Drugs are illegal and can be incredibly unpredictable. The effects that drugs can have on you vary wildly from one person to another.

Drugs -The basics

Some drugs come in pill or tablet form, which are usually swallowed; some come in a power form which can be snorted, smoked or injected: and some are in a herb or resin form which is usually smoked.

Depending on the drug, the effects vary greatly but most give the user a ‘high’, and it is this high that can become addictive. However, after ever high there is a comedown and they can be a lot less fun.

Why do it?

There are loads of reasons that lead people to start taking drugs, but the most common by a mile is peer pressure.

You might find that if your friends take drugs they will put you under pressure to do the same. If this happens, you’ve got to ask yourself how good a friend are they if they are trying to make you do something that could cause you some serious damage when you’ve told them you don’t want to.

As hard as it might be to do - just say no and try and walk away. It’s easier said than done, but it’s better to walk away than wake up in hospital, or not wake up at all.

Side effects

The health problems linked to taking drugs depend on what type of drug you are using.

It is not unusual to find substances in illegal drugs that are much more harmful than the drugs themselves. Someone buying drugs may trust their own supplier, but they won’t know or trust the chain of people who have handled the drugs before that.

As well as having immediate health risks, some drugs are addictive and lead to long-term damage to the body. Heavy or long-term use of some illegal drugs may cause the user to overdose, which may cause permanent damage to the body and can be fatal.

Mixing drugs is also highly dangerous. For example, a speedball (a mixture of cocaine and heroin) increases the risks from each drug involved, making it far more likely for the user to experience harmful side effects.

If you feel that you or someone close to you is becoming dependent on drugs there is plenty of support and help available either from your GP or on one of the numbers below.

NHS Direct has more information about the specific health risks associated with using different types of drugs.

The law

Despite what some people think, drugs are illegal. If you’re caught possessing or supplying illegal drugs you could find yourself in serious trouble and the more serious the drug, the more serious the punishment you could be looking at.

These are the types of punishments you could be looking at for each class of drugs:

Class A
Cocaine, heroin, LSD, magic mushrooms
Possession 7 years imprisonment or a fine, or both
Supply Life imprisonment or a fine, or both

Class B
Amphetamines
Possession 5 years imprisonment or a fine, or both
Supply 14 years imprisonment or a fine, or both

Class C
Cannabis, anabolic steroids
Possession 2 years imprisonment or a fine, or both
Supply 14 years imprisonment or a fine, or both

It is also illegal to drive a car while under the influence of any drug. If the police catch you, you could be looking at a heavy fine, disqualification from driving or even prison in extreme cases.

Get help

Get the lowdown on drugs by going to www.talktofrank.com which tells you about the risks and the law, or you can telephone 0800 776600.

Visions is a local service that offers information and support for young people involved in substance misuse and you can call them on 020 8583 6440 Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm.

There is also a local Drug and Alcohol Action Team that has a 24-hour helpline. If you need to speak to someone, call them on 0800 043 6575

Or try out these websites:
www.mindbodysoul.gov.uk/drugs
www.bbc.co.uk/crime/drugs/index.shtml

Alcohol

Alcohol is an incredibly powerful drug.

Drinking too much alcohol can cause changes in your behaviour, put you at risk of some serious harm and cause significant health problems.

The law states that you have to be over 18 to buy and drink alcohol legally in licensed premises in Britain. If you are 16 or 17 you can be bought beer or cider so long as it’s to be drunk with a meal in a restaurant, but you can’t do this in a bar.

Health experts warn adult men to drink no more than 3-4 units of alcohol per day and adult women to drink no more than 2-3 units per day. One unit of alcohol is about half a pint of normal strength beer, a small glass of wine or one measure of spirits.

There are many long-term health risks associated with drinking too much alcohol such as increased risk of raised blood pressure and weight gain. If you keep drinking heavily over time you can cause liver, stomach, kidneys and heart problems.

Heavy drinking could also lead to emotional problems, behavioural changes and alcohol dependency. This affects different people in different ways. You can get more aggressive and not be a lot of fun to be around or, as alcohol is a depressant, you may become moody, irritable and easily depressed. There are also a lot of short-term risks, like drunken accidents, choking on vomit, unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, vulnerability to assault, abuse and rape and unwitting involvement in crime.

If you do decide to drink, find out the facts and use your common sense to drink sensibly and safely.

To find out more facts about alcohol go to www.wrecked.co.uk or ring Drinkline on 0800 917 8282 9.00am - 11.00pm, Monday to Friday.

There is also a local Drug and Alcohol Action Team in Houslow that has a 24-hour helpline. If you need to speak to someone, call them on 0800 043 6575

Smoking

There are loads of different views about smoking, so it’s hard to know what to do. Your mates might love or hate smoking, your parents or carers might smoke but encourage you not to and then there’s the medical experts warning of the risks.

Find out what smoking can really do to you go to www.uglysmoking.info, this is a scary site!

To find out about the facts, myths, and other young people’s views about smoking visit www.givingupsmoking.co.uk/Young_people__smoking.

If you need help or advice with giving up smoking see www.quit.org.uk or ring the Quitline on 0800 00 22 00