lead to death. This drug can cause quick overheating, dehydration and users often drink too much water to compensate which can cause fatal organ failure. The strength of this drug is often unknown and users can take too much and can quickly overdose. Use of this drug can cause liver, kidney and heart problems. MDMA can also cause problems with memory.

• Laughing Gas - Nitros oxide is often referred to as laughing gas. This drug can be dangerous, it can starve your body of oxygen and cause unconsciousness and suffocation. Users have died using this drug. Regular use can stop you forming white blood cells properly, deficiency of vitamins such as B12 and can cause anaemia which can lead to severe and serious nerve damage that often leads to paralysis and the damage can be lasting. Nitrous Oxide has now been made illegal and possession of this chemical can lead to prosecution and a prison sentence. 

• Crystal Meth - also known as Tina, ice, glass and meth. This drug has become very popular over the last several years and is one of the most destructive and addictive substances on this list. It can cause increased heart rate and blood pressure and raises the risk of a heart attack, the higher the dose the greater the risk. Over dosing can lead to stroke, kidney and gastrointestinal damage, coma and death. Long term use can cause brain damage and can cause damage to skin. It is extremely addictive and can quickly lead to a breakdown in daily life and activities. This substance can also cause severe psychosis which is a serious mental health state where you lose touch with reality and can put you at great risk from self harm or harm by others. 

• Heroin - also known as brown, smack, H and gear. It is very easy to overdose on this drug and overdosing with heroin often leads to death. Heroin is usually injected and this can cause irreversible damage to veins and soft tissue. Heroin is highly addictive and can quickly lead to a breakdown in your normal day to day life. Using Heroin intravenously can lead to serious infections and blood clots which can lead onto severe medical conditions such as ulcers, strokes, sepsis and the loss of limbs. 

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