15 of the Most Dangerous Drugs in the World

There have been a number of studies to determine which the most dangerous drugs are found around the world. A drug like marijuana has been legalized in some places around the world and has several medicinal properties. However, there are several others like heroin or cocaine which almost always lead to addiction, and the users face some very harmful effects. Some of these drugs cause extreme health problems and there have been a number of reports where the users have died of excessive usage. And if a regular user does not overdose, they may still have permanent physical and mental damage. Some of the most dangerous drugs are:

15. Marijuana
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Marijuana or weed, pot, and grass as it is popularly known as is a debatable drug which is legalized in some places around the world. It is also the most widely used drug all over the world, with studies showing that around 50% of the US population has indulged in intake of this drug. It leads to a general alteration in perception, with a heightened sensation and increased awareness of things. It has very few side effects and is considered non-addictive. At the most it leads to short term memory, psychosis, impaired motor skills, increased heart rate and lowering of blood pressure.

14. LSD or Acid
LSD or Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, more popularly known as acid, is a psychedelic drug known for its psychological effects. It alters the thinking process of the user and causes closed and open-eyed visuals, automatic, involuntary experiences and an altered sense of time. It is not a very addictive drug but once taken, its effects last for about 12 hours. Some physical side effects are increased body temperature and heart rate, increase in blood pressure, sleeplessness and loss of appetite.

13. Amphetamine
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Popularly known as speed, this drug is mostly used for recreational purposes but has also been used to treat attention deficiency disorders. The risk of addiction to amphetamine is low, but with increasing dependency increases the tolerance and subsequently leads to higher consumption. One of the side effects of speed is “speed psychosis” or a detachment from reality. Heavy users have clinical psychosis which is very similar to schizophrenia with hallucinations, delusions and extreme agitation.

12. Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines or the drugs locally known as benzos are a class of psychoactive drugs that have several medicinal uses. Valium is probably the best known of all prescription sedatives, which are used as anti-anxiety pills or antidepressants. They are probably the most widely available drugs and which they may not cause fatal overdoses, they are highly addictive. These drugs are often use to manage other drug uses, such as to make heroin come downs more tolerable. Benzodiazepines can cause psychosis and high levels of psychopathy and they also block inhibitions, which lead to a rise in risk-taking.

11. Bath Salts
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No, these are not the bath salts you drop in your bath to you clean yourself. Bath salts are a synthetic crystalline drug that are prevalent in the US. This drug is similar to mephedrone, which is a synthetic drug that belongs to the amphetamine class of drugs. The innocent sounding name of the drug comes from the fact that it was originally sold online disguised as bath salts. This drug has several side effects including unusual psychiatric behavior, psychosis, panic attacks and violent behavior. There are also strong possibilities of overdoses leading to heart attacks.

10. Scopolamine
Scopolamine is a derivative from the nightshade plant found in South America. It is generally in a powdered form but can also be used as tea. It is often used by criminals due to its high toxicity levels, which makes it a strong poison. Under the influence of this drug, users lose all sense of self-control and become incapable of forming memories. It induces hallucinations at a low dosage and can disrupt normal brain functioning at higher dosages.

9. Ketamine
Ketamine, is more commonly known as horse tranquilizer, but was first developed for human use. It was supposedly used as an anesthetic, to reduce the effect of pain. However, one of the side effects that accompany the usage of this drug is hallucinations. Ketamine overdoses are potentially fatal and it is also extremely addictive. But once an addiction develops, tolerance for the drug starts to build up too. Bladder problems, memory loss and psychological impairments are just some of the side effects. The drug causes an extreme detachment from reality which might prove to be fatal for the user.

8. Krokodil
Krokodil is a Russian drug which is on the rise right now. It is believed that around one million Russians are addicted to this drug, possibly because it is homemade and thus widely available. It attracts users by its extremely low prices, but is often much more dangerous because it is made by unprofessional persons. It is thrown together using ingredients like painkillers, iodine, lighter fluid and industrial cleaning agents. This chemical makeup makes the drug highly dangerous and is likely to cause gangrene and eventually the rotting away of flesh.

7. Opiates
Opiates are found naturally in the opium poppy plant which has psychoactive compounds including morphine, codeine and thebaine. The side effects of this drug include sedation, respiratory depression, constipation and a strong sense of euphoria. Morphine is often legally prescribed to reduce pain and due to its addictive nature is only administered in hospitals. The usage of this drug can cause nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, itching, and a hormone imbalance which might lead to malfunctioning of reproductive systems.

6. Tobacco
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Tobacco is probably the only drug that causes the slow painful deaths of millions over the years. Smoking is not only harmful for the user, but passive intake harms those surrounding the user too. However, this highly addictive drug is not only legal but uncontrolled. Tobacco contains nicotine, which is a stimulant drug and comes from the nightshade family of plants. Nicotine acts on the central nervous system, increases blood pressure and heart rate, supports clot formation and can damage the vascular system. Compared to other drugs, it is extremely addictive and is often known to cause diseases like cancer.

5.Alcohol
Alcohol is probably the most addictive drug on this list, and is largely ignored as dangerous because it is legalized all over the world. Alcohol is high on this list because it is most widely consumed and it is responsible for the highest death toll. Intoxication impairs brain functions and motor skills and heavy use can cause the risk of cancer, stroke or liver disease. Alcohol is also very addictive and alcoholism is a rampant social issue, which includes continued usage despite personal harm or injury. Alcohol abuse is the most common substance abuse that occurs on this list related to dangerous drugs.

3. Crystal Meth
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Crystal meth or methamphetamine has been around since the 19th century and was apparently used as a stimulant by Nazis. It then reappeared in the 1950s in the US, marketed as an anti-obesity drug. Meth is highly addictive and also equally dangerous for your health. It bloods the brain with high levels of dopamine, which induces euphoria, but it also damages the dopamine receptors, which means addicts need higher levels of meth to cope with the addiction. It suppresses the appetite and has other effects such as dizziness, visual impairment, attention disorders and restlessness. Use of crystal meth also causes skin conditions such as acne and chronic tooth decay which is a combination of dry mouth and lack of oral hygiene.

2. Heroin
Heroin is the most dangerous drugs in the world and it is responsible for thousands of death every year. Usually, the stuff that is passed around on the street is cut by some kind of white powder, but occasionally the drug that is obtained is 50 to 60% purer. This is why there are several cases of accidental overdosing on heroine. The tolerance for this drug builds up very quickly and there is more and more intake of the drug. There is physical withdrawal which comes with trying to quit the drug, it is extremely difficult to quit as it becomes ingrained in the psychology of the user. It completely overtakes the neural functions of the user and saps the life out of them. Some side effects include shortness of breath, seizures, disorientation, abnormal behavior, unconsciousness and sometimes lack of any brain function which could lead to sudden death.

1. Cocaine
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Despite being glamorized by celebrities, and popularly used by people with lavish lifestyles, cocaine is a very commonplace drug. The physical effects of withdrawal from this drug are relatively minor, the psychological effects can be devastating. With some users, the withdrawal can lead to suicidal symptoms. It influences a number of neurotransmitters at the same time and is extremely dangerous to the nervous functioning of the brain. Some of the side effects of cocaine include liver, kidney and lung damage, and permanent damage to blood vessels, which often leads to heart attacks, strokes, and ultimately death. It has been banned by several countries due to the high number of deaths caused by it.