Substance abuse can cause extremely serious health and behavioral problems, resulting in both short- and long-term body and mind effects. Alcohol and drugs are toxic to the body’s systems. In addition to the problem of toxicity, contaminant poisonings often occur with illegal drug use. HIV infection, for example, is a prevalent hazard associated with intravenous drug use.
Acute health problems may include heart attack, stroke, and sudden death, which, in the case of some drugs such as cocaine, can occur after first-time use.
Long-lasting health effects of drugs and alcohol may include disruption of normal heart rhythm, high blood pressure, leaks of blood vessels in the brain, bleeding and destruction of brain cells, permanent memory loss, infertility, impotency, immune system impairment, kidney failure, cirrhosis of the liver, and pulmonary damage.
Drug use during pregnancy may result in fetal damage and birth defects causing hyperactivity, neurological abnormalities, and developmental difficulties.
Safety risk and performance impairment: Employees or students with substance abuse and dependency problems create excessive safety risks for themselves, their colleagues, and others. A person who is mentally or physically impaired because of drug or alcohol use may behave in careless and unsafe ways. In addition, substance abuse may noticeably affect an employee's job performance, which may, over time, decline in quality. Such employees or students tend to have unusually high accident rates, and are usually absent or tardy more often than usual.
Detailed information and literature about the health risks associated with substance abuse are available through the following resources:
- Campus employees: Contact the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, (858) 534-5523.
- UCSD Medical Center employees: Contact Managed Health, (888) 426-0023.
- Students: Contact Psychological and Counseling Services, (858) 534-3755, or Student Health Services, (858) 534-3300.
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