Exploring and experimenting with new things is a natural part of growing up. Some young people use drugs because they like the feeling, or because their mates are using them or simply because they are curious – but there are some real dangers associated with using drugs which can lead to unforeseen (and unpleasant!) consequences…
Drugs can have a serious impact on your mental health, physical health, relationships, education, safety and, ultimately, your future life chances.
Being under the influence of drugs can make you act and behave differently to how you might ordinarily behave; this might include getting into situations which you wouldn’t ordinarily put yourself in, taking risks you wouldn’t ordinarily take – such as getting into fights, risky sexual encounters, getting into trouble with the police or putting yourself at risk in other ways such as being in places that aren’t safe or associating with people who could exploit you or cause you harm.
There are lots of different types of drugs, they are generally grouped into stimulants (such as cocaine and amphetamines), hallucinogens (such as mushrooms and LSD) or depressants (such as alcohol and heroin); each has different effects on the body and bring their own set of risks and problems.
No drug is risk free. But if you are going to use drugs then it’s important to be informed and to know the facts – people often think they know about drugs when actually all they know are urban myths and rumours that other people have told them. Being misinformed can lead to poor decisions so why not find out more by going onto the FRANK website www.talktofrank.com