Drugs
Power Outage
The secret of powering your life comes from within—from the essential you. You are a precious treasure, and you want to safeguard your treasure from being stolen or hijacked so that you can continue to shine! Drugs are thieves that steal you from yourself.
Meet the Thieves
| Drug | Effects |
|---|---|
| Methamphetamines (crystal meth) | This thief can kill. Meth damages brain cells that contain the chemicals dopamine and serotonin, which are your brain’s natural sources of happiness! Crystal meth can cause stroke, respiratory problems, Parkinson’s disease, and can even cause the heart to stop beating. If you meet up with this one, run the other way! Before and after meth: See for yourself. |
| Marijuana | Recent studies have shown that smoking pot poses an even bigger threat for developing cancer than smoking cigarettes. Plus, smoking pot gives you the “munchies,” which makes you gain weight. |
| Nicotine | Want to appear more secure in social situations? Lose the cigarettes. Everyone knows that tobacco is a serious burden for your body, your wallet, and your fresh, feminine scent! |
| Prescription Drugs | DID YOU KNOW that more people in Utah die from prescription drug overdoses than from car accidents? In 2007, 82% of deaths involving overdose were due to legal painkillers. Doctors prescribe drugs to heal, not harm. Taking drugs in the wrong way or taking drugs that are prescribed to someone other than you is a form of drug abuse. Overindulging in stimulants can result in severe anxiety, and abusing painkillers, tranquilizers, or sedatives can leave you feeling lifeless. Take what you need to heal, and leave the rest. |
| Cocaine (including crack) | Seventy-five percent of people who try cocaine will become addicted—and lose power over their lives and health as a result. Extended use of cocaine causes paranoia, depression, collapse of the nasal septum (the dividing wall between the nostrils), and heart disease. It also disconnects the addicted from their loved ones. This thief is a major felon! |
| Ecstasy (MDMA) | Science has shown that using MDMA can change the functioning of important parts of the brain, causing long-term depression, confusion, sleep problems, drug cravings, and intense anxiety. MDMA also interferes with the body’s ability to regulate temperature, which can lead to organ failure. |
| Acid (LSD) | An unpredictable hallucinogenic drug that shifts your idea of reality and can lead to psychosis and schizophrenia. |
| Heroin | This thief is a tricky con artist. Most users start with a dibble-dabble, then find they need more to feel the effects of the drug. The more you need, the more you take, which can lead to overdose. Added danger: Users who inject the drug with needles run the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. |
