Drug use is causing more deaths than ever and the illegal market continues to expand every year. These are some of the conclusions that the UN has warned about in its latest World Drug Report (2019) and in which more than half a million deaths per year due to the consumption of these substances are estimated.
In addition to the danger that illegal psychoactive substances pose to people’s lives, legal drugs currently also wreak havoc on public health internationally and present a real danger to society, although their real harmful effects are not so perceived by the majority of the population.
With the aim of clearly knowing What are the most consumed drugs in the world? here we will see a list of the substances that are most used, distinguishing between legal and illegal ones.
The distinction between legal and illegal substances changes what we can consider the most consumed drug in the world. In any case, the “champions” in each category are widely consumed substances that represent a real social problem.
1. Illegal Drugs
illegal drugs are those psychoactive substances whose consumption or distribution is penalized by the legal and legal system of a country Although the legislation on each substance may vary depending on which nation we are in, mainly in the case of cannabis, in general the drugs prosecuted by the law are always the same. Below are the most commonly consumed illegal drugs today.
1.1. Cannabis
If we focus on illegal psychoactive substances, cannabis is the most consumed drug worldwide. The low perception of risk that this drug has among the public, especially in the youth population, is one of the factors which explain its high percentage of consumers, but there are also other elements to take into account.
Among the factors that enable the greatest consumption of cannabis in the world, we can highlight, first of all, the different processes of legalization or regulation of the legal status of this drug in several Western countries; And in addition to that, it is also pertinent to mention the wide variety of ways to consume cannabis that currently exist on the market, such as pipes, sprays or vaporizers, some of them perceived as less harmful to health.
These factors create a less dangerous perception of cannabis in a sector of the population, a vision that does not correspond to reality or the harmful effects of this drug and its main psychoactive component: THC.
Some of the effects of frequent THC consumption are short-term memory loss, anxiety episodes, difficulty controlling one’s body, and a dependence on the substance. Besides that, Some of the long-term physical effects may include respiratory illnesses or the possibility of psychiatric disorders such as psychosis outbreaks
1.2. Cocaine
Cocaine is the second most consumed illegal drug in the world. Its high price in relation to other drugs such as cannabis, has placed it as a the stimulant drug par excellence for people with purchasing power
The most common way to consume this drug is in powder form, by nasal inhalation of the well-known “coca lines”, but there are also other ways to consume it.
Whatever the method of cocaine consumption, Its effects are highly harmful to the health of any person , the most notable physical effects being nausea, tremors, difficulty breathing, the propensity to get involved in fights or cause accidents, persecution or possible mania, and death in cases of overdose. Furthermore, it is very addictive.
MDMA or ecstasy is the most popular and consumed synthetic drug in the world. The main areas where this drug is consumed are usually nightlife spaces such as discos, parties or raves whose attendees often take it for its stimulant effects.
The most notable effects on the body are a potentially dangerous increase in blood pressure, jaw tension, dizziness and, in cases of high consumption, kidney failure, loss of consciousness or seizures.
Besides that, The main effects in the psychological field are disinhibition, illogical thoughts, hallucinations and also the loss of cognitive functions in the long term with repeated consumption.
2. Legal Drugs
Legal drugs are all those psychoactive substances that, despite having negative effects on the body and the possibility of creating dependence in human beings, in addition to other health problems, their consumption and distribution are allowed in the vast majority of countries in the world. .
2.1. Alcohol
Alcohol is the most consumed legal drug in the world and currently, The age of initiation of consumption of this substance, as well as cases of addiction, is increasingly lower in developed countries.
This increase in young drinkers and adolescent addicts is due, in part, to the popularity of alcohol in most societies, the effect of somewhat unregulated advertising of alcoholic beverages on the population, and the conception that adolescents have. of this product as a socializing drink linked to adult and festive environments.
The health risks associated with alcohol consumption are not fully perceived by society in general, but it is true that this substance It is one of the drugs that causes the most deaths every year on the entire planet
The main effects of alcohol on the body are motor incoordination, acute detoxification and in extreme cases, high consumption can cause alcohol coma or death. In the psychological field, its effects are disinhibition, difficulty speaking, and difficulty reasoning and associating ideas.
Tobacco is another of the most normalized and popular legal drugs in the world. Despite the various anti-smoking campaigns carried out in recent decades in Western countries, which have managed to significantly reduce the number of consumers around the world, currently More than 1 billion people in the world still smoke regularly
The main harmful effects of tobacco nicotine are premature fatigue, loss of appetite, increased heart rate and an increased risk of contracting angina, cancer and other diseases in the respiratory system.
23. Hypnosedatives
Hypnosedatives are drugs that have a sedative effect on the central nervous system and that also generate dependence in the body In high doses, its effects can decrease the person’s reflexes, cause drowsiness and even lead to coma.
These types of substances are increasingly consumed in the world, becoming the third legal drug with the most consumers on the entire planet.
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