Not only in past centuries has there been a lot of misinformation and myths about drug use. In our current reality, many of these myths (erroneous beliefs) continue to persist, which only distance us from the real information we can have about this topic, which turns out to be very complex.
Therefore, in this article we will review several of The main myths about drugs and their consumption
Below are 20 most common myths that people continue to believe about drug use.
1. Individuals with drug use problems made a bad decision
The problem of drug use is a health issue, which is linked to multiple factors There are different variables that increase the probability that a person will start using drugs and maintain their use, generating a problem in their own physical and psychological well-being.
Some of these variables (genetics, environment, mental health, domestic violence, etc.) are beyond human control. It is not very accurate to believe that individuals with consumption problems made only one bad decision in their lives, since there are other factors that are related to the beginning of consumption, as well as its maintenance.
Women metabolize drugs differently than men In addition to this, many of them who present a consumption problem are more likely to present other health difficulties, such as HIV or AIDS and other recurrent mental pathologies. Worldwide, one in three people who use drugs are women and out of five people, only one is a woman and receives treatment.
In addition to this, the statistical data show a greater number of women compared to men; who are imprisoned for criminal sentences linked to drug consumption. Finally, women suffer greater discrimination and stigma than men.
3. Using medications without a doctor’s prescription is not dangerous
Using medications without a doctor’s prescription is an imminent danger It happens that many people self-medicate believing they know what they have and the treatment they have to follow, in fact, many times they even review information from very unreliable sources on the Internet, without taking into consideration the negative consequences that the consumption of drugs can bring. Many people even end up becoming dependent on taking pills.
4. All drugs that exist are prohibited
There are various drugs that under control are used for medical practice, research and occasionally in treatments such as pain or treatment for pathologies generated by the use of other drugs, as well as for the treatment of mental disorders. Each nation with its respective state institutions ensures that individuals who need these medicines can obtain them and prohibit their use without a prescription from a health professional, as well as their diversion for other non-medical purposes.
5. Individuals with drug use problems cannot undergo treatment
The consumption and dependence of a drug frequently tends to be a very severe health disorder; individuals who present this difficulty experience changes or reforms in the functioning of the gray matter (brain) that are maintained in the long term.
Consequently, it is well known that people who are on treatment are susceptible to having one or more relapses (returning to using the drug). However, this cannot be considered a failure in the treatment they receive.
Contrary, The correct management of a relapse has to be a key and normal element of the services that are offered to treat the mental difficulties of drug use. Finally, it has been shown that individuals who have this type of difficulty and have access to voluntary treatment based on scientific evidence, in addition to social protection and health care, can have a productive and healthy life.
6. If it is only consumed on weekends, nothing happens
Many people believe they are health professionals and believe they can know when it is healthy or not, the frequency of their consumption. However, There are negative health consequences that drugs generate even when it is recreational consumption
7. Marijuana is a natural plant, so it is not harmful
Nowadays, with the advancement of science we can know that everything natural is not healthy. The marijuana sold today has generally been genetically engineered to make its effects more potent.
You may be interested: “5 excuses for cannabis smokers not to quit”
8. Alcohol and cigarettes are less harmful than other drugs
Currently we can know through the statistics presented by international anti-drug entities that both cigarettes and alcohol are legal drugs that kill people silently and unnoticed. Because its sale is not prohibited, many people who have an addiction easily access them without controlling their consumption and consequently there are high death rates due to the health consequences of the consumption of both substances.
9. Smoking with an electronic cigarette does no harm
The electronic cigarette has not been able to demonstrate safety in relation to the reduction of the risks and negative consequences generated by smoking. Still It is too early to be able to ensure that the consumption of electronic cigarettes does not end up generating adverse effects
In addition to this, it has been proven that the substances they contain are highly harmful to human health.
Finally, this device does not have approval to be used as a treatment for smoking, as there is still research being done to identify whether it is safe and has acceptable levels of effectiveness.
10. Drug use is a problem that only occurs in adolescents
Drug use is a socioeconomic problem that can affect all people, there is no distinction based on gender or age.
Nowadays there are many people who have drug abuse problems. Some of these people could be criminals and others not, because The drug problem does not make any distinction between social classes or socioeconomic level Even many people with a profession can present an action problem.
12. I control my consumption
There are various individuals who are deeply imbued with this mistaken idea, thinking that they control their consumption, when in reality it is the drug that controls them. It is important to be clear that many studies show that there is maintenance of negative effects in frequent and sporadic drug users.
13. Taking drugs makes it easier to have sexual intimacy
Many people believe that by consuming drugs they will make it easier to have sexual relations, which is totally false, since in reality drugs such as alcohol make it difficult to have full sexual relations.
14. Drugs are always bad
As we have seen before, drugs in and of themselves are not bad. On the contrary, Many of them are used to treat different physical and mental illnesses in the human being. In any case, the bad thing is to use drugs without a medical prescription for recreational, sporadic or frequent use.
15. The one who can tolerate the drug the longest is the strongest
This premise is not correct, since there is no link between strength, virility and longer lasting a drug (for example, alcohol).
If you can tolerate a drug longer, it may be because your body has already generated resistance or tolerance towards the drug, and therefore you would have a greater chance of becoming dependent on that substance There are exceptional cases, where a person can tolerate a drug more depending on their body due to a purely biological factor.
16. Marijuana is not addictive
The chances of a person becoming addicted to marijuana or any other drug are very high. Globally, one in 11 individuals who use marijuana becomes addicted
17. Only people who use illegal drugs end up dying
Completely false, since more individuals die from overdoses of prescription painkillers than from heroin and cocaine.
18. Drugs increase your creativity and academic performance
Drugs cause deterioration in basic and higher cognitive processes (memory, attention, perception, etc.) Therefore, drugs do not generate an increase in creativity, since there is no direct favorable association between these two factors.
You may be interested: “What is creativity? Are we all “potential geniuses”?”
19. Drugs are good for being able to work
Some drugs, such as cocaine, activate the nervous system, which generates an activation of the subject, but it does not mean that their performance will improve.
20. The drug helps us lose shyness
Drugs like cocaine or alcohol disinhibit us, making us more social with others. However, When consumption increases, it is very likely that the individual will become irritable and aggressive These problems can even occur in people who do not have an addiction.
