There is never a legal age for drug use. All drugs are illegal for minors unless dispensed by and as directed by a medical professional or parent. Examples of drugs include opioids, fentanyl, and marijuana. Drugged driving is extremely dangerous and can be fatal.
Drugs kill more than cars, guns and falling
Drugs and your body, it isn’t pretty
Teen brain under construction
Drugs and Your Body, It Isn’t Pretty
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2014). Mind Over Matter: Prescription Pain Medications (Opioids).
Opioids:
Some opioids such as Vicodin, morphine, and codeine can be prescribed by doctors and may be helpful when taken correctly. However, when these drugs are taken incorrectly they can be dangerous and addictive. Heroin is an opioid that is never prescribed.
- Approximately 80% of current heroin users got started by first misusing prescription opioids.
- The death rate from heroin overdose has grown four times greater in the past 10 years.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2014). Mind Over Matter: Prescription Pain Medications (Opioids).
Fentanyl:
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic (human-made) opioid that doctors can prescribe to patients who are in extreme pain. It is extremely dangerous if misused, and is sometimes added to illegal drugs sold by drug dealers.
- Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine
- Illegal fentanyl is responsible for many fatal overdoses in people who thought they were taking another drug.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for Teens is part of the National Institutes of Health. (2018, May). Fentanyl: A Big Danger in Small Amounts.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for Teens is part of the National Institutes of Health. (2019, May). Prescription Pain Medications (Opioids).
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for Teens is part of the National Institutes of Health. (2018, August). Opioids: Just the Facts.
Marijuana:
Marijuana is the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant. The chemical THC in marijuana is responsible for many of the drug’s mind-altering effects. Non-medical marijuana is illegal in Ohio.
- Marijuana can be addictive and it changes how the brain works
- Research shows it can lower IQ if smoked regularly in the teen years
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