MENS HEALTH

Drugs

Just over a third of adults in England and Wales aged 16 to 59 years admit to having used illegal drugs at some point during their lives (British Crime Survey 2005/2006).

Deaths associated with drug taking have been rising and most recent estimates show that the UK has highest level of drug-related deaths in Europe. For more information, look at Drugs: facts behind the fiction.
Drug highs and lows

There are many reasons why men use drugs, including:

* The short-term effects - ranging from increased wellbeing and sociability to exhilaration, euphoria and enhanced perception
* The belief they will improve work, sport and sexual performance
* Curiosity
* Peer pressure


However, besides the legal implications, there are also serious health risks involved in taking illegal substances - as well as commonly misused legal and prescription-only substances such as solvents or painkillers.

The best way to minimise the risks is to avoid drugs altogether, but if you're going to take them, you should be aware of the potential risks to your health.
Drug misuse can lead to:

* relationship problems
* domestic violence
* loss of employment
* crime


With illegal substances you can rarely be sure how pure the drug you're taking is, what it has been mixed with or what strength it is. This means there's a chance you could overdose without realising.

If you inject drugs and share needles, it puts you at risk of contracting hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV, the infection that causes AIDS.

Some specific health risks associated with particular drugs include:

* Cannabis - impotence, low sperm count, anxiety, paranoia, depression
* Cocaine - fatal heart problems, convulsions, depression
* Ecstasy - over-heating and dehydration from over-exertion, liver and kidney problems, possible long-term brain damage
* Solvents, glues, aerosols - blackouts, fatal heart problems, brain damage
* Heroin - breathing problems, injecting causes vein damage and carries the risk of contracting hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV