Each year, thousands of people lose their lives after taking deadly drugs. In 2017 alone, CDC Wonder reported 70,200 overdoses in the United States. Simply put, we’re experiencing a drug epidemic the likes of which have never been seen before. It’s more important than ever to understand the risks of these deadly drugs, so keep reading for a rundown of the five most dangerous substances.
1. Alcohol
It may surprise you to see alcohol included on this list as many people don’t consider alcohol a drug. However, according to the classic definition, alcohol indeed qualifies as a drug. Alcohol deaths are continuing to surge, with a 35% uptick in recent years. Ease of access is a big reason why alcohol is so deadly. It’s possible to pick up beer, wine, or even liquor in most grocery and convenience stores. Long-term alcohol use can lead to a number of physiological issues like hemorrhages, liver damage, and certain forms of cancer. Alcohol lowers a person’s inhibitions, as well, which can lead to an increase in risky behavior that can lead to disease or death.
2. Gray Death
You may not know Gray Death by name, but you certainly know the family of drugs it belongs to, opioids. What makes Gray Death especially deadly is that it consists of a mixture of the most potent opioids available. Often, a batch of Gray Death will include fentanyl, heroin, and other synthetic opioids. Gray Death is responsible for hundreds of deaths, especially in the south.
3. Bath Salts
Bath salts are another type of synthetic drug designed for users to ingest in a recreational manner. You may recall hearing stories about the effects of bath salts on the news. Bath salts cause irrational behavior such as increased aggression, dangerous hallucinations, and a sharp increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
4. Fentanyl
Fentanyl is so dangerous that the CDC classified it as the deadliest drug of 2018. Between 2011 and 2016, fentanyl was responsible for 18,335 deaths. What’s more, overdose deaths from other substances also contained at least trace amounts of fentanyl.
Opioids — and fentanyl in particular — are extremely dangerous. If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, attending a dual diagnosis treatment center can address the physical and mental trauma sustained through drug abuse.
5. OxyContin
OxyContin is one of the most widely available prescription drugs on the market. And make no mistake, that’s very much by design. The creators of OxyContin are under an intense amount of scrutiny after it became apparent that they intentionally enticed doctors to prescribe the medication. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people are now hooked on this dangerous painkiller.
Avoid These Deadly Drugs
No drug is ever truly ‘safe’. However, these five drugs are the worst of the worst.
Each of these deadly drugs is widely available, highly addictive, and extremely dangerous. Be safe and avoid these drugs at all costs.
Getting high isn’t worth your life.
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