All Resources

People use other illicit drugs. We can consider the different groups of drugs based on the type of effect they have on a person or how people use them.

Depressants are drugs that act by slowing the action of the central nervous system. These include pain killers and tranquilizers, many available by prescription. Some of these drugs can be misused or abused. Another example is heroin. Some effects of depressants may be a feeling of relaxation, calmness, and drowsiness. Many of these drugs are quite addictive.

Stimulants are drugs that act by increasing the activity of the central nervous system. They can increase the heart rate and cause feelings of excitement, agitation, and alertness. Examples include nicotine, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of the hormone testosterone. Some people use them to enhance athletic performance or to get bigger muscles which is considered a misuse. However, these drugs can be dangerous to their health and have various side effects.

Inhalants are substances like solvents, aerosol sprays, and gases that people use as a psychoactive drug. Examples of products that people use are household cleaners, spray paint, markers and glue – products not intended for getting high. Overdose is possible with these types of drugs.

Club drugs are various drugs that people use that cause a change in mood, awareness and how people act. Examples include hallucinogens and MDMA (molly or Extasy).

Synthetic cannabinoids are human-made drugs that act on the same receptors in the brain as marijuana. However, they may have a more powerful effect and have not been studied as long, so they may be more dangerous.

For about 20 years, the US has been struggling with rising rates of use for particular types of drugs – opioids. These drugs interact with opioid receptors in the brain and include prescription pain medications and illegal drugs like heroin. In particular, one of the dangerous possible affects of opioid use is overdose and death.

Most states in the US are struggling with this problem. See a map with rates here – https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-summaries-by-state. This epidemic has evolved over time from overuse and misuse of prescription pain medication, to illicit heroic use, and the third wave of synthetic opioid use (like fentanyl).

There are some medications available for opioid use disorder, including milder opioids like methadone. Overdose deaths can be prevented with an opioid antagonist called naloxone. Government agencies are also working on preventing opioid addiction, limiting the use of prescription pain medications, and helping people find treatment options.

One common illicit drug is marijuana, which are dried parts of the plant Cannibis sativa or Cannibis indica. The main psycho-active ingredient in this plant is THC or tetrahydrocannabinol.

Many people either smoke or use vaporizers when using this drug. People can also mix the plant into food (commonly called edibles). There are several short-term and long-term effects from the use of marijuana. Health risks include breathing problems, lower birth weight if used during pregnancy, and mental health problems.

There have been several research studies looking at medical uses for marijuana, in particular two drugs within it which are THC and CBD. The Food and Drug Administration does not currently consider marijuana to be a medicine, however, several laws around the US has made it legal to use marijuana for medical reasons. This may include managing nausea when on chemotherapy for cancer, or for treatment of epilepsy.

Some US states have also started to allow recreational marijuana use – see the map here https://www.businessinsider.com/legal-marijuana-states-2018-1. However, this drug is still considered illegal on the federal level, so the status of sellers remains uncertain.

As with most psychoactive drugs, people can abuse marijuana and can develop marijuana use disorder. There are behavioral treatments available.

When people try to prevent or space out pregnancy, they are practicing contraception or birth control. There are several broad categories of birth control. Failure of birth control is measured by what number of people who use this method nevertheless become pregnant. The more a person uses a method of birth control, the more likely failure becomes (since there are several ways to fail to use contraceptive methods correctly). See graphs in this New York Times article showing typical and perfect-use effectiveness for several methods.

Barrier methods of contraception include the condom, the internal condom, the diaphragm, the cervical cap, and the contraceptive sponge. Many of these methods may be used together with spermicide.

Hormonal methods of contraception include the birth control pills, the vaginal ring, the patch, the shot, and the implant. Some intrauterine devices also contain hormones, while one IUD has no hormones and is copper-based.

Behavioral methods include abstinence, withdrawal, and fertility awareness methods.

Surgical methods of contraception are tubal ligation and vasectomy and are usually permanent.

If a person fails to use a contraceptive method or their chosen method fails (e.g. a condom tears), there is emergency contraception, which can be used up to 5 days after. The “morning-after” pill is most effective within 24 hours of unprotected sex.

However, pregnancy can still occur even when using these contraception methods. In that case, people should consider whether they want to continue being pregnant and giving birth. They may also consider abortion. There are two main methods of getting an abortion – the abortion pill, and the in-clinic abortion. There are many limits placed on both of these medical interventions by law, including the length of the pregnancy and the reasons for abortion. Some states are moving to ban abortion or to create barriers to people getting this type of medical care.

There are many aspects of sexual identity that are complicated and interrelated, including our biological sex, our gender identity and expression, our attractions and our behaviors.

Read more about each concept on the above picture here – https://www.genderbread.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Breaking-through-the-Binary-by-Sam-Killermann.pdf.

Even something as “simple” as biological sex, or the formation of one’s genitals and gonads, is not as simple as first thought. Scientists have identified many different possibilities that don’t exist on a simple binary of male and female – https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sex-redefined-the-idea-of-2-sexes-is-overly-simplistic1/.

Sex is different from gender and gender identity. People may express their genders in different ways and gender can be outside of the binary of masculine and feminine. However, society endorses certain gender roles and stereotypes that people may adhere to or reject. Sometimes people may feel that their gender identity does not match the biological sex they were assigned at birth – these people often identify as transgender.

Sexual orientation is how we often think about our sexual and romantic attractions. Common terms include lesbian, gay, bisexual, straight and others. Some people may not experience any sexual or romantic attractions and thus may identify as asexual or aromantic.

People who are sexual minorities may face stigma, social isolation, and lack of acceptance by family and friends. This may make them prone to more depression and anxiety, sexual assault, interpersonal violence, and suicide. There may also be legal issues of discrimination or unequal protection under the law.

On one side of the relationship spectrum are healthy relationships and on the other are abusive relationships or intimate partner violence (IPV). This type of violence happens in various relationships – family, friend or romantic and is quite common – https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/fastfact.html.

IPV can take many forms like physical, verbal or emotional, and sexual violence, and stalking. Other recognized forms include financial control, isolation from family and friends, and monitoring people’s movements and activities. Read about signs of IPV here – https://www.womenshealth.gov/relationships-and-safety/domestic-violence/signs-domestic-violence .It is possible to experience IPV in same-sex relationships. Mainly people experience similar signs of IPV, with a few other possibilities like threats to “out you” to your family or telling you that police won’t help people who are LGBTQIA+.

Another common form of interpersonal violence is sexual assault and rape. People of all sexes can experience sexual assault and help is available to all. People often experience feelings of guilt and shame and thus don’t seek help.

Both of these types of violence can have a profound effect on people’s health and it is important to prevent them whenever possible through laws, policies, and cultural norms.